Orlando Magic's Moritz Wagner Set for Season Debut

Orlando Magic forward Moritz Wagner is set to make his season debut on Sunday when the team hosts the New Orleans Pelicans at the Kia Center, providing a timely boost to a squad hampered by injuries.

The 28-year-old Wagner has been sidelined since tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament in a game against the Miami Heat on December 21, 2024. He underwent successful surgery the following month and has spent the past year rehabilitating, recently progressing to full-contact practices and scrimmages. The team announced his availability on Saturday, with Wagner expected to come off the bench in a careful ramp-up to game action.

Wagner was enjoying a breakout season before the injury, averaging 12.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 30 games while shooting 56 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point range. His scoring punch off the bench ranked him second in the league in that category at the time of his injury, positioning him as a contender for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. Orlando re-signed him in July to a one-year, $5 million contract, valuing his high-energy style and reliability.

The return arrives amid a challenging stretch for the Magic, who sit...