In one of the opening sequences of The Wagner Brothers documentary, Moe Wagner is clearly stressed. It is the beginning of free agency in 2023 and Wagner is unsure of where his future is.
To the outside, it may have seemed like a sure thing the Orlando Magic would bring back their backup big man. But Wagner has been on the edge of the NBA before. He is worried about finding a long-term home and he is worried about finding someplace where he can feel wanted and appreciated.
In a rare behind-the-scenes look at the stresses of free agency, Wagner is upset at the Magic’s first offer. Even with his brother sitting next to him, he says he does not want to be known as a babysitter for his budding star of a younger brother. He wants people to know him for his game.
Wagner eventually signed a three-year, $30 million deal. All was well. He got the long-term security he wanted and the money he wanted too. He also got something else important: A place where he belonged.
Wagner’s story is one of the great success stories of the Magic. And few players can capture what it has meant to rise with this team than Wagner. It is one of the reasons he injury is so devastating. He found his place in the league and the Magic were a vehicle to not only save his career but cultivate him as one of the best reserve players in the league.
Wagner tore his left ACL in the first quarter of Saturday’s comeback win over the Miami Heat. He will miss the rest of the season and likely will be out to begin the 2026 season.
For a tight-knit Magic team, the concern over Wagner’s status put a pall over the entire postgame proceedings after erasing a 25-point deficit with the team’s top four scorers all out of the lineup (Jalen Suggs missed the game with a sprained ankle). Repeatedly players said they wanted to win for Wagner and the usually exuberant bunch was much more muted after such a massive win.
The Magic will lose a lot in Wagner – not only his production on the court as he was averaging a career-best 12.9 points per game, but the edge and attitude he brought off of it. Wagner was something of an irritant, even if he claims he is not trying to be, and he is one of the most outwardly emotional players on the team.
It is a lot to replace.
That there is a massive hole now for the Magic to replace Wagner speaks to how he found his home in Orlando. He found a place where he belongs and (hopefully) he is appreciated. His teammates certainly appreciate his work and his energy.
Wagner will always have a home in Orlando. After five years of proving and re-proving himself, he should be considered a Magic lifer. He defined a role for himself that went beyond being the big brother to the budding star.
All those concerns and frustrations he had last summer have been pushed away. Wagner has found a place for himself.
There is a long road back from a torn ACL. It is not the injury it used to be, and Wagner should be able to return.
More importantly for him, he seems to have found a place that is a family to him. A place that appreciates and supports him. He found his place in the league to bounce back from.
