25-under-25: Franz Wagner got his bag, now it's time to win big

Franz Wagner feels destined to be one of the most underrated NBA players for the duration of his career. The Orlando Magic swingman inked a rookie-scale max extension this summer worth $224.2 million over five seasons, and there were folks questioning whether or not the Magic overpaid.

Like, what?

We live in a world of rising cap space. The NBA just signed a TV rights deal worth billions of dollars, so teams will continue to gain more and more spending power in the years to come. So, not only will Wagner's contract depreciate relative to the NBA's cap ceiling, but he is 23 years old. That means he will only get better in the months and years to come.

Wagner was straight-up the Magic's best player last season. Paolo Banchero dominates the headlines, and justifiably so, but the relative lack of hype around Wagner's campaign was puzzling. He should've been in the All-Star mix. He should've been on All-Defense radars. But, instead, Wagner remained the NBA's best-kept secret — a burgeoning star few appear to notice, and even fewer are ready to recognize outright.

Is he perfect? Of course not, no player is. But Wagner's archetype is incredibly valuable in today's NBA and Orlando has made strides toward putting a better roster around him, adding high-volume shooters like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and first-round pick Tristan da Silva.

As Orlando progresses, so should Wagner, whose rookie-scale max contract will age as gracefully as any deal in the NBA. It's time to starting paying real attention to the Magic, and it's time to start giving Franz Wagner his due credit.

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Franz Wagner is ready to help Orlando take the leap

The postseason picture is somewhat crowded in the East this season. We generally know the top dogs — Boston, several gaps, New York and Philadelphia — but Orlando ought to be considered part of that middle tier. The Bucks, for example, have all the star-power necessary to win at the highest level, but lack the youth and durability. The Pacers can't defend. The Cavs can't space. All those mid-tier teams have one or two critical, potentially back-breaking flaws.

For all their added shooting, the Magic's spacing will remain a concern in 2024-25. That partially falls on Wagner, whose 28.1 percent 3-point rate was a rare blemish on an otherwise impressive third season. He struggled from deep in the playoffs, too, which contributed to Orlando inevitably falling short in their seven-game series against the Cavs.

Cleveland, for all its warts, has two high-leverage perimeter engines in Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. Orlando does not have that level of guard play. Instead, a lot of the responsibility falls to Wagner and Banchero as jumbo creators on the wing. That has been a learning process full of bumps and setbacks, but the Magic's star duo will be all the better for it.

Wagner upped his assists (3.7) and cut back on turnovers (1.9) last season, coming into his own as a prolific 6-foot-10 slasher despite his frigid 3-point shot. He needs to iron out the jumper and keep sharpening his decision-making chops, but Wagner very much embodies what NBA teams want from their wings nowadays. Size, versatility, IQ, competitiveness. It's all there. As Wagner's game adds polish, it will become much easier for fans to view his $224 million paycheck in a positive light.

Among players 6-foot-10 or taller in the NBA last season, Wagner ranked second to only Giannis Antetokounmpo in efficiency on drives (h/t Ben Pfeifer, Sportskeeda). That was with defenses playing him loose due to his frigid perimeter shooting. Wagner is strong and determined, unafraid of bludgeoning his way to points at the rim. A lot of young players struggle with NBA physicality; Wagner embraces it. He puts his shoulder down, battles through contact, and looks to leave his imprint on the game — literally and figuratively.

Let's assume for a moment that Wagner's 3-point percent ticks back up to league average, where it was in his first two NBA seasons. That just forces defenders to play him tighter on the perimeter, opening up driving lanes and improving Orlando's spacing all around. Wagner's role needs to remain adaptable as Banchero takes on more and more responsibility, but Wagner's relentless attacking mentality and efficient drives are what you want from a No. 2 on offense. When the ball swings around to Wagner on the wing, he's always ready to attack seams in the defense and force a collapse. As the passing improves and Wagner slows the game down mentally, we could see the formation of a bonafide All-Star hub on the wing.

Lest we forget, Wagner is also a special defender. This Orlando team ranked near the top of the NBA last season is most defensive categories, largely on the strength of the collective. Wagner competes exceedingly hard, gliding seamlessly between various positions on the perimeter, muscling his way to stops at the point of attack, and providing a genuinely disruptive force in passing lanes (1.1 steals). He is Orlando's best perimeter defender next to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jalen Suggs, and he's a burgeoning offensive star. Give the man his respect.

We should proceed patiently with the Magic, who remain one of the youngest "contenders" in the league. But, now that Wagner has received his max contract, the clock starts to tick. This roster won't get cheaper and the expectations are officially high. The Magic were a fun surprise in the 2024 playoffs. Now, anything short of postseason success qualifies as a disappointment.

There is a lot of pressure on Wagner to up his game to the next level. He's more than capable of accomplishing just that.

Franz Wagner ranked No. 13 on FanSided's 2024-25 25-under-25, ranking the best young players in the NBA. Check out the rest of the list here.