The contrast within the AdventHealth Training Center during Tuesday's practice was hard to miss.
On one end of the court, Jalen Suggs moved slowly toward the assembled media to discuss his injury status after he was diagnosed with a left hip contusion.
Suggs, usually boisterous and joyful, spoke quietly, seemingly exhausted from the prospect of having to sit out with an injury yet again. Suggs seemed eager to be anywhere other than discussing another injury.
Franz Wagner has still not been made formally available to the media since his high ankle sprain (he spoke with reporters at his charity event last week). But even his progress was visible.
The media could see Wagner doing some weight training in the Magic's weight room.
A few feet away on one of the Magic's practice courts, there was nothing but noise and shouting. Moe Wagner, who was on the court for his pregame shooting routine before Saturday's game against the New York Knicks, was seen on the court with teammates for the first time. He was playing king of the court with Desmond Bane, Noah Penda and Jase Richardson.
Hearing Wagner's booming voice was a positive sign enough, even if coach Jamahl Mosley has ruled his return out for the team's upcoming four-game West Coast road trip.
"What's more important is you can hear him yelling and screaming and hollering and getting guys going," coach Jamahl Mosley said of Moe Wagner's presence after practice Tuesday. "I love that more than him necessarily being on the court. He's back out with these guys. He was able to do some non-contact stuff with these guys today. I think it's great to have him back on the court. His energy gives so much life to us."
It was a sign the Magic are inching toward becoming whole again.
The team is clearly not there yet. Suggs will be out, depending on how he responds to treatment. Moe Wagner is not slated to return until after the team returns from the trip. It is not even certain if Franz Wagner will travel with the team for the West Coast trip as his rehab begins to ramp up.
Orlando has had some good injury progress and bad injury news in the last few weeks and even days.
But the story remains the same: Orlando is seeking to improve, even with a rash of injuries hitting the team.
"It's going to be very important for us," Mosley said after practice Tuesday. "Guys in, guys out, injuries, bodies beat up a little bit. But we always talk about it, the next man up, but also who is in the rotation with you, how to play alongside that guy and being able to sit down and guard the right way. That's what we really dove into today."
The Magic are certainly helped by the break in the schedule to complete the NBA Cup. Losing Saturday afforded them two extra days off and a chance to get home and squeeze in a few practices before heading back west.
But they will have to find their way yet again, with injuries keeping them from being their best. The good teams always find a way.
The list of injuries
The Orlando Magic certainly hoped for a healthier season this year than they had during last year's injury-filled campaign.
They saw their top three players -- Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs -- play just six games and 97 minutes together. Orlando never got to see its team at its full potential, save for those first five games.
But 10 games into the season, Banchero strained his groin and missed three weeks and 10 games. He only got one game with Wagner upon his return before Wagner fell awkwardly and suffered a high ankle sprain.
It has been one thing after another. The Magic are used to relying on their depth to step up to the plate.
"It's a chance for everybody," Mosley said after practice Tuesday. "We're down bodies, guys are in and out of lineups. We've got to make sure it's always going to be the next man up mentality. These young guys have proven they can step into their moments and play. I think they will do exactly what is asked of them when their number is called."
Suggs' injury now is only the latest in a long line of challenges the team has faced to its health.
Suggs appeared to injure his groin in Sunday's loss at New York even before the team reached Cup play. He played through whatever was ailing him.
He then took several hard falls in Saturday's NBA Cup semifinal loss before pulling himself out of the game in the fourth quarter. He was diagnosed with a hip contusion.
More than anything, it feels like a chance for Suggs to take a breather and get his body right.
"I'm doing good," Suggs said after practice Tuesday. "Just spending time with our [medical] team and getting my body right. I'm just going to work on the body, work on the mind, get everything right and ready back to roll."
Suggs will focus his energy on getting his body right.
Waiting to put it together
To be sure, everyone is eager to see the Orlando Magic put all the pieces together.
The frustration over the injuries is real. The Magic have not been able to hit their peak with so many players in and out of the lineup.
Their main quartet of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs have a +15.7 net rating (121.4 offensive rating/105.7 defensive rating) in 125 minutes together in 11 games. There are still plenty of signs that the Magic have something to work with.
They are just waiting to get healthy.
Suggs will still be a presence for this team even when he is out. But that is all he can be for now to help this team fill in and grow.
"Just continue to have good conversation, give input when I feel the time is right," Suggs said after practice Tuesday. "Stay a part of the team. Injury doesn't make you anything else. Keep talking, keep a presence and be excited for these guys to have a chance to hoop."
As bleak as things seem right now with all the key players who are on the injured list for the Magic, they are closer to being healthy. There is just a little waiting they need to do to get the stars to align once again.
Orlando is clearly used to dealing with injuries. It has become an unfortunate part of their season the last two years. They are still waiting to put everything together.
That time should come soon enough.