When the Orlando Magic traded Nikola Vucevic for multiple draft assets, little did they expect to have an incredible player already in just his rookie season. The own pick of the Magic was Gonzaga's Jalen Suggs, but it is the Bulls pick that was traded to Orlando that they used to select Franz Wagner. Surprisingly, that's the one that's paying dividends thus far.
Wagner has been the leading catalyst of Orlando this year despite having an abysmal record this season. His phenomenal performance is one of the few bright spots of the Magic season, having fans ecstatic with the upside of this young man from Michigan. With the slew of opportunities given to him due to injuries and health and safety protocols, Wagner's consistency and assertiveness will propel him to claiming that elusive Rookie of the Year award.
Constant scoring machine
Even if he was selected at just eighth overall, Wagner is the currently leading his class in points per game this season. With 15.8 points a game, he is shooting 44.9% from the field and 37.0% from long distance. His ability to maneuver through defenses because of his size and reach gives opponents a difficult way to contain him from the perimeter.
He has a similar methodical approach to Gordon Hayward's game but with just more athleticism. In less than 40 games in his NBA career, Wagner has already possessed highlight-worthy jams with some of them even occurring during clutch situations. There are still ways to improve on his offensive arsenal, but his efficiency and aggressiveness as the main man in Orlando is remarkable.
Starter for all 36 games so far
In this new generation of basketball, availability and durability has not been valued enough compared to the 80s or 90s. However, these players must be commended and admired for their presence every night despite lingering pains or possible rest days. To even prove the enormous impact of Wagner to his team, the lowest amount minutes that head coach Jamahl Mosley gave him was 26 minutes in an early season matchup against the Miami Heat.
It is inevitable for Wagner to have some off nights, especially in his rookie season, but he has been tremendous by scoring in double figures for 18 straight games already. Moreover, he finds a way to contribute on other facets of the game as well, such as chipping in close to 10 rebounds in some games or more than five assists on others.
Versatility on both ends of the court
For a newbie to succeed in this era, he must be able to adjust to various roles given by his coach. Additionally as a rookie, there are Magic veterans that will be given their previous roles when they return from their absence, thus forcing the youngsters to adapt to change. With Wagner he has also been a force defensively because of his length and stature.
Wagner has the foundation from his two collegiate seasons under Juwan Howard to possess defensive qualities that must be built upon in the NBA level. He is already averaging over one steal a game and adding 0.5 blocks as well. Moreover, he could even add some muscle and become a small-ball four for Orlando in the future if when they decide to insert their talented guards for certain stretches. Even on offense, Wagner does not need the ball too much for him to have a lasting impact on every game.
Even with the plethora of improvements necessary for him to reach his utmost potential, anyone could see how good Wagner could be in the next few seasons. It could always be reiterated that he has gigantic opportunities to showcase his talent because of the composition of their roster, making him the clear-cut favorite to win this prestigious award. This accolade will not be voted on based on the team's winning percentage, so if Wagner continues this exceptional season, it will be on his trophy rack by the middle of 2022.
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