3 takeaways from the Orlando Magic 2021-2022 season
By Luke Duffy
3 takeaways from the Orlando Magic 2021-2022 season: 3. Franz Wagner is the cornerstone
After about 15 games, one thing was quickly becoming clear, and that was that rookie Wagner could be the future cornerstone of the franchise. Though that praise sounded like too much, too soon, if you spent a few times watching him play, you quickly came to realize that it was not. Wagner took to professional life extremely quickly, and by the end of November was one of the Magic’s main contributors.
We need to remember as well, that playing for the Magic isn’t exactly easy. They will always be overlooked when they are a bad team, and plenty of other lottery picks have come and gone and not made their mark here. Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton, Aaron Gordon and Mario Hezonja to name just a few of the more recent examples.
Wagner clearly wanted the ball, and it also became apparent that he could handle and distribute at a high level. Point Wagner might never be a dream we see realized over the course of a whole game, but there was so much to like about what he did for a roster hampered by injuries and playing for a first-year head coach in Mosley.
Even more impressive, Wagner was the less fancied of the two lottery picks the Magic made last summer. Fans couldn’t believe when Jalen Suggs fell to them at five, and while injuries didn’t help his own rookie campaign, Wagner came out swinging. He looks comfortable being asked to do more and more as time goes on, and will be hugely important to the Magic’s future.
Not making the final list for Rookie of the Year might sting a little, but this was a fabulous draft class. Season averages of 15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists while shooting just over 35 percent from deep on a team that won only 22 games was a great way for Wagner to announce his arrival. No matter how this offseason goes, it is hard to imagine him not being the guy for this group next season and beyond.