Orlando Magic Center May Need A New Home As Roster Uncertainty Looms

It's been a busy week for Orlando Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman. The front office is reinventing the roster in terms of guard depth by acquiring Desmond Bane and parting ways with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony on Sunday. Weltman continued to deal when the Magic declined the team options for Gary Harris and Cory Joseph on Monday. Now, the future of Mo Wagner is in question.

Wagner has a team option worth $11 million. After tearing his ACL at midseason, The Athletic predicts Orlando won't pick it up.

"The Magic are facing a luxury-tax crunch, which makes it seem unlikely that the Magic pick up his $11 million team option," it wrote. "The way out of this would be for the Magic to re-sign Wagner to a one-year minimum deal, or a "one-plus-one" with a second-year player option."

The Los Angeles Lakers selected Wagner with the 25th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. The Michigan product bounced around the league a bit before finding a home with the Magic during the 2020-21 season.

With uncertainty hanging over his NBA future, Wagner has elevated his game. Before the ACL tear derailed his season, Wagner was averaging a career-high 12.9 points.

Moreover, the 28-year-old was shooting 36 percent from 3-point range, also a career-high and the best among Orlando's centers.

Understandably, Wagner's injury is a cause for concern. It's hard to say if or when he will return to form and if his breakout season was just lightning in a bottle. If the Magic can negotiate a friendlier deal with Wagner, it's worth it to retain him.

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