Franz Wagner has had a stellar first season for the Magic, and Josh Cohen of the team’s website makes the case that Wagner deserves Rookie of the Year consideration. Wagner holds the season-high scoring mark in an individual game for rookies with 38, along with several other benchmarks.
Through 77 games this season, the 6’9″ forward is averaging 15.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists on .468/.357/.863 shooting in 31.5 minutes per night. If he stays above 46% from the field (which is a basically a lock) and is able to convert four more three-pointers, Wagner will join Stephen Curry and Jayson Tatum as the third rookie ever to score at least 1,000 points and make 100 threes while shooting 46-plus percent from the floor, per Cohen.
One of the 20-year-old’s notable statistics has been his durability, as he’s one of just six players to appear in every game this season (Kevon Looney, Deni Avdija, Mikal Bridges, Dwight Powell and Saddiq Bey are the others). Unfortunately, he rolled his left ankle in Friday’s game against Toronto (video link via Kobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel) and was ruled out for the remainder of the game, the Magic’s PR department announced (via Twitter). Hopefully he’ll be able to finish out the season strong and accomplish the feat.
Here’s more from the Southeast:
- The Hornets have clinched a spot in the play-in tournament, but they have their sights set on loftier goals, as Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer relays. “We can’t be content — we haven’t done s—,” Kelly Oubre said. “So we’ve got to continue to work, stay humble and continue to grind and create our own narrative for the future and establish ourselves in an area for sure that is in the winning light. So we’ve got to continue to stay hungry and stay humble.”
- Within the same article, Boone notes that Miles Bridges apparently still holds some resentment that the Knicks didn’t select him in the 2018 draft. The Knicks selected Kevin Knox at No. 9, while Bridges fell to the Hornets at No. 12. “There’s a lot of history between me and the Knicks’ organization, going back to draft day,” Bridges said. “So every time I come in, I want to make a point of why they should have drafted me back then. I just try to be aggressive every time I come here and show them what I can do and it’s been working out.” Bridges has scored 30-plus points in each of his last three appearances in New York, including 31 on 11-of-15 shooting in the team’s 125-114 victory Wednesday. He’ll be a restricted free agent this summer.
- John Collins still hasn’t returned to basketball activity for the Hawks, Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. Collins is progressing in his rehab from a mid-foot sprain and plantar fascia tear, as well as a sprained finger, and his return to action will depend on his follow-up appointments with medical specialists.
Hey- would love Collins in MIAMI….many teams would like him….Atlanta & COLLINS not on same page…
Lol… Bc he’s injured they’re not in the same page? How does that make sense?.. Mia don’t have anything to trade that would be nearly enough to trade for Collins unless they wanna get rid of Jimmy. He’s a much better example of a guy that’s not on the same page as his team
They were not on the same page with his contract extension, and there was a little friction because of that….and his name always popped up in trade rumors…that seemed like the extent of it.
They OBVIOUSLY were on the exact same page as far as his contract, hence both sides signing the contract. Lol I mean that’s a textbook definition of being on the same page. Their signatures are literally on the same page… John in his last few games was playing with a gruesome finger injury. And this is after coming back early from a knee injury. He’s shown time & time again, more than anybody else in the team, that he wants to be a Hawk for life. Only way he gets traded is for a superstar type guy like Zion or LeBron or something
Miami would expand trade to 3 team trade… Duncan Robinson contract is 18m x 4 yrs, plus have 2025 & 2027 first round draft picks to include…. Actually they want Christian WOODS from Houston, only 13M per year… anyway Robinson is not starting, not closing… WHATEVER HAPPENS IN OFF-SEASON EXPECT TO SEE BIG DEALS BEING MOVED… WESTBROOK, RANDLE ( possibly wants out of NY)… COLLINS, THE BLAZERS RETOOL WITH Lillard?… Should be fun off season, draft, summer league, free agency….trades…
Wagner didn’t show in tournament last yr. So it made you wonder how NBA talent would treat him. Gotta give him credit. He’s gotten better and better. He’s never backed down. And has just gotten more aggressive. Definitely didn’t see this in college.
It’s just always a reminder to me. That these are 18-20 yr old kids. And still have plenty of growing up do to. And I mean that in every way. Good for Franz he’s “Showing Out”.
Good to have goals “Miles” ……
But we passed on Mikal Bridges, SGA, Kevin Huerter. ALL of who I take before you. Everyone in NY at time wanted Mikal. A Big East, north east guy. He’s the real miss Miles.
If you would take Kev over Miles Bridges then you must either be related to or physically attracted to him. Or it could be something else
I think ZION will take the max with NO, but is he happy in NO? You put him back in starting line up next year, NO can make some noise.. they still need a pure point guard…
The Pels are doing better now then they were the past few yrs when they had a pure pg