The news hit like a ton of bricks after the All-Star Break when the team gathered in Sacramento without Franz Wagner.
Wagner would be out indefinitely recovering from a sore left ankle. He would be re-evaluated in three weeks, missing at least 11 of the 29 remaining games after the All-Star Break. And there would surely be another week of ramping up to come after it.
Wagner is not some invalid unable to do anything. He did feel good enough to play just a few weeks ago before the All-Star Break. It was just that the pain from playing became too much to bear. He and the team clearly decided it was best to let things rest and build strength without the constant pounding of games for a time.
That left the Magic without their key player and the hope that they would be whole and healthy.
It has left fans frustrated. The team is surely frustrated. But, most of all, Wagner is frustrated by having to wait again.
But all anyone can do is wait and hope time heals this wound.
"Very frustrating. Obviously, I want to be out there and help the team," Franz Wagner said before Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. "Disappointing how it's been going with the process. Everything is now about getting healthy and making sure when I come back, I'm healthy."
Wagner rejoined the Magic after the break with the team in Los Angeles. The waiting begins again for him to return. For a player who has been so resilient and reliable in the first three years of his career, losing so much of the season has been frustrating.
Wagner suffered a high ankle sprain in his left foot on Dec. 7 during the Orlando Magic's loss to the New York Knicks. He has missed 29 of the last 33 games, returning for the team's trip to Europe against the Memphis Grizzlies and playing in the pair of games against the Milwaukee Bucks before the All-Star Break.
Those two false starts in his return have added to the frustration of Wagner's injury.
Wagner admitted he likely returned too quickly to try to play in his homecoming game in Berlin. He felt he was ready, but reported soreness growing when the team arrived in London. The Magic shut him down to rest and recover for another nine games before returning just before the All-Star break.
Wagner acknowledged he would have to play in pain as he recovered from the injury. Clearly, the pain was too much, leading to this second false start.
Wagner is hoping that when he comes back, it will be for good. He appears to be working out and on the floor despite the injury, which would hopefully mean a shortened ramp-up time when he does get clearance again.
Orlando knows how much the team will need him for this playoff push. Just having him around again is an energy boost for the team.
"His energy, what he brings to the squad, he's part of what we do here," Moe Wagner said before Tuesday's win. "He's a huge part of what we do. We want him back as soon as possible. Just his humility and the normalness, I would say, is very refreshing. From a brother, too, it's cool to spend time with him."
At the same time, the Magic and Franz Wagner want a return that is permanent. They are frustrated by the false start nature of Wagner's previous returns. The team wants some stability and less waiting for the team to be healthy.
Wagner is a clearly important player. He is averaging 21.3 points per game and shooting a career-best 36.5 percent from three. It has been a standout season for Wagner, even if his scoring numbers are down.
If the Magic are going to make a push up the standings and make some noise in the Playoffs, they will need Wagner to take that step.
There is still a lot to play for.
"Every game from here on out is really important for us," Wagner said before Tuesday's game against the Lakers. "The way the season has gone is not how we wanted it before the year. We have a lot of things in our own hands, and that is always a good thing. For me, the main thing is to get healthy and hopefully do my part."
The Magic have done their part since returning from the All-Star break. Orlando went 3-1 on its West Coast trip and has won six of the team's past eight games. Things appear to be trending back in the right direction after the two close wins over the LA Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers.
There is some wind behind the team's sails for the first time in several months. Another critical homestand will go a long way to pushing the Magic back up the standings.
Wagner will have to wait until March 11 when he is scheduled to be re-evaluated. How long he will need to ramp up and how he is feeling will determine if he gets another try.
But Wagner is eager to return and help his team as much as anybody else is to see him back. It will take a little bit of patience to get there.