Moe Wagner is still a major presence on the Orlando Magic's bench, even if he is not yet ready to play.
It is hard to miss a 6-foot-10 guy who is boisterous and loud on the bench. Wagner always makes his presence known.
He was among the first players off the bench to celebrate Desmond Bane's game-winner against the Portland Trail Blazers. You will see him moseying over to officials during timeouts to discuss a call -- both usually have a smile on their face while they chat.
Wagner was doing this pregame celebration with his brother, whatever it might be.
Moe Wagner remains closely involved with the Magic. But he is itching to play. He is positively antsy to play as he approaches 11 months since his ACL injury.
How close is he to returning? He is still a little ways away, by all accounts and reporting. He did not travel on the team's five-game road trip, but joined the team for one-off trips to New York and Houston last week.
Wagner, though, says he continues to make progress. He joined the FanDuel Sports Network broadcast during Tuesday's game against the Golden State Warriors to update his progress on his return.
"It's so much fun. It's amazing," Moe Wagner joked about his rehab on the FanDuel broadcast Tuesday. "It's going great, though. I'm making major steps. I have a positive attitude towards it. I miss playing, but I've embraced this process, trying to make improvements in my daily life and make the most out of it."
Getting through rehab
Moe Wagner has taken a different perspective to his injury recovery than normal.
He is determined to return to the career-best levels he was at before his injury last year. The Orlando Magic could certainly use the offensive boost.
But he has also been very open that the injury has given him a new perspective on things. He is trying to use this time to improve his life and build good personal habits as much as he is using it to try to get back onto the court.
Wagner has put on a very brave face, even through the difficulties that inevitably come with rehab. He has remained in good spirits and is determined to return healthy and ready to play.
"I think he is in a good spot," Franz Wagner said after Tuesday's shootaround. "I think his knee is progressing the last couple of weeks like he wants to. He's been through a lot of stages in the rehab process. Also weeks and months where he probably wasn't in the best mood every day. Understanding that is part of it as well. But I think he has handled the whole rehab process really well."
Targeting a return?
If fans are looking for a time to target for Moe Wagner's return, it seems that the 12-month mark on Dec. 23, 2025, is a good period to target.
The Magic go out West following the NBA Cup knockout rounds and replacement games for a four-game trip. Perhaps he could be ready for those games before the West Coast trip, but either after that trip -- the Orlando Magic return for a back-to-back against the Charlotte Hornets and Denver Nuggets before going on another three-game road trip -- or early January could be a good time for him to return.
Wagner certainly would hope to be back in time for the Jan. 15 game in Berlin against the Memphis Grizzlies. With two games at home on Jan. 9 and 11 against the Philadelphia 76ers and New Orleans Pelicans before a few days off to travel, there is clearly a window to get Wagner ramped up to play.
The NBA schedule does not afford a perfect time for him to return.
It is still about Wagner getting back into the swing of things. And he is very eager to return and join the group beyond the bench.
"I just like the characters that we have in this group," Wagner said during the FanDuel Sports Network broadcast. "It's just an awesome group. It hurts not being able to do what you love to do. Being able to do that again and enjoying the adrenaline of the games and going to the gym and all these things that you live for. Let's just say this experience has made me value that even more than I had before."
Wagner's work will still go on behind the scenes. During media sessions, Wagner can often be spotted in the weight room doing his rehab. He is still separate from the team with his basketball work -- Wagner claimed in the summer that his injury had healed and he was merely building strength and getting comfortable on the court again.
There are still several steps remaining before Wagner's return is imminent. But an appearance on the Magic's game broadcast was certainly a welcomed sight for fans.
Wagner remains a fan and team favorite player. Everyone is eager for him to return.
It will just take a bit more patience.