The Orlando Magic cannot wait for health to get things right

The Orlando Magic are trying to be patient.

During the weekend, they sent out a reminder that the team's main trio of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs had played only 17 games together in the last two seasons and the stats that go with them.

The argument that seems to be coming from the Magic's official channels is: Just wait for the team to be healthy, and things will be OK.

There is something to that.

Even though Orlando was fully healthy at the start of the season and started 1-4 and have a 5-6 record overall when the team's whole roster was available, the trio of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs has had a lot of success together this year.

Expanding it to include Desmond Bane makes it even better. The team's opening night starting lineup remains among the best lineups in the league.

The question is whether the Magic can wait. It is whether the team can be patient enough to see Franz Wagner return to the court -- he will miss a fourth consecutive game Wednesday in Miami after returning for two games following a six-week absence.

The Orlando Magic are in the midst of a four-game losing streak that has seen the team tumble to eighth in the East, 4.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks for third, but only 1.5 games back of the Philadelphia 76ers for sixth.

The Magic are not out of the race by any means.

But the losing streak and the inconsistent nature of the last two months have everyone feeling uneasy about their place in the Eastern Conference. In any case, this is not the season anyone promised, and the team has greatly failed to meet expectations.

With still plenty of time this season to get things back on track, the question is whether the Magic can wait for this mythical healthy period. Or whether they must act more immediately to fix their issues.

The core four

The world is falling apart, it seems, only because the Orlando Magic are facing such massive injuries all season long. The Magic have been holding out hope that injuries are the problem, and that once they are healthy, their vision will become fully realized.

The trio of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs has played together for 136 minutes across 11 games with a +16.7 net rating -- 121.3 offensive rating and 104.6 defensive rating. That is more than enough to be competitive in the long term.

As the Magic noted, the team is shooting a 59.4 percent effective field goal percentage with that trio on the floor. They are competent on both ends when that group is together.

Make it a four-man lineup with Desmond Bane, and the Magic have a +15.7 net rating (121.4 offensive rating and 105.7 defensive rating) in 125 minutes. The starting lineup with Wendell Carter has a +18.0 net rating in 117 minutes together.

Clearly most of their minutes has come with that starting group that has been so effective. And that starting group has not been on the floor nearly long enough.

It is still a fairly small sample, but it would suggest the Magic are right to think that some patience is warranted and that injuries have played a role in their struggles.

Orlando as a team has a -5.9 net rating since Franz Wagner's injury on Dec. 7 (the last time all three of the Magic's key players played together). That includes a 111.2 offensive rating and 117.2 defensive rating (both numbers in the bottom 10 in the league during that time).

There obviously has not been enough time of the trio on the floor during that period. The duo of Banchero and Suggs has played only 103 minutes in six games since Wagner's injury with a 115.8 offensive rating and 117.3 defensive rating.

Suggs previously had a massively positive effect. Perhaps he deserves some allowance as he returns from a six-week absence with a hip contusion and then an MCL contusion. Maybe they are already on their way back.

Wagner appears to be that important too, helping make everything work. The Magic quite clearly have not seen this team at its best. But that team is in there.

The question is whether they can get up and running quick enough to salvage the season.

Worth the wait?

Franz Wagner suffered a high ankle sprain in the loss to the New York Knicks on Dec. 7. He returned to action on Jan. 15 in Berlin, playing both of the European games. He was a late scratch from Thursday's loss to the Charlotte Hornets and remains out.

The Magic have listed him out with injury management. The question is whether this is a short-term absence to finish recovering from that injury or if this is a long-term issue the Magic will be constantly monitoring.

How long before Wagner's absence becomes something that sinks the team completely rather than a period the team has to hold the ship steady?

Orlando was still able to scratch out wins despite the team's poor statistical profile. The team was keeping the boat steady, but now it feels like it is sinking.

While the Magic have their best play in reserve and a core to believe in moving forward, waiting for the team to be perfectly healthy seems like it will happen long after the team has lost the ability to achieve its goals.

Before injuries took over everyone on the roster last year, the Magic were known for that unrelenting attitude. They had an identity that went beyond any of their best players.

This team lacks that determination and swagger. Orlando cannot wait for all the conditions to be right. They need to find a way to make things work now.

Time is running out. It was at this point of the season that Orlando lost pace in the playoff chase and became destined to be a Play-In team. The Magic do not want that to repeat.

The trade deadline is a week away. Orlando does not have a lot to offer the trade market -- and getting under the tax is rightfully the team's primary goal. But the Magic cannot sit still either. This team needs an injection of something to get them back.

Wagner's return would be a big piece to that puzzle for sure. Unless the Magic know that is coming sooner than later, Orlando cannot make the same mistake as last year and expect an unhealthy team to be healthy.

The Magic need to be prepared to act decisively to end this rut and reclaim their potential.