The end of the Orlando Magic's practices and shootarounds start with a game of "Where's Waldo?"
In this case, Waldo is a 6-foot-10 forward from Germany who the Magic have acknowledged returned to practice earlier in the week with the Osceola Magic, at least, and seems to be inching closer and closer to a return to the court after playing four games since Dec. 7.
On Thursday, Wagner was on the court nearest the Magic's locker room. He was shooting some stand-still jumpers, but still wearing slides. Wagner was not going to show anyone where he is at.
Coach Jamahl Mosley gave the latest update on his injury status when he spoke to the media.
Wagner went through contact and played a little bit in his workouts on Monday with the Osceola Magic and back in the AdventHealth Training Center on Tuesday, at least. He spent Wednesday recovering. The Magic ruled him OUT for Thursday's win over the Sacramento Kings well before the team took the court.
Thursday was an off day for him to recover from his busy week of ramping up -- something he and the team needed with last week essentially being the last home-heavy week remaining on the schedule.
The ingredients for Wagner's return appear to be aligning. It feels like only a matter of time before he is back.
The bigger concern for those outside the Magic's locker room is whether there will be enough time to ramp Wagner up to play. There are only nine games remaining for the Playoffs.
All nine games will be filled with intensity as the Magic try to make up ground in the standings to try to avoid the Play-In -- they enter Saturday's games 1.5 games behind the Atlanta Hawks for sixth and two games back of the Toronto Raptors in fifth, but not to mention a half game ahead of the Miami Heat in 10th.
There is no time to wait. The message from coach Jamahl Mosley was clear: If Wagner is healthy, he will play.
"If he's available, he's getting thrown out there," Mosley said after shootaround Thursday. "That's not a rule I'm putting in. If he's available, he's playing."
The question is when?
Wagner is back on the court. But both Anthony Black and Jonathan Isaac are seemingly starting their journeys to return to the court.
Mosley said Black is on the floor and getting some light shooting in during his recovery from a lateral abdominal strain suffered three weeks ago. He said Isaac is in the same boat in his recovery from a left knee sprain.
All of them are on a countdown to the end of the season Assumedly, they are under the same directive. If they are cleared and given the OK, they will play. The Magic need all hands on deck.
All hands on deck around the league
The Orlando Magic's injury issues have been the story all year.
Franz Wagner, after all, has played only four games since Dec. 7. His absence has been felt and noticeable. The team has been wildly inconsistent without him -- sitting at 14-9 entering the game Wagner got hurt, and 25-25 in the 50 games since, including 2-2 in the games Wagner played.
The Magic are hoping for a bit of health luck at long last. It feels like that would be a big emotional boost to get Wagner back just before the Playoffs.
Because Orlando is not the only team starting to gear up for the postseason.
The Philadelphia 76ers got Joel Embiid back from a month-long absence in their runaway win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. He had 35 points in his debut. Paul George returned from a 25-game suspension that game too.
Tyrese Maxey, who has missed the last three weeks with a right finger tendon strain, is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Saturday's game against the Charlotte Hornets.
The Sixers, who have gone 6-4 in the 10 games Maxey missed, are going to be whole again for this final stretch as they try to reclaim their spot outside the Play-In and ward off the teams beneath them.
They are not the only team getting healthier.
Jarrett Allen returned for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday after being out since March 3. The Atlanta Hawks' Jalen Johnson missed a pair of games with a shoulder injury and seems rejuvenated for the stretch run. Through all of their injuries, the Miami Heat have had Norman Powell back now for several weeks since the end of their win streak.
Everyone is getting healthier and gearing up for this push to the end of the season.
Health is the biggest factor
At the trade deadline, Orlando Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said injuries were the biggest factor in the team's season. It has certainly knocked them down at least one tier. And especially at this late stage, injuries have played the biggest factor.
It might be too simplistic to say, but health seems to be the biggest differentiator in the Eastern Confernece.
The injuries to Darius Garland kept the Cleveland Cavaliers from zooming to the top of the Eastern Conference. The Boston Celtics have been relatively healthy with eight rotation players missing 10 games or fewer this season. And this is before factoring in Jayson Tatum's return.
Even including Cade Cunningham's injury, the Detroit Pistons have all five starters who have played at least 56 games. That is a stroke of incredible injury luck.
That is what J.B. Bickerstaff credited for the Pistons' consistency and the Magic's struggles when the Pistons visited Orlando on March 1.
Look no further than the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets were 6-16 when Brandon Miller returned from injury. They are 33-14 since with Miller missing one game. LaMelo Ball has played the most games in his career since the 2022 season (when he was an All-Star).
The Toronto Raptors have been relatively healthy all season with Jakob Poeltl missing significant time. But Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram will play more than 70 games. For Ingram, it is the first time he has hit 70 games since his rookie year.
Health luck has a lot to do with where each team is sitting in the Eastern Conference standings. That certainly includes the Magic.
But this team will be happy to get healthy again. Even if it is for a short time. And it could be the determining factor in the team's playoff chase.