Orlando Magic: Could Franz Wagner be the franchise cornerstone?

Franz Wagner has already shown the ability to help the Orlando Magic win

He had 28 points, four rebounds, and two assists, as well as an early contender for dunk of the season, in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. This was Wagner showing the full array of his offensive skills, and it was brilliant to see as this is an area where the Magic have been downright ugly for most of the last decade.

It was only one game, and it was followed up by a much less impressive one, but that is not the point. Already, it looks like not only is Wagner going to have these big games, but the team is going to win some of the contests where he really goes off. It has to be hard to come into a new team environment as well, but it might help to have his own brother Moritz also on the roster.

There’s a quiet confidence in what he has done. He’s unassuming, but very impressive when he has chosen to display this confidence outwardly. This is in complete contrast to the more vocal and loud Anthony, who has also looked like the guy early on this year. This is very interesting, because both of these guys could, in theory, return to the bench when Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz are healthy again.

But that is the point of the draft and of creating young depth throughout a roster. The difficult questions of who should start are a good problem to have.

We’re already some way removed from the garbage lineups that have been trotted out in recent seasons. Let’s not talk about trading Isaac or possibly having him come off the bench just yet.

Instead let us rejoice that a rookie, after only nine games, is making us pose these questions at all. They’ve got it wrong so often down through the years, but in Franz Wagner (and maybe even Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony as well), the Magic have the makings of something. A franchise cornerstone is needed, and the big German has answered the call early. Long may it last.