Magic's Moritz Wagner suffers season-ending knee injury

Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel on Dec 22, 2024

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ORLANDO, Fla. — The Magic‘s worst fear came true Sunday afternoon after center Moritz Wagner suffered a left knee injury in the first quarter of Saturday’s game against the Miami Heat at Kia Center.

Wagner underwent an MRI on Sunday and results revealed he sustained a torn ACL in his left knee, the Orlando Sentinel learned.

Wagner will undergo surgery and miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season, the team said in a statement. ESPN first reported the status update.

It’s a crushing blow for both Wagner and Orlando. It’s also just the latest long-term injury suffered by a member of the Magic.

Coach Jamahl Mosley was already operating without star duo Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner — who remain out indefinitely due to the same injury (torn right abdominal muscle). Gary Harris (left hamstring strain) has also missed the last 11 contests.

Despite those injuries, as well as a right ankle sprain that kept Jalen Suggs sidelined on Saturday, the Magic (18-12) completed a 25-point comeback victory against the Heat to snap a three-game losing streak.

But the road ahead only gets tougher.

Orlando hosts the defending champion Boston Celtics on Monday before battling Miami again at home Thursday. The Magic then face the Knicks the following night before wrapping up a seven-game homestand against Brooklyn next Sunday.

Moe Wagner was one of just two players who had appeared in all 30 games for Orlando this season (Anthony Black is the other). Last season, Wagner played in 80 of the Magic’s regular season contests, marking a career-high.

This year, the 6-11 center, who re-signed with the Magic over the summer on a 2-year, $22 million deal, was averaging 12.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 18.8 minutes.

Entering Sunday’s slate of games, he ranked second in the NBA in points scored off the bench (372) and 15th in field goal percentage.

Wagner led (or tied) the Magic in scoring once and in rebounding four times. He scored in double figures 23 times, 20-plus points twice and 30-plus points once, including a career-high 32 points Dec. 15 vs. New York.

But his impact went beyond the box score.

He often irritated opponents with his electric reactions and was never afraid to show his emotions in a game. It was his charismatic energy that regularly provided Orlando a boost off the bench.

Wagner now has a long road of recovery ahead of him and the Magic will miss yet another key player to their success as they move forward with 52 regular season games still remaining.

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