It was surprising when Orlando Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman gave a timeline for Jalen Suggs return.
He said plainly three weeks ago at the team's media day that the goal was for Suggs to return for the team's opening night game against the Miami Heat. This is a franchise that has been notorious for not disclosing much information when players return.
Putting a goal or a timetable was different. But it was a motivating factor. It was done because of the faith they had in Suggs' work and the progress he was making.
"I wanted to be ready by the start of camp," Suggs said after shootaround Wednesday. "Just knowing and accepting that wasn't the reality of the situation and that there was more time to be patient is a bit challenging. But him coming out and saying that gave me a bit more confidence. This was a target date we could realistically hit. Every day we hammered that home."
There were still pitfalls. Even just a week ago, as he started practicing with contact in 3-on-3 drills, there were signs that he would not be available for the opener.
But Suggs cleared the last hurdle late last week. He "stacked days," as Suggs likes to say repeatedly.
The Magic will have their full expected roster for the opener. Suggs was made AVAILABLE to play for Wednesday's game, marking his return after leaving the lineup with a knee injury in late January.
"I can't tell you how good it feels to have him back on the court," coach Jamahl Mosley said after shootaround Wednesday. "Not just for us, but for him. I think his ability and what he provides for this team, his energy, his journey that he has been on just to get back on the court, that's what we're most proud of for him. the things that he does for us on the court are just at a different level. We'll need that."
Confidence was truly the biggest thing Suggs felt he needed to build. The surgery was successful, and his rehab focused on building strength and confidence in his movements.
Suggs spoke in the last week about how his last step was to feel confident in accelerating and stopping quickly. It was about feeling the gaps and having the confidence to play quickly through the tightening windows in the NBA.
It is hard to step right back on the court.
Return to form
What Jalen Suggs will be able to do is still the big question.
Suggs was in line for a career season last year, averaging 16.2 points per game as he had to take on a larger role with the injuries the Orlando Magic faced last year. Suggs played only 35 games last year as he suffered a back injury that caused him to miss two weeks before the knee injury knocked him out in his return game.
More than his scoring, Suggs gives the team an attitude and a swagger. His intensity is simply unmatched on the team. He was an All-Defensive Team player in 2024. Jamahl Mosley often describes him as "the head of the snake" on that end.
Suggs is simply someone who elevates everything the team does.
"He just adds a different element to the team with his defense and his energy," Paolo Banchero said after shootaround on Wednesday. "His ability to make those big plays in big moments. He definitely gives us an element that we don't have when he's not out there."
Suggs said he may try to slow himself down and temper himself a bit. He does not want to be going "200 miles per hour" he said. Especially for this first game. He needs to be patient with himself.
But getting that energy and feel back will be vital for the Magic. It is the skill that could put the team over the top.
Working his way in
It will not happen all at once though.
Everyone can acknowledge that there will be some growing pains when they get on the floor. After all, Jalen Suggs has been out of the lineup for nearly nine months. He will likely be on a minute restriction for this first game.
Suggs will still be getting his legs under him and finding his way on the court.
Throughout training camp, all he has been able to do is mental reps, talking with teammates and studying where he would be and where his teammates would be. He has had only a few practices to work with his teammates on the court.
Jamahl Mosley has tried to keep Jalen Suggs engaged, including him in coaches meetings through the end of last season while he was on the bench. In training camp, Suggs has served as a coach for team scrimmages. Suggs has been constantly talking with teammates to figure out where they like the ball.
Nothing replaces playing though.
"For me, a lot of it is building intuition and the instinct that I have, and I've been trying to work on and applying it in real time," Suggs said after shootaround Wednesday. "It's not going to be perfect. It wasn't perfect. But it's a good stepping stone. Just being out on the floor brings out the natural feel for the game."
Recovery is still a constant process. Suggs will still be working to apply everything he has learned from the last nine months. He will still be regaining his instincts. It will still be a process to build confidence.
But Suggs and the Magic have been waiting for this for a long time. They have been eager to get Suggs back on the court.
His return has come just in time.