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Nov 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) and forward Franz Wagner (22) attempt to get the ball away from Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (12) during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

How the Magic Rotation Changes Without Franz Wagner

Originally posted on Orlando Magic on SI
By Ryan Kaminski | Last updated Feb 19, 2026 5:30 PM ET

"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in" - Michael Corleone, Godfather III

For a moment, we all saw it – Orlando was fully healthy for the first time in over 400 days.

For a split second, the Magic had every weapon at their disposal, even experimenting with its best five ball-handlers and overall players on the court all at once going small with Paolo Banchero at the five.

As quickly as The Basketball Gods giveth, they taketh away.

With Orlando now declaring Franz Wagner out at least three weeks to let his ankle recover, the Magic find themselves in familiar territory: playing the next man up

Thankfully for the Magic, despite not yet finding one bench unit to rely on consistently, they do still have versatile depth options now healthy and available on the bench.

Orlando will still have a strong starting unit despite missing Wagner

Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The Magic will surely miss its star German forward, but thankfully for this team, this is what the remaining depth is all about.

Anthony Black, potential sixth man of the year and most improved candidate, has spot-started every position on the wing 1-3 throughout the season, even 4 at times, and will likely take over duties starting at 3.

The new, yet experienced, starting unit of Suggs - Bane - Black - Banchero - Carter has a +5 Net Rating in over 200 minutes on the court together, holding a 110.5 Defensive Rating, via PBP Stats.

That 5-man lineup of Banchero flanked with 3&D play-finishing team-first connectors and secondary creators is producing a massive swing in 3P%, whether due to variance or skill, with the offense converting 37.4% on Orlando's 3PA and defense holding opponents to 29.6% 3P% on opponent 3PA.

Orlando can still play 4.5-out or 5-out through Paolo and the team’s best 3pt shooters in this starting lineup, with more capable shooters in Jase Richardson, Tristan da Silva, Noah Penda, and Moritz Wagner off the bench.

It may be best for Orlando to stagger one or two of its four healthy star creators in Suggs-Bane-Black-Banchero at all times while building the most balanced two-way team-first lineups out of the bench guys between Richardson, da Silva, Wagner, Penda, Goga Bitadze and Jonathan Isaac.

Bane and Black could be staggered alongside the main second unit of Jase, da Silva, Penda, and Wagner, allowing Orlando to run P&R/DHO with spacing around Bane's and Black's driving creation.

Then, Orlando can Paolo and Suggs with the rest of the rotation, Orlando's two stars who can rack up minutes with anyone and make it work, creating good looks on one end and forcing turnovers on the other.

The Magic finding the right playtype mix between Suggs and Banchero in this Wagner-less stretch would be huge; Paolo wants to be a scoring hub, not the point guard, and Jalen is this team's best point guard shot creator who has become just as important as any player on this team overnight.

Between his turnover-forcing chasedown-blocking pick-six 4pt swing energy and growing mastery of running an offense, Suggs running the show should only be further explored; maybe there's a 2-man game with Banchero still waiting to be unlocked with the two barely playing together over two years.

Unleashing Jalen and Paolo in P&R, P&P, DHO, normal and inverted, could be another bread and butter set for this team, as long as the open man knocks down the potential assists these two create.

While Orlando can rely on Wendell Carter Jr. to do the dirty work as the team's unsung hero, more sets with Banchero as the main screener unlocks his playmaking and could create more advantages for the offense, with Carter still able to stretch the floor or finish at the rim in the dunker spot.

If this offense isn't going to run endless off ball actions for its best shooters, then running as much action through Banchero and Wendell in the middle of the floor is probably best to help the guards create space off screens on drives with a screener who can roll, pop, or pass.

Orlando doing its best to hunt open threes for its best 3pt shooters will only help their other objective of racking up dunks, layups, and fouls for its best play-finishers at the rim. The starting unit can especially focus on creating threes for its best shooters, while the bench units can be more reliant on the staggered star ball-handlers doing more driving; any lineups that can light it up for quick bursts of scoring to open the first and third quarters can help this team build a lead and milk the clock with its defensive intensity.

The Magic playing its best players and most effective two-way spaced-out lineups as much as possible without risking more injuries will help them win the majority of their minutes; finding lineups that survive in-between the starters is really all this team needs to stay afloat until the playoffs.