As Orlando Magic star Jalen Suggs is dealing with a hip contusion after sustaining the injury in the NBA Cup semifinals against the New York Knicks on Dec. 13, he is hoping that a return is coming sooner rather than later. After Suggs' injury setback with the Magic, his status for Friday's game against the Charlotte Hornets proves to be a positive development.

Suggs is currently listed as “doubtful” for the contest against the Hornets on Friday night, and while some may ask: Why is that a positive development? As Suggs has missed the last four games with the hip contusion and is likely to be a fifth on Friday,  it's the first time in a while where he isn't listed as anything other than immediately “out.”

There's no doubt that, while small, it does give Suggs a glimmer of hope that he is close to a return. Suggs would say on Dec. 16 that he is “doing good” and that he is determined to get back to 100 percent.

“I’m doing good,” Suggs said, according to Jason Beede. “I get to spend some time with our [medical] team and get my body right. So, I’m good.”

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“I’m good. Just working on the body, working on the mind, get everything right and get ready [to be] back to roll.”

However, there is one aspect that hasn't changed for Suggs, which is that there isn't a “recovery timetable” for the guard, just as it was when he was diagnosed with the hip contusion.

At any rate, it remains to be seen when Suggs returns, with the next chance coming on Saturday against the Denver Nuggets, as he is likely to be out for Friday's outing against the Hornets. Orlando is currently 17-13, which puts them sixth in the Eastern Conference.