It's no secret that Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs have to live up to their potential in order for the Orlando Magic (3-5) to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference while their superstar forward Paolo Banchero is out of the lineup. Banchero will miss some significant time with an injury sustained against the Chicago Bulls, and the Magic have not looked like the team fans got used to watching without him.
Wagner and Suggs can't afford to look around and wait for someone else to lead the Magic through this rough stretch. They have to be the ones to take charge. They should have a higher sense of urgency considering both of them shared the court for that horrific 22-60 Magic team before Banchero was drafted.
Banchero quickly turned out to be a transformative player with the potential to change the Magic from a lottery team to a title contender in the Eastern Conference. But now that he is out with an injury, the Magic look more like the 22-60 team that led us to the third-year superstar landing in Orlando.
Tanking days are over in Orlando, but it seems the team is on a downward path after losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, and Oklahoma City Thunder. With more projected playoff teams, like the Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans, next up on the schedule things will not get any easier.
The Magic beat the Pacers only because of Banchero's 50-point performance that also featured 13 rebounds and nine assists. This time around, Tyrese Haliburton will likely have his teammates ready for revenge, especially with the game being played on their court in Indiana, and the Magic have to play at their best to not add another loss to their record.
New Orleans isn't a team that you want to play without your best player either. Although Zion Williamson didn't play because of right thigh soreness in their loss against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Pelicans are not a team the Magic can just take for granted.
Winning games is the most important thing right now for the Magic, but the development of Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner also has to be at the forefront of the minds of executives in the organization. These are two guys that the organization decided to pay a lot of instead of attempting to put them on the trading block to see what type of proven star you could pair with Banchero or save some money. Especially Wagner’s max contract has been highly contested.
Wagner and Suggs must prove that the Magic were right to trust in them and their development
The organization bet on the continuity and development of this young team after its rise to the top five of the Eastern Conference in 2024. On July 5th, 2024, former ESPN Reporter Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Magic agreed to a five-year $224 million rookie extension with Franz Wagner—A max deal for a player who still hasn't proven to be an elite player. Wagner has a unique opportunity ahead of him. He can silence a lot of critics if he can score big in a Magic win without Banchero against the Pacers and Pelicans. His new contract made it clear that the Magic viewed him as Banchero’s co-star. Now, is the time for him to be just that and carry the team.
On October 28th, 2024, the Magic agreed to a five-year $150 million contract with Jalen Suggs, a player who has made a leap to become one of the top young two-way guards in the game. He is known for his defense but Suggs will need to be all that he can be on the offensive side as well if the Magic are to win any of these upcoming games.
The Magic decided to bet on their draft picks instead of making a splash trade to pair Banchero with a proven star. Now, it is up to Wagner and Suggs to prove that the trust the organization put in them was not misplaced and show what they can do without having an All-Star player to assist them with their scoring and playmaking.
It will be important for these two guys to show just what type of supporting cast Banchero has to work with. This is the time when the team really needs them and the time for them to put up or shut up.