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Southeast Notes: Wizards Core, Magic, Hunter, Capela, Heat

January 23rd, 2025 at 5:11pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Success for the Wizards this season isn’t necessarily going to be measured in wins or losses. Their young core being enough to lift them to a postseason berth would have been greatly exciting, but an accelerated timeline isn’t all that common. Instead, as Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes, this Washington season was always going to be about seeing which young players are worth building around.

The Wizards have dedicated their season to investing huge minutes to four players who are under the age of 22: Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George.

“I think it’s great that they’re going through it,” coach Brian Keefe said. “That’s how you learn. You get out there, and you go through it. You experience it. All these things are new learning experiences.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

  • The Magic feel confident for the second half of the season with the team getting healthier overall, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel writes. Orlando recently saw Paolo Banchero return from an extended absence and Franz Wagner is set to return on Thursday. “It’s been long overdue,” Gary Harris said of the team getting healthier. “That’s something that we’ve been anxious for. The injuries that have happened this season haven’t been ideal, but we’ve been able to tread water and keep our ahead afloat.“
  • Orlando lost its last four games and six of the past seven. The looming returns will obviously help matters, but the Magic are also looking to the past for confidence, Beede writes in a separate post. The Magic began Banchero’s rookie season at 5-20 before going on a 29-24 stretch in the middle of the season. Last year the team slumped before winning 13 of its following 16 games after getting players back from injury.
  • De’Andre Hunter erupted this season for the Hawks in his sixth season, averaging a career-high 19.1 points and 40.5% clip from three off the bench. He explained what has contributed to his breakout year to HoopHype’s Michael Scotto in a recent interview. “I think we’re playing a lot differently this year,” Hunter said. “We’re definitely moving the ball a lot more. We’re getting out in transition a lot more. As far as my role, coming off the bench has been a different role. I think I’m looked at as the playmaker or scorer in that second unit. That’s the expectation. I think I can score pretty well, so it’s not too hard for me.“
  • Hawks center Clint Capela was added to the injury report Thursday and is out against the Raptors with knee soreness, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Lauren L. Williams (Twitter link). Capela has played in two games since becoming a full-time bench player, averaging 14.0 points and 9.5 rebounds. Capela continues to be monitored on the trade market by rival teams, per Scotto.
  • The Heat‘s Thursday game against the Bucks was delayed by one hour due to icy conditions in New Orleans that delayed the Bucks’ flight to Milwaukee, according to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson (Twitter link). Tip is now set for 8:30 p.m. EST as opposed to its previously scheduled 7:30 start time.
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Magic’s Franz Wagner Available To Return From Torn Oblique

January 23rd, 2025 at 4:26pm CST by Rory Maher

4:26pm: Wagner will indeed make his return from his torn oblique injury that caused him to miss 20 games, the Magic announced (via Twitter). Additionally, Howard will be listed as available after missing the past five games (Twitter link per Beede).

12:14pm: Forward Franz Wagner has been sidelined since December 6 — a span of 20 games — after tearing his right oblique, but he’s close to returning to action for the Magic, who have listed the former lottery pick as questionable for Thursday’s matchup with Portland, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.

Head coach Jamahl Mosley said Wagner “was able to go through shootaround (on Thursday morning) and is obviously progressing well so we’ll see what the day brings after this shootaround.” Speaking to reporters afterward, Wagner confirmed there’s a chance he’ll play tonight (Twitter video link via Beede).

“(The questionable tag) means that I might play, I might not,” the German said with a smile. “We’ll see how the day goes. But it feels really good. It was a long process and I’m not the most patient person.”

Wagner, 23, was having a breakout fourth season for Orlando prior to the injury, averaging career-best numbers in several counting stats, including points (24.4), rebounds (5.6), assists (5.7) and steals per game (1.7). He posted a shooting slash line of .465/.321/.881 in 25 contests (33.2 minutes).

On January 14, Wagner had his status changed to “return to competition reconditioning,” stating at the time that his muscle had fully healed and that he felt good, but he needed to get back in playing shape. It was the first significant absence of his career — he had only missed 13 total games in three seasons leading up to 2024/25.

Wagner’s return appearing imminent is certainly great news for the Magic, who went just 7-13 without him, including losing their last four games. Orlando is currently the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 23-22. The team has been dominant when Wagner is on the court (plus-8.6 per 100 possession), but has struggled mightily (minus-5.9) when he’s not.

Orlando has dealt with significant injury absences all season. Mosley provided updates on several other injured players on Thursday, according to Beede:

  • Goga Bitadze (concussion protocol) did some on-court work on Thursday to see how he’ll respond, but he didn’t take contact and he’s listed as doubtful Thursday.
  • Both Jalen Suggs (low back strain) and Gary Harris (left hamstring strain) worked out Thursday and the team will see how they’re doing afterward. Suggs remains out, while Harris is questionable vs. Portland.
  • Jonathan Isaac (illness) is officially questionable, but Mosley said he’s feeling much better and will suit up tonight.
  • Cole Anthony is also dealing with an illness and wasn’t at shootaround, but there’s a chance he could play if he’s feeling better in a handful of hours — he’s officially questionable.
  • Jett Howard (left ankle sprain) is questionable. He did some on-court work at shootaround.
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Injury Notes: Wagner, Magic, Kyrie, Sixers, Haliburton, Jackson

January 14th, 2025 at 1:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Magic forward Franz Wagner, who is recovering from a torn right oblique, will remain sidelined for Wednesday’s game in Milwaukee, but his injury designation will be updated to “return to competition reconditioning,” according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).

The change in designation doesn’t necessarily mean Wagner’s return is imminent, but it does suggest that he’s entering the final stage of his rehab process. By comparison, teammate Paolo Banchero, who sustained a torn oblique of his own on October 30, had his designation changed to “return to competition reconditioning” on December 27, then returned to action on January 10.

“I feel good,” Wagner said on Tuesday (Twitter link via Beede). “I think everything is going in a really good direction. I was able to do some more stuff on the court. I think pretty much the muscle is not the issue at this point. It’s more of getting back in shape, making sure that I check all of the boxes before I go play a game.”

Wagner, Gary Harris (left hamstring strain), and Jett Howard (left ankle sprain) went through a non-contact practice on Tuesday, per Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley (Twitter links via Beede). Tristan Da Silva (illness) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (sore left knee) also practiced, but Jalen Suggs (low back strain) and Goga Bitadze (right hip contusion) didn’t, Beede adds.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

  • Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving, who last played on January 1, has been upgraded to questionable for Tuesday’s matchup with Denver. The Mavs announced last Monday that Irving was expected to miss at least a week or two due to a bulging disc in his back, but he fully participated in Monday’s practice and “looked good,” head coach Jason Kidd said (Twitter link via Jared Greenberg of NBA TV).
  • The banged-up Sixers will be missing Joel Embiid (left foot sprain), Andre Drummond (left toe sprain), and Kyle Lowry (right hip sprain) for a fifth straight game on Tuesday vs. Oklahoma City. Philadelphia also added Tyrese Maxey to its injury report as a result of a left hand sprain, with the star guard considered questionable to play against OKC.
  • Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed during a radio appearance on Tuesday that it’s “highly unlikely” Tyrese Haliburton suits up vs. Cleveland tonight, but said the point guard’s hamstring issue isn’t believed to be significant, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star relays. “The good news is we don’t believe that it’s serious,” Carlisle said. “It was tightness, soreness. When you have a high-functioning athlete, skill player like Tyrese, tightness can really make it difficult for him to play at the level that he plays at. Having him come out of (Sunday’s) game was absolutely the right thing to do.”
  • Grizzlies forward GG Jackson has essentially recovered from his offseason foot surgery and his season debut isn’t far off, according to head coach Taylor Jenkins. “It’s more just about reconditioning and back to play,” Jenkins said (story via Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal). “There may be opportunities with the (G League’s Memphis) Hustle for his first exposure to live five-on-five play.”
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Southeast Notes: F. Wagner, Anthony, Kuzma, Walker

January 6th, 2025 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Injured Magic star Franz Wagner offered an encouraging update on his torn oblique, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Wagner, who has now been sidelined for a full month, is set to be reevaluated when the team returns home after tonight’s trip to New York.

“I think I’ve progressed really well,” he told reporters after Sunday’s game. “Now, I’m continuing to rehab it [and] make sure that we don’t make any jumps too soon because you don’t want to re-injure it, obviously. It’s a weird spot. But I feel pretty good.”

Wagner became the focus of the offense following an injury to Paolo Banchero, and he helped the Magic remain near the top of the Eastern Conference. Orlando has gone just 5-7 since he was sidelined, as numerous injuries have left the team short-handed. Wagner has never missed this much time in his NBA career and admitted it’s difficult knowing that his return could still be a long way off.

“After the first couple of days, I felt totally normal,” he said. “Normally, when you have an injury and you’re out, it’s [a] foot or knee or something, and you have trouble walking or stuff like that. There was nothing like that. It’s just mentally a little weird that nothing really hurts but obviously, you can’t really go yet.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

  • Cole Anthony has been in and out of the rotation this season, but the Magic may need to rely on him while Jalen Suggs is sidelined with a lower back strain, Beede adds in a separate story. It’s been a disappointing year for Anthony, but he played 34 minutes and tied a career high with 11 assists after Suggs had to leave Friday’s game at Toronto. “He’s a force on the offensive end,” Cory Joseph said. “A lot of times he draws two people to him and he was just making the right plays over and over again. Guys were getting open, good looks. He was just making the right plays and was amazing to watch.” 
  • Kyle Kuzma, who’s considered one of the Wizards‘ top trade candidates, had a season-high 28 points in Sunday’s loss to New Orleans, per Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. Kuzma credits his recent scoring burst to an increased off-ball role in the team’s offense and improved health after dealing with a groin strain. “I’ve been over that hurdle now, and I feel really comfortable and very confident in my body and my movements,” he said. “I think you’ve been seeing that over the past couple games being back.”
  • Hornets legend Kemba Walker talks to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer about why he decided to join Charles Lee’s coaching staff after ending his playing career in July.
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Antetokounmpo Headlines All-Tournament Team For NBA Cup

December 19th, 2024 at 12:24pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA announced the All-Tournament Team for the NBA Cup on Thursday, with Giannis Antetokounmpo headlining the five-player group (Twitter link). The Bucks superstar was named tournament MVP after Milwaukee defeated Oklahoma City in Tuesday’s final.

Here’s the full team, along with the amount of votes each player received (in parentheses) from a group of 20 media members:

All five players advanced to at least the semifinals of the league’s second in-season tournament. Antetokounmpo and Gilgeous-Alexander were unanimous selections, while Lillard fell one vote shy.

According to the full voting results, Thunder big man Isaiah Hartenstein (5), Magic forward Franz Wagner (5), Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (4) and Thunder forward Jalen Williams (3) narrowly missed out on making the team. Six other players received one vote apiece.

The voting for the team is based on each player’s performance over the entire NBA Cup, including group play and the knockout round games. The Bucks went undefeated (7-0) to claim the trophy.

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Magic Notes: NBA Cup, Schedule, Wagner, Houstan, Defense

December 11th, 2024 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic were eliminated from the NBA Cup on Tuesday with a 114-109 loss to the Bucks in Milwaukee. But head coach Jamahl Mosley was extremely pleased with the way his team competed despite being without its two leading scorers, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, as Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel writes.

“We want them to understand what they just did, just from an effort category, from going toe-to-toe with two Hall of Famers (Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard) and a very experienced basketball team,” Mosley said after the loss. “In these moments, this is where the possessions matter. The mental focus matters in these games.

“But I can’t be more proud of their effort, their energy, their sticking together throughout the runs within the game that shows continued growth for this team and understanding how good we can continue to be.”

As a result of Tuesday’s loss, the Magic will have one game added to their regular season schedule. The exact matchup will depend on the outcome of the other Eastern Conference NBA Cup matchup.

According to Beede, if the Knicks beat the Hawks on Wednesday, the Magic will visit Atlanta on Sunday, whereas if the Hawks win tonight, the Magic will host New York on Sunday.

Here’s more on the Magic:

  • Admitting that he wasn’t even aware of what a torn oblique was before he and Banchero both sustained the same injury, Wagner said that he’s trying to take a positive approach to his recovery, according to Beede. “It can always be a lot worse,” Wagner said. “No doubt I’ll get healthy, Paolo will get healthy, and we’ll be good as a group. These things sometimes can remind you how much you take for granted.” The fourth-year forward also pointed out that his and Banchero’s absences will provide lesser-used Magic players with a prime opportunity to step up, which could pay off in the long run: “The way the roster is, we have so many talented guys that sometimes don’t get enough time. This will be good for them.”
  • One of those players who could take on a larger role with Banchero and Wagner out is third-year forward Caleb Houstan, who hadn’t logged double-digit minutes in a game until he played 18:08 on Sunday in Phoenix. After scoring eight points on 3-of-4 shooting and grabbing a pair of rebounds, Houstan credited Orlando’s coaching staff and his teammates for helping him stay ready to contribute. “Everyone’s really supportive,” he said, per Beede. “Everyone pushes each other. Cory (Joseph)‘s been a big help with that, just helping us stay ready, telling us to stay ready, pushing us to get in the gym and do the little things to be mentally still locked in.”
  • In an entertaining story for The Athletic, Fred Katz details how Wendell Carter Jr., Cole Anthony, and other young Magic players have been threatened with small fines any time they commit “silly” fouls in games. Those fines aren’t actually real, Katz explains, but many players believed they were, and the possibility of losing money from their bank accounts helped incentivize them to develop good habits on defense. “Our defensive culture, we lean on that,” Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said. “That’s our go-to. Each game, we emphasize defense.”
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Franz Wagner Out Indefinitely Due To Torn Oblique

December 7th, 2024 at 2:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Magic forward Franz Wagner has been diagnosed with a torn right oblique and will be sidelined indefinitely, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports that Wagner will be reevaluated in four weeks.

The Magic have confirmed the news (Twitter link). The injury occurred during Friday’s game in Philadelphia.

It’s a brutal blow for an Orlando team that has already been without one star, Paolo Banchero, for more than a month. Not only will Wagner join his fellow forward on the injured list, but he has sustained essentially the same injury — Banchero has been out since October 30 due to a torn right oblique of his own.

Wagner served as the second option on offense behind Banchero for the past couple seasons, but the Magic gave him a five-year, maximum-salary extension in July, signaling their confidence in his ability to continue developing into an All-Star caliber player. His star turn was taking place this fall as he took the reins of Orlando’s offense with Banchero sidelined.

In 20 games without Banchero available so far this season, Wagner has averaged 26.1 points, 6.3 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in 35.0 minutes per contest.

Banchero said in mid-November that he hoped to return to the court by Christmas, though he admitted that was his own goal and wouldn’t necessarily be approved by the Magic’s medical team. Even if Banchero meets that timeline, Orlando will likely have to get by for at least a couple more weeks without either of its top two scorers.

Jalen Suggs and Moritz Wagner have been the Magic’s next-best scorers behind Wagner in recent weeks and will be asked to take on additional scoring responsibilities. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Anthony Black, Wendell Carter Jr., Cole Anthony, and Goga Bitadze are among the others who figure to be leaned upon more on that side of the floor. However, it seems safe to assume the Magic, who already rank just 24th in the NBA with a 110.3 offensive rating, could have some trouble scoring in the immediate future.

After starting the season with a 3-6 record, Orlando has won 13 of its last 16 games and sits at 16-9, good for third in the Eastern Conference. That strong start should help the club stay afloat until they get Banchero and Wagner back.

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And-Ones: Woj, Awards, Samanic, Van Exel

December 5th, 2024 at 4:16pm CST by Rory Maher

In mid-September, perhaps the most surprising news of the NBA offseason occurred: Adrian Wojnarowski announced that he was retiring from ESPN and the news industry as a whole. It was later reported that he would become the general manager of the basketball program at St. Bonaventure, with the school confirming the news.

Speaking to his friend and former Yahoo Sports colleague Chris Mannix, who now works for Sports Illustrated, Wojnarowski explained his decision to leave his position at ESPN to work for his alma mater. He took a major pay cut, going from $7.3MM to $75K annually, but he was “burned out” by the always-on nature of his previous job. He was already advising the school on its search for the new position, as well as doing most of the work the job entailed.

“What I was doing, it just wasn’t fulfilling anymore,” Woj said. “I was just done. This is what gets me excited. To learn something new, to be part of something like this. It’s a whole new challenge.”

Wojnarowski, 55, also revealed that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in March, which he alluded to in his retirement statement (“time isn’t in endless supply”), but the prognosis is good — he told Mannix he isn’t experiencing any symptoms, having been diagnosed early, and the cancer is “pretty limited in scope.”

Wojnarowski sent out a tweet addressing the diagnosis. “Appreciate all the kind words and concern but I’m going to be fine. My goal in sharing a prostate cancer diagnosis is to encourage screening and testing among men. Early diagnosis will make all the difference for me —- and many others too.”

There are more interesting details on Woj’s decision in Mannix’s story, which is worth reading in full.

Here are some more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Josh Robbins, Eric Nehm and Kelly Iko of The Athletic weigh in on the awards races thus far for the 2024/25 season. Interestingly, there’s no consensus choice among the three for any of the major awards. For Most Improved Player, Robbins selected Magic forward Franz Wagner, Nehm picked Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, and Iko chose Nuggets wing Christian Braun.
  • Former NBA forward Luka Samanic, a 2019 first-round pick, has signed with Croatian club KK Cibona, according to the team (Twitter link). The 24-year-old forward, who spent last season with Utah, was born in Zagreb, where the team is based. Fenerbahce reportedly holds Samanic’s EuroLeague rights for the rest of the season, but the Turkish club doesn’t compete in any of the same leagues as his new Croatian team.
  • Longtime NBA point guard and veteran assistant Nick Van Exel has decided to exit coaching, having co-founded a new agency called 100x Sports, per Marc Stein (Twitter link). Van Exel worked in various player development, scouting and coaching roles for Milwaukee, Memphis, Dallas, and most recently Atlanta over the past decade-plus.
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And-Ones: Harper, Bailey, Demin, Wembanyama, Langford

December 3rd, 2024 at 9:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It’s a mixed bag for the Rutgers’ freshmen duo of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey so far this season, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo. While Harper is considered a rising prospect and potential top pick, Bailey heads the list of prospects “who still have a lot to show.” The ESPN duo also identifies Houston’s Joseph Tugler, Duke’s Kon Knueppel and Illinois’ Kasparas Jakucionis as risers during college basketball’s first month with an eye toward the 2025 draft.

We have more from around the basketball world:

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Magic Notes: Banchero, Wagner, NBA Cup, Carter, Bitadze

December 2nd, 2024 at 7:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Paolo Banchero isn’t close to returning from a torn right oblique he suffered in late October, but he was able to make some progress over the weekend, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Banchero told reporters that he did some ball-handling and spot shooting at Saturday’s practice for the first time since the injury.

“I’m feeling good,” he said. “I finally got to do some court stuff on this trip at practice. It felt really good just to do that stuff again because I literally hadn’t done anything in a month, so it was my first time like really getting to dribble a ball, shoot a ball, so it felt really good doing that. Obviously, wasn’t any sprinting or cutting or anything, but hopefully in the next few weeks I can start getting into more of that and just work my way back into playing shape.”

The Magic have made the recovery process easier for Banchero by playing so well in his absence. Sunday’s win over Brooklyn was their sixth in a row, improving their record to 12-4 since the injury. Banchero has remained close to the team and is trying to learn as much as he can while he’s sidelined.

“Sitting on the bench you’ve got a lot different of a perspective than being on the court,” he said. “You see a lot more, you notice a lot more on both sides. It’s helped me just advance my knowledge. [I’ve] been watching more film, just trying to do what I can to be mentally sharp. Coaches tell you all the time it’s a lot different watching the game on the bench than it is when you’re in-and-out of the game, so I definitely understand what they mean now and it’s been fun just talking to them as well as the players, telling them what I see, how we can be better and what we’re doing well also.”

There’s more from Orlando:

  • Franz Wagner continued his remarkable play without Banchero on the court, Beede states in the same piece. He had a near triple-double Sunday night with 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists and is averaging 25.1 points, 6.6 assists and 6.1 rebounds over the last 17 games. “He’s just really stepped up to the plate and you can see him getting more and more comfortable,” Banchero said. “He really understood what had to be done with his role being increased. Every game he’s just being really consistent with his leadership, with his output of … the team knows what he’s going to do night in and night out, they know how he’s going to play, what shots he’s going to take, [and] they know he’s going to make the right play every time. So it’s been awesome to watch him and the rest of the team. We’re on a helluva run right now and it’s fun.”
  • The top spot in East Group A and a guaranteed berth in the knockout round will be on the line Tuesday when the Magic travel to New York, Beede adds. The NBA removed the game from its TNT schedule after Banchero’s injury and a slow start by both teams, but eventually reversed that decision. “I don’t know why they took it off [TNT],” Jalen Suggs said. “I don’t know who didn’t want to watch us play, but just to have it on [national] TV again, being in that environment, in MSG is … Those are things that I think we’ve all grown up watching prime-time games in MSG. We know the stakes that are on the game, outside of all that, but to put it on [national] TV definitely adds a bit of joy to it.”
  • Since Wendell Carter Jr. returned after missing 12 games with plantar fasciitis, coach Jamahl Mosley has been using him alongside Goga Bitadze in a big starting lineup, Beede observes in a separate story. The combination has been successful, especially on defense as the Magic have two rim protectors on the court together.
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