The Magic will have to wait at least one more game for the return of Jalen Suggs.
The All-Defensive guard was ruled out of his eighth consecutive contest because of a right knee MCL bruise before Orlando hosted the Hornets on Thursday night at Kia Center.
“Jalen’s doing well,” coach Jamahl Mosley said after shootaround Thursday morning. “(He) came up OK after (Wednesday’s) work. He’s going to get some more work in (Thursday). We’ll see how he goes from there. Won’t be ready to go (Thursday) but try looking forward to the next couple games, maybe.”
Not long after it was determined that Suggs would remain out, the Magic also ruled out Franz Wagner due to left ankle soreness, the Sentinel learned Thursday afternoon.
The team is going to monitor how Wagner responds to treatment moving forward, the Sentinel learned, after he played two games against Memphis in Europe following a 16-game absence due to a left high ankle sprain suffered Dec. 7 at New York.
Suggs was seen going through various on-court drills following shootaround at the AdventHealth Training Center and his work included playing three-on-three with two-way teammates Jamal Cain and Orlando Robinson and other members of the Magic coaching staff.
He had done “a little bit of light contact” during Wednesday’s practice as well. Typically, full contact is the precursor to an injured player’s return to game action.
“I feel good,” Suggs said after shootaround. “Just building back my confidence. Just eager to get playing. I’m not going to lie, I’m antsy. I don’t like sitting out. I’ve said that a million times so I ain’t going to beat a broken drum, but I feel good.
“It’s been nice to gain my perspective, but I’m ready to hoop, I ain’t going to lie,” he added.
Suggs last played Jan. 2 at Chicago before Bulls forward Jalen Smith landed on his leg late in the third quarter of a game Orlando lost by seven points. Prior to that contest, Suggs had only played in one game after he missed seven due to left hip bruise.
He only played in 35 games last season due to various injuries and underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove a cartilage fragment in his left knee. Out of the 125 regular season contests, including Thursday, that Orlando played this season and last, Suggs was only available for 46.4% (or 58) of the possible games.
He said patience has been the toughest part about rehabbing his latest injury.
“Very trying on the patience part, trying not to be too hasty in decision-making, which I think is growth,” Suggs said. “It’s the last place I want to be, it’s the last thing I want to do, it’s the last thing I was going for while I was playing. Sometimes things happen that you literally can’t control. So, for me, it was the patience piece both in knowing that I’m feeling better and feeling good (but) still listening to the people around me, listening to the minds that are helping take care of me, trusting that in due time I’ll be able to get back out there and play.
“It’s not gone, it’s just delayed,” he added.
The Magic, who host the Cavaliers on Saturday, were 9-10 without Suggs on the floor prior to Thursday’s game against Charlotte. In 23 games, he’s averaged 15 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.9 steals and half-a-block during 25.4 minutes per night.
“He brings so much joy to this group,” Mosley said about the Magic guard. “His focus, his intensity, his energy, it’s (all) just contagious. And I think that’s what we’re going to continue to need from him.
“Whether he’s just working out or we’re just going through walk-through, the energy that he brings is just contagious for this group.”
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com
Up next …
Magic vs. Cavaliers
When: 7 p.m., Saturday, Kia Center
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Florida
