ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic are bringing back forward Moritz Wagner on a one-year deal, a person with knowledge of the move said Friday.
Wagner, the brother of Magic forward Franz Wagner, will sign a contract worth $5 million, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal likely will not be finalized until the league’s offseason moratorium on moves is lifted Sunday.
Free agency officially started Monday and most deals that have been agreed to since then — along with some trades from last month, including the one that will bring Kevin Durant to Houston from Phoenix — can begin getting final approval from the league at that time as well.
Moritz Wagner tore his ACL in a game in December and has hopes of being ready for the start of this coming season. The Magic earlier declined an option to bring him back on a deal that would have paid $11 million this year, and the backup center wound up taking less money to remain in Orlando — a team with serious hopes of contending in the Eastern Conference.
The Magic added Desmond Bane in a trade with Memphis last month, landed guard Tyus Jones earlier in free agency and are expected to give Paolo Banchero, the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft, an extension this summer — one that likely will be in the range of nearly $240 million for five years and would represent the biggest contract in franchise history.
Moritz Wagner was averaging a career-best 12.9 points through 30 games last season when he got hurt. He played for Germany’s team that won the 2023 Basketball World Cup and was with his national team again for the Paris Olympics in 2024.
He is entering his eighth NBA season and what will be his fifth full year with the Magic.