Magic’s Franz Wagner Sidelined 2–4 Weeks With High Ankle Sprain
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ORLANDO — An MRI on Monday confirmed that Magic forward Franz Wagner sustained a high sprain to his left ankle and is expected to be out two to four weeks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The scan showed no structural damage.
The 22-year-old was injured early in Sunday’s matchup at Madison Square Garden when Knicks center Ariel Hukporti broke up an alley-oop pass and made contact at the rim. Wagner landed awkwardly, clutched his left leg and was helped to the locker room by his brother, Moritz, and rookie Noah Penda after being unable to bear weight.
The setback comes just as Orlando welcomed Paolo Banchero back from a groin strain. Before the injury, Wagner was delivering his best NBA campaign, averaging 23.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists while earning an Eastern Conference Player of the Month nomination.
Grizzlies
Memphis rookie wing Cedric Coward is already planning his offseason by seeking guidance from a two-time Finals MVP. Coward told WMC’s Matt Infield that he has attempted to contact Kawhi Leonard about training together this summer. “I asked him, like, in the summer, could we get some work in together?” Coward said. “He’s not on social media, so I gotta figure out a way to talk to him.”
Coward has been a rare bright spot in an otherwise difficult Grizzlies season and hopes to model his two-way game after Leonard’s.
Warriors
Golden State reshuffled its two-way contracts on Monday, signing 6-foot-9 forward Malevy Leons and waiving rookie Alex Toohey. Toohey will miss the entire season after a knee injury that requires surgery.
Leons joins the Warriors after averaging 14.8 points and 7.6 rebounds with the G League’s OKC Blue. The undrafted 2024 Bradley graduate appeared in six NBA games for Oklahoma City last season and has held both Exhibit 10 and standard contracts. Toohey, a second-round pick from Australia, signed his two-way deal in September but did not make an NBA appearance before the injury.
Source: Hoops Wire
