Orlando’s Franz Wagner suffers alarming knee injury in sudden fall—what this means for his future remains unclear

Just when the Orlando Magic thought they could catch a break with Paolo Banchero back in the lineup, bam! Trouble shows up in the form of Franz Wagner limping off the court at Madison Square Garden. Picture this: early in the game, a quick transition play, and Mitchell Robinson crashes the party, attempting to block a pass to Wagner. The German forward hits the floor hard, clutching his left knee like it’s gone on strike. For several tense moments, fans held their breath as Mo Wagner, his brother, helped him hobble off the hardwood. The team’s statement? Vague, at best — just “lower left leg injury,” with a plan to reevaluate once they touch down in Orlando. It’s a real gut punch, especially with Wagner putting up All-Star-caliber numbers — 23.4 points, 6.2 boards a night, and knocking down threes at a solid clip. He’s been the Magic’s shining star during this recent surge, so this hiccup throws a wrench in the works for their momentum. You can feel the tension already building around this story — nobody wants to imagine how things might unfold if their top dog’s sidelined. LEARN MORE

Just as the Magic get Paolo Banchero back comes this potentially troubling news.

Orlando forward Franz Wagner left Sunday’s game against the Knicks in Madison Square Garden after going to the ground when, on a first quarter transition opportunity, New York’s Mitchell Robinson came in to block a pass to Wagner, and the German went to the ground and instantly grabbed his left knee. He stayed on the ground for a while before being helped back to the locker room by his brother, Mo Wagner.

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner landed awkwardly and held his left knee in pain for a while. Wagner was helped to the locker room by his brother, Moe Wagner, and another Magic player. pic.twitter.com/x66iqwcPOU

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) December 7, 2025

The Magic only said that Wagner would not return to the game due to a “lower left leg injury” and “will be re-evaluated upon the team’s return to Orlando.”

Wagner had been playing at an All-Star level for the Magic, averaging 23.4 points and 6.2 rebounds a game, shooting 35.4% from 3-point range. He had been the best player on the team through the Magic’s run of elite play in recent weeks.