There was a different bounce inside the AdventHealth Training Center on Monday morning.
For the first time in the public's view, Franz Wagner was wearing a practice jersey and on the court with his teammates. Jamahl Mosley would announce that he would be upgraded from QUESTIONABLE to AVAILABLE for Monday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
For the first time since mid-November, the Orlando Magic would have its core players together and play its starting lineup together (assumedly, because Wendell Carter was a late add to the injury report with left ankle soreness).
There was one word of warning: Wagner would be on a "very strict" minute restriction, according to Mosley. The Magic will remain careful after the false start that forced Wagner to sit out the previous nine games -- making it 25 games missed in the last 27 games.
The Magic are seemingly so used to working players back from injury that they certainly understand that returning from a long-term injury is not so simple as dropping back in. It is a process to get guys back into the fold.
"Just being smart about how we use their minutes," Mosley said of the process after shootaround Monday. "Keep in constant communication with those guys as the game goes on, and seeing how they feel. What they're recognizing within the game. It's all about communication. Not just whatever player it is, but with our training staff and coaches, so we know exactly what we need to be doing at any given moment as these guys are trying to play."
It is indeed a constant stream of communication. It is the reason why Moe Wagner sat out the game in London after he reported discomfort and the staff decided not to push him and give him the game off (he said on his podcast, he was proud of not pushing himself).
It is that communication that ultimately led to Franz Wagner pulling himself and sititng out the last nine games. He too felt discomfort in his ankle and tried to push through it in London but ultimately took a pause when it did not subside.
Wagner acknowledged he may have to play with a little bit of pain. But the lesson was to be more patient.
Patience is what he will need to get back up and running. Mosley said the team will probably be a bit clunky as Wagner works his way back into rhythm.
They do not need to look far at how inconsistent a player can be coming back from a long-term injury.
Jalen Suggs' up-and-down run
It is unfortunate the Orlando Magic have quite a bit of experience this year with the inconsistencies that come from a player working his way back from a long-term injury. The team only hopes that Wagner can find his footing quickly and that other players can step up and fill in as Wagner goes through the process.
Jalen Suggs missed eight games in January with an MCL contusion in his knee. This came just two games after returning from a strained hip. Suggs was certainly a bit overeager and rusty in his return.
Even two weeks later, Suggs is still finding his rhythm.
In eight games since his return, he is averaging just 11.9 points per game and shooting 15 for 50 (30.0 percent) from three. He has at times been a bit all over the place and wild and he has struggled to find his rhythm.
Still, there have been some really good games and moments.
Suggs recorded his first career triple-double in Thursday's win over the Brooklyn Nets with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
He followed that up with a frustrating 12-point, 4-for-11 shooting effort in the win Saturday against the Utah Jazz. But he still had seven rebounds and six assists. And he scored seven points with four rebounds and three assists, including the game-tying three, in the fourth quarter of the comeback win.
Suggs has had an up-and-down road that has showcased how much he has left in the tank and how impactful he can be for the team. But he has also struggled with consistency.
That is part of the recovery process.
"It's always hard missing time and coming back and re-finding that rhythm," Suggs said after shootaround Monday. "It's different than coming out here and getting reps and shooting shots. You get in the game, no matter what you want to say, it's different. The speed and pace in which you are moving and how and where you are getting your shots. I'm feeling confident coming off the last couple of games. That always helps."
Game reps are always different than the practice reps. And that takes some time to get down.
The Magic know part of the recovery process is riding these ups and downs.
Franz's return
Franz Wagner too knows that his return will have its ups and downs.
His return game in Berlin showed plenty of rust. He scored 18 points on 6-for-16 shooting. But he hit a critical three-pointer to tie the game and scored 11 of those 18 points. Like Suggs, Wagner had a burst that showcased what makes him special.
Those are the moments that a player returning from injury has to find and build on.
Orlando knows how vital he is to the team. The Magic have been playing wounded since his injury in early December.
His return is long-awaited, to say the least.
"He's an All-Star, to be honest, when he's healthy," Jalen Suggs said after shootaround Monday. "Having him back to the gravity he pulls on offense, to the way he can guard defensively, having that back as part of our unit makes a big difference. The rest is just really big mentally. Knowing we have a full crew now and nobody else out, we can work our way back to a full unit and get that chemistry and unit down."
The Magic are hoping that this is the preview to a big push to finish the season. They are hopeful that a fully healthy roster can help the team realize the potential they saw at the beginning of the season.
But it will still take a little bit of patience as Wagner works to get back into game and playing shape.