The Orlando Magic have locked up one of their young core players for the foreseeable future by reportedly agreeing to a five-year, $224 million extension with forward Franz Wagner. (More Sports News)
ESPN reports Wagner's new deal, which will begin during the 2025-26 season and ru🍰ns through 2029-30, could be worth up to $269 million should he make an All-NBA team.
Wagner, the eighth overall pick of the 2021 draft, has been a mainstay in the Magic's starting lin☂eup since his rookie season while quickly developing inꦐto a cornerstone two-way player. The 22-year-old has averaged 17.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 0.96 steals while starting all 231 of his career games.
The native German set career highs in points (19.7), r☂ebounds (5.3) and assists (3.7🎐) per game this past season.
Wagner's emergence and the play of 2022 No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero were major factors towards the Magic winning 47 games in 2023-24, the franchise's highest win total in a season since 2010-11, and returning to the play-offs following a three-year abse🦹nce.
The former University of Michigan star's new max contract comes ju🍎st days after the Magic re-signed his older brother, Moritz, to a reported two-year, $22 ൲million deal.
He's also the first Magic player⛦ to receive a maximum extension on his rookie contract since Dwight Howard in 2007, though Banc🤪hero is expected to join that group when he becomes eligible next summer.
W🎃agner's extension continues what has been a busy free agent period for Orlando. The Magic previously pried coveted veteran guard Kentaviou💧s Caldwell-Pope from the Denver Nuggets on a three-year, $66 million deal and gave forward Jonathan Isaac a five-year, $84 million extension.
