One of the enduring storylines in the NBA every offseason is the story of player movement. It drives conversation around the league during the season, as much as in the offseason when much of it takes place.
It follows then that one of the things that gets highlighted when the schedule first comes out is the reunions that occur throughout the season.
Everyone is looking forward to Christmas when LeBron James returns to Los Angeles to face the Los Angeles Lakers or Martin Luther King Day when Jaylen Brown returns to face the Boston Celtics at TD Garden for the first time.
These are marquee games that the NBA wants to feature and wants to highlight.
The Orlando Magic . . . did not do very much this offseason.
Their big offseason acquisition was the minimum signing of Nikola Vucevic. The only two players not returning are Moe Wagner (signed with the Brooklyn Nets) and Jett Howard (now on a two-way with the Dallas Mavericks).
There was not much change occurring in Orlando. There are not many reunions.
But there are still reunion games to keep an eye on this season. And they will come in some pretty big games.
From Moe Wagner reuniting with his brother Franz on opposite sides for the first time in the NBA to Jamahl Mosley's return to the Kia Center, the Magic have a few reunions to anticipate this season.
Jamahl Mosley returns
Feb. 2: Orlando Magic vs. New Orleans Pelicans
The biggest change the Orlando Magic made this offseason was to change their coaches, firing Jamahl Mosley the day after their disappointing season ended.
It felt in many ways that his time had just run out. The Magic were not responding the same way to his coaching as they had in previous seasons. Changing coaches was, at the least, the easiest change the Magic could make to try to mix things up.
Mosley landed on his feet quickly.
He took the job with the New Orleans Pelicans, taking much of the Magic's assistant coaching staff with him. The games against the Pelicans -- starting Jan. 8 in New Orleans -- will be reunions for a group that has experienced very little change.
Mosley's first game back in Orlando will be emotional for all parties -- although a very quick trip for the Pelicans traveling from Philadelphia for the second night of a back-to-back.
Mosley took the fall for the Magic's frustrating 2026 season. That is ultimately how every coach's tenure mostly ends.
Mosley should receive a warm reception when he returns to the Kia Center for the first time just before the All-Star break. It will be good to see him again as both sides move on.
Desmond Bane's (long-awaited) return
Oct. 7: Orlando Magic at Memphis Grizzlies (Preseason)
Feb. 10: Orlando Magic at Memphis Grizzlies
The Orlando Magic played the Memphis Grizzlies twice last season. But both games lost some of their bite. They were played in Berlin and London, away from the home fans.
So Desmond Bane had his reunion with his former teammates, but it happened as the teams were passing each other by on the court and on an unfamiliar court.
Bane is still clearly close to Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. They both showed up at Game 4 of the Orlando Magic's series against the Detroit Pistons. Jackson had been traded to the Utah Jazz by then. Morant would follow in a deal to the Portland Trail Blazers.
This is purely about being in front of the fans that cheered for him earlier in his career. Something he should have gotten last year.
Orlando will get the first reunion with his former fan base out of the way in the first preseason game on Oct. 7. The Magic travel to Memphis for that game.
Bane will get his first regular season game against the Grizzlies at FedEx Forum on Feb. 10. A game that closes a four-game road trip for the Magic just before the All-Star break.
It will surely be a big reunion when he arrives back in Memphis. The team might have changed. But the Memphis fans deserve the chance to shower him with some much-deserved love.
Brothers reunited
Nov. 20: Orlando Magic at Brooklyn Nets (NBA Cup)
Jan. 31 Orlando Magic vs. Brooklyn Nets
Franz Wagner and Moe Wagner know they have lived a truly charmed life.
The Magic signed Moe Wagner to a two-year deal at the end of the 2021 season. He earned his way onto the roster.
The team happened to draft his brother with the pick they acquired in a trade that opened up Moe Wanger's roster spot.
Franz and Moe Wagner lived together and seemingly did everything together. They have played all of their NBA lives together -- and then played a ton together in international competitions for Germany during a stellar four-year run.
Moe Wagner though had to move on. The Magic were running out of roster spots. And Moe was clearly looking for some financial security after getting a series of one-year deals. He needed a change and a chance to recover from his injury with a little less pressure.
For the first time in Franz Wagner's career, he will play without his brother. He will live without his brother -- although Franz played Eurobasket without Moe last summer as Moe recovered from his injury, winning a gold medal and honoring Moe by wearing his jersey as he accepted the gold medal.
The Magic will visit Brooklyn for the first fraternal reunion in November for the NBA Cup game.
But the Nets are set to make only one trip to Kia Center this season, playing the Magic at the end of January. That is a bit of a longer wait for a fan base that has adored Moe Wagner and will want to give him his flowers.
Sweeney in San Antonio
Feb. 4: Orlando Magic at San Antonio Spurs
Sean Sweeney was only with the San Antonio Spurs for one season. His reunion with the Dallas Mavericks -- where he spent four years -- on Dec. 2 may be a bit more meaningful.
But Sweeney undoubtedly made an impact witht he Spurs. Players really connected with him and he unlocked a strong, pressure defense anchored by Victor Wembanyama. A lot of Spurs players credited him with their defensive surge and rise to a potential NBA champion.
Sweeney is known at many of his stops for being a star whisperer and getting the most out of him.
He was not in San Antonio for a very long time, but he was impactful when he was there. And his return will receive a warm welcome from the players and the fans as he tries to lead his own team.
Super Mario returns!
Oct. 13: Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (Preseason)
Dec. 16: Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
When the Orlando Magic drafted Mario Hezonja, international draft analyst Fran Fraschilla proclaimed on the ESPN broadcast that Hezonja was a player who could one day win both the Dunk Contest and the 3-Point Contest. He was a very talented and very confident young player.
His first run in the NBA did not go so well.
He was drafted into a messy situation with the Orlando Magic -- his rookie season was the Scott Skiles-led 2016 season that ended with a disastrous trade and Skiles' shocking resignation. The Magic lost him in the shuffle and he may not have been truly ready for the trials of the NBA.
He bounced to the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers after the Orlando Magic did not renew his contract. And then he returned to Europe after the 2020 season.
In the six seasons since, Hezonja carved out a solid role for powerhouses Panathinaikos and Real Madrid. He was a solid shooter and scorer, even if he was not blowing anyone away.
Hezonja has grown up.
And he is getting a second shot at the NBA, signing a deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Hezonja will have to earn his playing time. There is no guarantee that he will even play. But he wanted another crack at the NBA.
Fans still like Hezonja even if he failed to deliver on the outsized promise. They probably will not react to his return -- just like they may not react much if Elfrid Payton or Victor Oladipo end up latching onto the Sacramento Kings (Dec. 21 in Orlando).
But it is a good story to see Hezonja back in the Association.
Add us as a preferred source on Google