Magic’s Moritz Wagner suffers season-ending ACL injury, further depleting Orlando’s bench

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Moritz Wagner has been a key player off the bench for the Orlando Magic this season. (AP Photo/Alan Youngblood)

The Orlando Magic have suffered another major injury blow, with forward Moritz “Moe” Wagner suffering a season-ending ACL tear, the team announced Sunday. Wagner was diagnosed with the injury after an MRI on Sunday morning, and will undergo season-ending surgery.

Orlando is already without star players Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, who both suffered torn obliques this season. Banchero sustained the injury at the end of October, while Franz Wagner tore his oblique on Dec. 7, and is out indefinitely.

Moe Wagner sustained the injury during Saturday’s win over the Miami Heat, where the Magic overcame a 25-point deficit for the win. Wagner only played for a minute and a half in the matchup before exiting due to injury.

The 27-year-old forward has been key for Orlando off the bench, averaging 12.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 18:48 minutes per game. He has 372 total points this season, the second most in the league off the bench.

With both Wagner brothers and Banchero inactive, the Magic would normally turn to Jalen Suggs to be their star power. But that may be in jeopardy too, as Suggs missed Saturday’s game with an ankle sprain sustained last week.

Orlando is 18-12 this season, and sits fourth in the Easter Conference, giving the team some room to fall while it sorts out its injury issues. The Magic also advanced to the semifinals of the NBA Cup this month, but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks — the eventual tournament champions — while shorthanded.

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