ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic will get forward Franz Wagner back in the lineup Monday night in their game against the Milwaukee Bucks, the first time he will play at Kia Center since Dec. 5.
What You Need To Know
Franz Wagner to return to Magic lineup Monday night against the Bucks
The forward suffered a high left ankle sprain Dec. 7 against the Knicks
He played two games for Orlando on the team’s trip to Berlin and London but reaggravated the injury
Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said Wagner would be on a “very strict” minutes restriction
The game will mark the first time since late 2024 that Orlando’s entire standard roster will be available to play together
That would mark the first time since late in 2024 that the Magic’s entire standard roster will be available to play together.
Wagner suffered a high left ankle sprain Dec. 7 against the New York Knicks. He missed 16 games in late December and early January after the injury but returned to play Jan. 15 in Berlin and Jan. 18 in London. He re-aggravated the injury and has not played since then.
When the Magic’s injury report was released Monday, Wagner was listed as available.
But coach Jamahl Mosley made it clear in Monday’s pregame media session that Wagner will be on a “very strict” minutes restriction. He did not specify how much time he expects Wagner to play.
“He’s an All-Star, to be honest, when he’s healthy. So having him back is huge,” guard Jalen Suggs said. “The gravity he pulls on offense, the way he’s been guarding defensively. Having that back as a part of our unit makes a big difference. I think for us it’s just really big mentally, knowing that we have the full group now and nobody is out. Now we get to slowly work our way back to our full unit and getting our chemistry and rhythm down. I’m excited to get him back. I’m happy for him. I know he’s really been itching to get back out there.”
Monday night’s game is the first of two at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. The teams play again Wednesday.
The Bucks are playing without All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has a right calf strain.
The game will also mark the return of guard Gary Harris, who had played with Orlando the past four seasons since being acquired in a trade with the Denver Nuggets. He signed with Milwaukee in the offseason.
On Sunday, the Bucks signed free-agent guard Cam Thomas, who was waived by the Brooklyn Nets last week after he had spent his entire career with the Nets. They selected him out of LSU with the 27th overall pick in the 2021 draft.
Thomas averaged 15.6 points, 3.1 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 24.3 minutes in 24 games with Brooklyn this season. He had missed about seven weeks with a left hamstring strain but returned on Dec. 27. Thomas is shooting a career-low 39.9% overall this season, and he’s made 32.5% of his 3-point attempts. He has shot 43.5% overall and 34.3% from 3-point range in 239 career games, including 88 starts.
On Friday, the Magic signed free-agent guard Jevon Carter, who had been waived by the Chicago Bulls. Carter played in 23 games this season, averaging 5.4 points and 1.1 rebounds in 11.1 minutes per game.
The signing of Carter gives the team the minimum 14-player standard roster required by the NBA. It had dipped to 13 players after Orlando traded guard Tyus Jones to the Charlotte Hornets last week.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.