How Far Can Magic Go Without Franz Wagner?

The Magic might need to save Franz from himself

Wagner may have came back early from injury to play in his home country of Germany, understandably so given the rare opportunity, but risking any more long term injury this season for short term results should be out of the question.

If Wagner is not 100% cleared and healthy, it's just not worth it; Orlando hasn't been fully healthy all season, so its unlikely that the team is going to figure everything out on the fly and win it all.

In that case, let the healthy players continue to build chemistry and gain playoff experience, so the team has that seasoned lineup option later on to call upon when needed.

Now, if Wagner is actually 100%, where he and the doctors and the team see no risk whatsoever to play – Franz feels good, looks good, plays good – then, of course, get him out there.

That just tends to rarely happen with injuries, and Orlando's timeline to ramp up a hobbled Wagner while fighting for playoff seeding shrinks by the day.

The Magic look, play, and rate incredible when fully healthy, and still played at a contender-level pace without Franz, especially in these last two months or so where the defense has returned to form and the offense has found a flow between Orlando hunting threes for Bane & Suggs and downhill actions for Banchero.

Orlando is currently slated for the play-in at the 7-seed where a playoff series would likely come against the Pistons (1/8), Celtics (2/7), Knicks (3/6), or Cavaliers. (4/5)

In a relatively wide open East due to injuries, the Magic could theoretically beat any of these teams in a first round series, and really could go all the way to the Finals with or without Franz available; between injuries to Cade Cunningham and Jayson Tatum, the Top-2 seeds are vulnerable.

The Knicks, a team Orlando tends to matchup well against, are unhappy with their season despite relative success, and the Cavs may pose the biggest threat of all with their upgrade to the always available point guard in James Harden.

Still, Orlando's found such a groove that it could theoretically take any of these teams in a series, and its had such lows that it could just as easily bounce out of a play-in tournament game.

Due to how well this Magic team is playing lately, though, one could easily see this team gain meaningful experience by winning a playoff series or two even without Franz, which would have been marked as a successful season from the very beginning even with Franz.

The Magic should ride this season out with the players who are healthy, available, and not at added risk for long term injury; playoff experience is valuable, but only championship experience is really worth risking any long-term health for, and even then, it's the decision of a wounded gladiator.

Orlando must ask the star point-forward Wagner brother to put down his sword and let his brother and the rest of the squad go to war this time without him if he can't fully suit up for battle.