Ranking 3 Magic burning questions by how quickly we want them answered

2. Is Franz Wagner’s 3-point shot back? 

Last season was an overall successful one for Franz Wagner, even though he struggled from three. After being a decent 3-point shooter in his first two seasons, Wagner’s percentages plummeted to 28.1 percent for the 2023-24 season. 

The same problem haunted him all throughout the playoffs and the Paris Olympics. It was even one of the points critics brought up when arguing that the max extension the Magic gave him was an overpay. 

His struggles from deep hurt the Magic last season, as they were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the league. Obviously, it wasn’t just because of Wagner, but he contributed to it. 

As a result, improving the spacing was one of the Magic’s focuses during the offseason and preseason. Signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was one step in the right direction. The rest will have to come with internal improvements. 

Wagner is a big part of that, and fortunately, he shot it well in the Magic’s season opener, burying three of his six 3-point attempts. It was just one game, but it still poses an important question we should want answers to quickly. Is Wagner’s 3-point shot back? 

If the answer is yes, the Magic’s offense will automatically improve. It would improve the spacing, up the team’s scoring, and give them another option to kick out the ball to.