The Orlando Magic have been ravaged by injuries this season. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner missed significant time with oblique injuries but are now back in the lineup. The same cannot be said for star guard Jalen Suggs. It was announced last week that he would miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, but the news got worse on Sunday. Reports indicate Suggs will undergo knee surgery and will be out indefinitely.
Orlando Magic Jalen Suggs Out Indefinitely
ESPN’s Shams Charania was the first to report the news. Jalen Suggs will undergo knee surgery to remove a cartilage fragment in his knee. While he is expected to make a full recovery, the timeline is unknown. A statement released by the Orlando Magic stated, “Suggs will be out indefinitely, as a treatment plan is being developed.” The former Gonzaga guard left the court on January 3rd with what was diagnosed as back spasms. He played again on January 25 before being sidelined with a left quad contusion. The knee injury was discovered in an MRI when Suggs described some discomfort.
This is a huge blow to the Orlando Magic. While Banchero and Wagner are the main scorers on the team, Suggs brings an element of leadership and defense that is hard to replace. The Magic have plenty of guards on the roster. Cole Anthony has played well over the past few weeks, and former lottery pick Anthony Black has been good in a backup role. However, leadership is hard to replace. It is why the Magic signed him to a five-year, $150.5 million extension before the season.
Outlook For The Team
This year might not be the year for the Orlando Magic. They sit eighth in the Eastern Conference, five games behind the sixth-seeded Detroit Pistons. More than likely, they will be a play-in team, meaning they will match up with either the Boston Celtics or the Cleveland Cavaliers. That is a tough road to make any noise in the postseason. The injuries will define this season. If Banchero, Wagner, and Suggs were all healthy, this team might be in a different position.
Hopefully, the Orlando Magic can stay healthy next year. All three of those players will still be on the team and now have many years of experience under their belts. The team also has assets and could look to add a piece or two in the offseason to try and open a championship window. The biggest question mark is the recovery timeline. If Jalen Suggs misses any part of next season, it may take him a while to ramp up to NBA speed. That could hamper the growth of the team in the long run.
Final Thoughts
The hope is Suggs makes a full recovery and is available to start the next season healthy. This team has been one of the dark horse candidates in the Eastern Conference for years, and it finally feels like they have a core together. Hopefully, he comes back, and the Orlando Magic can prove they can be one of the best teams in the NBA.
