Franz Wagner’s Recovery Timeline Remains Uncertain as Magic Face Playoff Push
ORLANDO, FL – Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner continues his rehabilitation from a high left ankle sprain, with his return to the court still uncertain as the team navigates the final stretch of the regular season. The Magic, currently sixth in the Eastern Conference, are hoping for Wagner’s return to bolster their playoff chances, but the timeline remains fluid.
Frustrating Injury Process for Wagner
Wagner expressed his frustration with the injury and its recovery process, stating he initially expected to feel fully recovered within 4-6 weeks after sustaining the injury on December 7th at New York. as reported by the Orlando Sentinel. He has already attempted two comebacks, first during a pair of games in Europe in mid-January and again for two home games against the Milwaukee Bucks, but pain recurred both times.
“I think it was a little special circumstances with the Berlin game,” Wagner said. “I take responsibility for playing in that game and really pushing to play in that game, and it was probably a little too soon. And then, super frustrating for me to do it a second time around and still not feel up to par prior to the All-Star break.”
Current Status and On-Court Function
Magic coach Jamahl Mosley has indicated that Wagner is currently participating in light, non-contact drills. According to ESPN, Mosley stated Wagner is “still a ways away” from a return, focusing on light work on the court and drills off of it. Wagner himself confirmed he’s been doing more intense workouts but hasn’t yet participated in live play.
“I’ve been doing some more intense workouts on the court,” Wagner said. “I haven’t played live yet so hopefully that’s in the near future for me. I can’t really place a time thing on it, but (I’ve) definitely been working really hard to get back on the court.”
Impact on the Magic
The Magic are 16-12 with Wagner in the lineup this season and 22-18 without him. Despite recent losses to the Atlanta Hawks and Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando remains in playoff contention, holding a 38-30 record. They are currently half a game ahead of the Miami Heat (38-31) and half a game behind the Toronto Raptors (38-29) for playoff positioning.
Wagner is averaging 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.1 steals in 31.8 minutes per game this season.
Other Injuries
In addition to Wagner, the Magic are also without Anthony Black (left lateral abdominal strain) and Jonathan Isaac (left knee sprain). Black has not touched the floor in the past six games, while Isaac has missed the last three games.
Upcoming Schedule
The Magic will face the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, March 20th, at 7 p.m. ET. Orlando defeated Charlotte earlier in the season, but the Hornets have won the last two matchups at Kia Center.
Despite the recent setbacks, Magic guard Desmond Bane remains optimistic. “Our mindset is in the right spot,” Bane said. “We just lost to an Atlanta team that won 10 in a row and the team that’s got the best record in the league. So, I don’t think we necessitate to start hanging our heads or anything. We’ve just got to go and get a game against Charlotte.”