The Orlando Magic and star forward Franz Wagner have agreed to a five-year, $224 million max contract extension that could reach upwards of $270 million in total depending on whether he can reach certain career milestones, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
At just 22 years old, Wagner has already cemented himself as one of the Magic's cornerstones, next to All-Star big man Paolo Banchero. Wagner is eligible to receive 30 percent of the team's salary cap if he earns All-NBA status this upcoming season.
The 2023-24 season proved to be the best season the Magic have had since winning 52 games during the 2010-11 season with Dwight Howard leading the organization. Now, it is Banchero and Wagner that find themselves as the focal points in Orlando, which is why the organization felt obligated to reward their young star for changing the trajectory of the franchise.
Every year that Wagner has been with the Magic, he has improved their win total. Orlando won just a total of 22 games during his rookie season, followed by 34 games during the 2022-23 season. A 47-win season for the Magic this past year resulted in them ending their three-year playoff drought.
Despite not being labeled as a scoring machine entering the league, Wagner has been just that for the Magic. He joined Shaquille O'Neal, Tracy McGrady, and Howard in scoring at least 4,000 points before his 23rd birthday, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
In a total of 72 games during the 2023-24 season, the Magic forward averaged 19.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 48.2 percent from the floor.
Magic, Wagner poised for more growth
After a stellar 2023-24 season in which he earned All-Star attention, Wagner is primed for even more growth. He has increased his scoring averages each of his first three seasons in Orlando, and Wagner was one of the most efficient scorers in the league last season while shooting 48.2 percent from the floor.
There is a lot to like about Wagner and the Magic as a whole entering the 2024-25 season.
In addition to still having their entire core group surrounding Wagner under contract, the Magic also added shooting depth and championship experience by signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency. Caldwell-Pope left the Denver Nuggets, where he won a title in 2023, to join the Magic on a three-year, $66 million contract.
It is expected that Caldwell-Pope will join Wagner and Banchero in the starting rotation. Jalen Suggs is also likely to be a starter once again after his breakout third season in Orlando.
The Magic as a whole are poised for more growth under head coach Jamahl Mosley. However, the challenge now begins for the Magic, as getting back to the playoffs and proving that they belong in the Eastern Conference will be a lot harder than the challenges they faced this past year.
Defense is the Magic's calling card, as they ranked second in the league in defensive rating this past season. Entering the 2024-25 season, this will once again be where they look to defeat teams. Wagner knows what he is capable of achieving on both ends of the court, and now he will get to be one of the faces of this team next to Banchero for the foreseeable future.
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