Jalen Suggs is back.
The Magic guard, who last played Jan. 25 due to a season-ending left knee cartilage injury, was upgraded from questionable to available following Wednesday morning shootaround for Orlando‘s season opener against the Heat.
It marks the end of a multi-month recovery for Suggs and the beginning of his fifth year in the league, a process he described as “very rewarding.”
“Just going through shootaround, watching the film intently knowing that I’m going to use these things tonight to come out and put them into action, it feels great, honestly,” Suggs said at the AdventHealth Training Center on Wednesday. “I’m sure in my reflection, I’ll feel some emotion, both happy and emotional. But this is such a special moment not only for me but everyone who’s poured in.
“This was not just my journey,” he added. “To everyone on the medical staff, it’s been a full group effort getting here so I hope everybody gets to enjoy that celebration and I get to help put out a good product tonight.”
Suggs had been trending the past day toward making his long-awaited return to the court. He entered the preseason only participating in non-contact, individual drills but recently increased his workload from 3-on-3 limited contact to 5-on-5 full contact in practice.
“I can’t tell you how good it feels to have him back on the court,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “Not just for us but for him. His ability and what he provides for this team, his energy, his journey that he’s been on just to get back on the court … That’s what we’re most proud of for him. But then, the things that he does for us on the court are just at a different level and we’ll need that.”
Mosley didn’t disclose at shootaround whether Suggs would start or how many minutes he’d play.
“We’re going to be smart about how we go about doing it, but just to have him back on the floor, it means the world to us right now,” the Magic coach said.
All-Star forward Paolo Banchero described Suggs’ return as a “big boost.”
“He’s a key part of our team and we love him,” Banchero said. “We love having him around, love playing with him. So, excited to get him out there and hopefully have him out there the rest of the season.”
After opening the regular season against Miami, Orlando hosts Atlanta on the first night of a back-to-back Friday and then the Bulls the next night.
Suggs sees three consecutive home games followed by a five-game road trip all against Eastern Conference opponents as an opportunity for the Magic to set the tone for the rest of the year.
His return to the court will play a crucial part in their goal.
“We want to get off to a hot start,” Suggs said. “It’s not just Game 1. We have a ton of focus, a ton of intentional work going into not only tonight but the next two, three, four, five and then letting that carry over. We’re taking it a game at a time but with the understanding, because we have to, that we want to get off to a hot start.
“We’ve seen different teams do it in the past, getting off to a hot start is crucial, being able to ride that wave of momentum. You kind of build up who you are and then you let that carry over throughout the season, so we’re really intentional and I’m excited for everyone to see the product.”
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com
Up next …
Magic vs. Hawks
When: 7, Friday, Kia Center
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Florida
Originally Published: October 22, 2025 at 1:18 PM EDT