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The Orlando Magic conducted exit interviews on Thursday following their first-round playoff exit to the Boston Celtics earlier in the week. Among those who spoke was forward Franz Wagner, who reflected on his fourth NBA season and outlined his offseason priorities as the organization prepares for a more aggressive, “win-now” approach.
Wagner, 23, finished the 2024-25 campaign with career-high averages of 24.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 46.3 percent from the field across 60 appearances. Though he was sidelined for a portion of the season with a torn oblique, he returned to play a central role in the Magic’s late-season push and playoff effort.
“Yeah, I mean for me, I think a lot of growth,” Wagner said. “I was put into a little bit of a new spot when Paolo [Banchero] went out. Looking back on it, I think I handled it pretty well and was pleased with how I was playing then.”
Franz Wagner eyes shooting improvement after injury setback and strong playoff showing vs. Celtics
The injury, he noted, came at an unfortunate time. “Obviously for me, the injury was a terrible time because I felt that we were rolling as a team. That’s how it goes sometimes and I think I handled it well — the injury, the rehab stuff. I think I played a decent second half of the season… and got better at a couple of things and also see a couple of things that I need to improve on.”
Among the top priorities Wagner identified was his perimeter shooting. Despite a strong all-around year, he struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 29.5 percent in the regular season and just 18.9 percent during the playoffs. That marked a sharp decline from his first two NBA seasons, when he shot 35.4 percent and 36.1 percent from three, respectively.
“Yeah, I think shooting is obviously a single motion that’s very repeatable, kind of like a golf swing a little bit,” Wagner said. “I think mental pieces play a big part in that. I think reps play a big part in that — confidence, stuff like that… Sometimes you just don’t make shots, and not every shot is perfect. That’s something, mentality-wise, I have to maybe relax a little bit more.”
In the Magic’s five-game playoff series against the defending champion Celtics, Wagner averaged 25.8 points, 5.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 38.9 minutes per game, reaffirming his value to Orlando’s long-term plans.
Wagner welcomes Magic’s “win-now” shift and emphasizes growing partnership with Paolo Banchero
He also responded to comments made earlier in the day by Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman, who emphasized that the franchise is shifting into a more competitive phase focused on winning now.
“Yea, for sure,” Wagner said. “Here we have a great vibe in the gym, in the facility, and obviously, individually for me, it’s really cool to hear that. I think it’s a natural progression of where we’re going.”
Wagner also commented on his chemistry with co-star Paolo Banchero, who is now eligible for a rookie max extension as he enters his fourth NBA season.
“Yeah, I think we have a great relationship,” Wagner said. “Obviously, as we get older and as our role here maybe changes or solidifies a little bit, we know that we have to be on the same page and have some of those conversations… I’m super happy to keep talking to him and keep playing with him. As for his negotiations, I don’t know—it shouldn’t be too stressful,” he added with a smile.
As the Orlando Magic pivots toward contention, Franz Wagner’s continued development, particularly in his shooting and leadership, will remain central to the team’s hopes of taking the next step.
