During the Orlando Magic's practice on Wednesday, as the media came in and the team was wrapping up with shooting work, Jalen Suggs was off in the corner with a group of players getting shots up and going through the team drill to end practice.
Suggs' presence at this point of practice was something of a rarity. Usually, by the end of practice, when the media comes in to wait for players to come talk to them, Suggs is in the back and away from prying eyes.
Seeing him on the court getting shots -- and actually jumping, not set shots -- seemed like a positive sign.
Coach Jamahl Mosley said then that there was no change for Suggs. He was still doing his individual rehab and workouts and joining the team for non-contact drills.
Mosley gave a more detailed update to the media before Friday's preseason win over the Philadelphia 76ers. And it did not paint nearly as rosy a picture:
"We're slowly ramping him up," Mosley said before Friday's game. "He's different in the sense of how he responds to what we do in the day-to-day. He has been in some 5-on-0. Does that, not much contact in situations. Slowly trying to bake him in there. As we go in the next couple of weeks, we'll be able to tell more than that."
During media day, president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman noted that the goal was to have Jalen Suggs back in the lineup by the beginning of the regular season, with the hope he might be able to play in the final preseason game -- Thursday against the New Orleans Pelicans.
But Mosley's update suggests the Magic are bringing Suggs along much more slowly. Achieving that aim of returning by the regular season seems like a bigger stretch. Especially considering the Magic will only have practice on Tuesday and Wednesday before that preseason finale on Thursday.
There is still some time before the season opener on Oct. 22. The Magic are scheduled to practice a few more times before the season opener. But time is running out for Suggs to get back on the court.
In it for the long haul
There is obviously a bit of frustration that Jalen Suggs' return has come so slowly.
Suggs initially injured his knee in the fourth quarter of the Orlando Magic's win over the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 25. He was ramping up to return a few weeks later when he suffered a cartilage tear in his left trochlea (the cavity that the knee cap rests in).
The Magic opted for a surgery called a mosaicplasty. It was not a simple surgery -- it involved shaving down the cartilage and then reapplying it in a mosaic pattern. The surgery was meant to solve any long-term issues with Suggs' knee.
The cost was that the recovery would take a little more time.
Clearly, Suggs has not upgraded to contact yet. That is a critical step. Knowing how deliberate the Magic have been with injuries, it is the biggest hurdle to overcome before he hits the floor.
But Orlando also knows that the season is a long one. And it is far more important to have Suggs in the spring than the fall. The team can afford to let him develop and wait.
Suggs' impact
It is safe to say that Jalen Suggs is critical to the Orlando Magic's hopes to compete in the Eastern Conference this season.
Suggs gives the team a major edge on defense. He is relentless and hounding at every moment. He always seems like he is playing on the verge of recklessness. But it all seems to work. He said repeatedly he is not changing how he plays.
And Suggs' energy raises the energy for everyone else.
While Orlando is trying hard to push the pace more in training camp this year, Suggs is the one player who naturally plays faster. And with his potential as a 3-point shooter, Suggs has a lot to contribute to the team.
There are concerns with the Magic's backup point guards.
Both Tyus Jones and Jase Richardson have done some impressive things through the Magic's first two preseason games. But neither are considered solid defenders. If the Magic want to have another top-5 defense, it will be hard to deploy their defense fully without Suggs.
Jalen Suggs is, as Jamahl Mosley often calls him, the "head of the snake" on that end. The Magic are missing a piece of themselves even as they get excited for what they can do to start the season.
Suggs makes a huge impact. And the Magic know they will need him for the playoffs.
Ultimately the patience will be worth it if Suggs is available for the Playoffs. That is the time of year that will matter most. And the Magic are willing to sacrifice some time now to have him later in the season.
The question though still remains: When will Suggs return?
Jeff Weltman said the hope was for him to return for the start of the regular season. But he admitted that he might be out into the early part of the season. It looks like that longer term view is becoming more true for the Magic.
Weeks away would put Suggs back near the beginning of the season. Time is running out for him to ramp up before opening night.