Paolo Banchero, Jamahl Mosley Defend Franz Wagner After Magic's Game 7 Loss vs. Cavs

Franz Wagner scored six points in the Orlando Magic's 106-94 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

May 5, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) defends Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22). / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

ORLANDO — For much of the season, including the first six games of the Orlando Magic's first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Franz Wagner had proven himself to be a more than viable No. 2 option with the potential to even be a No. 1 on some nights.

Unfortunately for Wagner and the Magic, he struggled mightily in Game 7 on Sunday, shooting 1 of 15 from the field and scoring just six points in their 106-94 loss to the Cavs on Sunday at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The third-year forward found other ways to contribute with six rebounds and six assists, but his inability to score on a day when Paolo Banchero scored 38 points ultimately doomed an Orlando offense that struggled mightily away from home.

Wagner shooting 6.7 percent from the field was the worst in a Game 7 in NBA history according to StatMuse.

"I expect a lot more from myself," Wagner said. "It sucks to end the season like this. I feel like I let my team down a little bit.”

Wagner was solid in his first postseason appearance, averaging 18.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists across seven games. Those numbers were in line with how he performed in the regular season, as he averaged career highs with 19.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists across 72 games.

Of Wagner's playoff performances, his performance in Game 4 when he with 34 points and 13 rebounds in Orlando's series-tying 112-89 win showed he's more than capable of carrying the Magic on a given night. He also had a stellar performance in Game 6 with 26 points, five rebounds and two assists in the Magic's 103-96 win on Friday to force a Game 7.

Banchero noted Wagner's importance to the team and sympathized with how he played in Game 7.

“We’re not here without Franz," Banchero said. "I’ve been in that position as well where you feel like you could have done a lot more in a losing effort, but this doesn’t define him. It doesn’t define us.”

Magic coach Jamahl Mosley also came to Wagner's defense, noting his importance to the team and his competitiveness.

"This man battled," Mosley said of Wagner. "Franz Wagner was doing everything possible to get what he needed...This young man is as competitive as anyone I've been around. He wants it more and he's a tough kid and he's going to bounce back and there's a reason he will be an All-Star coming up too."

While the timing of Wagner's struggles couldn't have been worse, it shouldn't take away from how he played in his third season as a pro. Orlando doesn't improve by 13 wins or make the Eastern Conference Playoffs as the No. 5 seed without him, and that should outweigh any potential concerns with giving him a rookie-scale contract extension this offseason.

If Orlando is going to improve next season, Wagner will be at the heart of it, and one bad performance shouldn't deter anyone from believing he should be a vital part of the Magic's success for years to come.

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