Franz Wagner has earned untouchable status
Every NBA superstar needs one or two co-stars. For Paolo Banchero, one of those co-stars seems to be Franz Wagner. While his poor performance in Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers suggested that he might be better suited as a third option on a playoff team rather than a second option, we need to remember that Wagner is not done developing yet.
He is not the first young player who failed to step up in a big playoff game the first time around. Averaging 19.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.1 steals, Wagner is already putting up great numbers for a 22-year-old. He will only get better in the future, especially if the Magic keep making it to the playoffs with this young core.
For now, Wagner has earned his untouchable status on this Magic team. As their second-best player and a potential future All-Star, he is a big part of any success they will have in the following seasons.
The one thing he needs to work on is his three-point shot. In his first two seasons, he was pretty average from long-range, but this season his percentages plummeted below 30 percent. If that improves, he and Banchero will be an intimidating duo to face for years to come.