The Orlando Magic begin the 2026-27 NBA season at home on Wednesday, October 21.
The Magic will welcome the Atlanta Hawks to the Kia Center to open the season. It’s a new chapter for the Magic, with new head coach Sean Sweeney at the helm.
Orlando’s preseason was marred by injuries. Star forward Franz Wagner has been dealing with a right shoulder issue since the team’s final preseason game last Friday.
Magic Get Good Franz Wagner Update
According to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel, Franz Wagner was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice. Wagner also told reporters that he’s on schedule to play against the Atlanta Hawks tomorrow night.
“#Magic forward Franz Wagner said he participated fully in practice today and he plans on playing tomorrow night against the Hawks to open the regular season,” Beede tweeted.
The Orlando Magic’s Director of Digital News Dan Savage also confirmed Wagner’s statement regarding his availability for the season opener.
“Franz Wagner says he “plans on playing tomorrow” after fully participating in @OrlandoMagic practice today,” Savage wrote.
The Magic have been dealing with multiple injuries aside from Wagner. They could also play without Anthony Black and Noah Penda.
Black has returned to practice after a sprained ankle, while Penda suffered a partially torn hamstring in the Magic’s preseason finale.
What Happened to Wagner?
After playing 19 minutes in the Orlando Magic’s final preseason game against the Miami Heat last Friday, Franz Wagner was taken out due to right shoulder soreness. Wagner was ruled out for the rest of the game, finishing with 11 points, six rebounds and six assists on 4-for-7 shooting.
The German star returned to practice on Sunday, but he had a limited workload. He ramped things up two days later, which is a great sign for the Magic. They will need Wagner to stay healthy this season if they want to finish outside the play-in tournament spots.
Wagner’s Injury-Filled Campaign Last Season
Just when it looked like the Orlando Magic were ready to take the next leap last season, they were bitten by the injury bug. Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs missed a significant number of games due to injuries.
Wagner played in just 34 games because of ankle issues. He initially suffered the injury in December against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
It looked like a nasty leg injury before getting diagnosed with a high ankle sprain. He returned early in January to play in his native country of Germany, but he would later opt to rest his ankle injury more.
Wagner returned just in time for the playoffs, helping the Magic earn a 3-1 series lead against the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons. However, he missed the final three games due to a strained right calf in Game 4.
Orlando Magic Get Good Franz Wagner News Ahead of Season Opener