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Orlando Magic Player Comparisons: Who are the Rookies?

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Jalen Suggs impressed in his year at Gonzaga and is getting some All-Star comparisons. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
Jalen Suggs impressed in his year at Gonzaga and is getting some All-Star comparisons. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 30: Jules Bernard #1 of the UCLA Bruins handles the ball against Franz Wagner #21 of the Michigan Wolverines during the second half in the Elite Eight round game of the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 30, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 30: Jules Bernard #1 of the UCLA Bruins handles the ball against Franz Wagner #21 of the Michigan Wolverines during the second half in the Elite Eight round game of the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 30, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Franz Wagner

The Ringer: Lamar Odom, Danilo Gallinari, Xavier Tillman
NBADraft.net: Nemanja Bjelica, Mike Dunleavy

Unlike Jalen Suggs who seems to have a clear future and fill a clear need, the Orlando Magic’s other draft pick is a bit more of a mystery.

Franz Wagner was viewed as a solid player who will likely carve out his role in the NBA. But he is far from flashy. And for a team at the beginning of a rebuild with two top-10 picks, it felt like the Magic needed to go for a bigger splash rather than solid.

Wagner may have been a better fit for a team that is more established where he could fill in gaps and not be relied on for creation.

What is abundantly clear is that Wagner does a lot of the things that basketball people love. He sets good screens, he cuts to open space, he hits open shots and he defends well. None of that may stand out to the casual eye. But it stands out to NBA people.

That is how he became a top-10 pick at the end of the day. And nobody really batted an eye at it.

Wagner averaged 12.5 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game at Michigan last season. He shot 34.3-percent from beyond the arc.

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During Summer League, Wagner averaged 8.0 points per game and 3.8 rebounds per game. He really struggled to shoot. But throughout the course of the Summer League, he looked more comfortable as a shooter and a cutter. He found his place on the floor.

Wagner certainly still has to prove himself. And the Magic will be hopeful to see more in training camp and the early part of the season.

What is a bit puzzling is figuring out who he resembles. None of the comparisons made above seem to fit at the moment.

He is not as athletic or as strong a playmaker as someone like Lamar Odom. He is not the shooter that Danilo Gallinari is. Xavier Tillman and Nemanja Bjelica seem an odd fit for Franz Wagner’s play style — and an extremely low floor for the consensus Lottery pick, if not top-10 pick.

The Mike Dunleavy comparison is at least interesting. Dunleavy was drafted as a do-everything forward from Duke who developed into a decent 3-point shooter. Dunleavy averaged 19.1 points per game with a 55.0-percent effective field goal percentage in his best season (2008).

This may seem like a fairly low bar. But Dunleavy carved out a 15-year career with 10 years as a full-time starter. A lot of players would love that career.

Should that be what the Magic aspire to draft with the eighth pick? In some respects yes. Getting a 10-year starter at the eighth pick would be a huge boost. But no one would consider Dunleavy anything more than a secondary player — if even that.

Still, the versatility that a player like Dunleavy showed would be exactly what the Magic hope to get out of Wagner. They hope Wagner can defend multiple positions and hit open 3-pointers while filling in gaps offensively as a cutter and shooter.

Wagner showed hints of all that in Summer League. But they were just hints. Nobody is quite sure what will translate to the NBA — much less, how the Magic might use him.

dark. Next. The case for the Magic going over their 2021 win total

Wagner has a lot of questions to answer as the Magic begin to define his role and as he begins to start his career.