Franz Wagner Back for the Magic After Missing 22 Games

Franz Wagner is finally back on the floor — and the Magic need every minute they can get from him.

Wagner returned on April 1st against the Hawks after missing 22 consecutive games with a high left ankle sprain that had sidelined him since February 11. He's on a minutes restriction and the Magic are sitting him on back-to-backs, but the fact that he's playing at all heading into the postseason is a massive boost for Orlando.

The Magic have held down a playoff spot without him, but their offense has been painfully one-dimensional. Wagner averaged 25.4 points before going down and his playmaking opens up everything for Paolo Banchero and the rest of the roster.

The question now is whether Wagner can ramp up to full capacity by April 18 when the playoffs start. Orlando drew the Pistons' attention as a potential first-round matchup — and with Wagner healthy, that's a much scarier proposition for Detroit.