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The Orlando Magic announced Tuesday that guard Jalen Suggs underwent arthroscopic surgery on Monday to remove a cartilage fragment in his left knee and will miss the remainder of the season. The procedure also included a mosaicplasty to repair the trochlear joint surface.
Suggs’ season came to an abrupt end after an MRI on Friday revealed a trochlea injury in his left knee. Following consultations with medical professionals, both Suggs and the Magic determined surgery was the best course of action. The procedure was performed Monday, and the team officially ruled him out for the remainder of the season on Tuesday. However, the team expects him to make a full recovery.
The 23-year-old had been sidelined indefinitely leading up to the decision. He last played on January 25 in a win against the Detroit Pistons, finishing with eight points, three assists, two rebounds, and a steal. Initially diagnosed with a left quad contusion, further evaluations ultimately revealed the extent of his knee injury.
Jalen Suggs’ injury leads to season-ending surgery
Before undergoing surgery, Suggs spoke to the media on Saturday, expressing confidence in his rehab process and his focus on the playoffs.
“All the work that I’ve been putting in for the past month has been meticulous, rehab-based, strengthen everything up and really resetting my body,” Suggs said. “You know I was charging up first stretch around… it’s no different now. I get to charge up not [just] for a stretch run [but] the playoffs which was the ultimate goal anyways.”
Suggs also reflected on the Magic’s playoff exit last season and how it motivated him to push through his recovery.
“Coming off of last year, holding a lot of pain, sadness – that playoff loss brought a lot of feelings out that I hadn’t felt in a while and they have stuck since then… since that May 5 day when the season ended,” he said.
Magic lose key piece in playoff push
Suggs’ absence is a significant loss for the Magic, who are now 29-33 and eighth in the Eastern Conference following their 111-96 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night. Before the injury, he was in the midst of a career-best season, averaging 16.2 points, four rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 41% from the field across 35 contests.
A 2024 NBA All-Defensive Second Team selection, Suggs had been a crucial piece of Orlando’s defensive identity. His ability to guard multiple positions and provide high-energy play on both ends of the floor had been a driving force behind the Magic’s early-season success.
With Suggs officially ruled out for the season, Orlando will need to rely on its remaining backcourt depth as it pushes to secure a playoff spot. The Magic continue their seven-game homestand with a rematch against the Raptors on Tuesday night.
