Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs
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After playing nearly a month without Jalen Suggs, the Orlando Magic finally get some positive news indicating that he will be back on the court soon.
It looks like Jalen Suggs is getting closer to making his long awaited return to the floor. The Orlando Magic received a cautiously optimistic injury update Thursday as Suggs (right knee MCL contusion) was upgraded to questionable before ultimately being ruled out against the Charlotte Hornets. While he will miss his eighth straight game, the progression signals that a return is no longer far off.
Head coach Jamahl Mosley confirmed that Suggs responded well to increased on-court work, including light contact during Wednesday’s practice.
“Jalen came up OK after yesterday’s work,” Mosley said, via Orlando Sentinel reporter Jason Beede. “We’ll continue to see how he goes from there.”
Suggs has not played since Jan. 2, when he exited early in Orlando’s 121-114 loss to the Chicago Bulls after suffering the knee injury. Before leaving midway through the third quarter, he totaled 11 points, four assists, three rebounds and a steal in just 20 minutes.
Suggs Feeling Better, Growing Anxious to Return
The 24-year-old guard made it clear that the physical progress is matching his mindset. Speaking at shootaround ahead of Thursday’s game, Suggs expressed confidence in how his knee has responded.
“I feel good,” Suggs said. “Especially hooping today—it felt really good. Just building back my confidence. I’m eager to get playing. I’m not going to lie, I’m antsy. I don’t like sitting out. I feel good, though. I’m ready to hoop.”
That eagerness has been apparent throughout his rehab. While Orlando has resisted rushing him back, the upgrade from out to questionable marks the most tangible step forward since the injury occurred earlier this month.
Suggs’ next opportunity to return will come Saturday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Orlando’s On-Court Impact Without Suggs
Suggs’ absence has forced the Magic to reshuffle their backcourt, opening the door for Anthony Black to step into a larger role. Black responded with his most productive stretch of the season, averaging 17.9 points, 6.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds over the past seven games while starting at point guard.
That production will likely taper once Suggs returns, but the stretch provided valuable development time for a young rotation piece. Still, Orlando has been noticeably different without its defensive tone-setter.
Through 23 appearances this season, Suggs is averaging 15.0 points, 4.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds and a career-high 1.9 steals per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field. His two-way impact shows up clearly in the numbers. The Magic are 14-9 when he plays and just 9-10 without him.
Orlando’s net rating with Suggs on the floor sits at +10.1, including a 116.1 offensive rating and a 106.1 defensive rating, among the team’s best marks.
Why Suggs’ Return Matters Now
Despite an uneven month, Orlando remains firmly in the Eastern Conference race. The Magic sit at 23-19, just 1.5 games behind the New York Knicks for third place.
The bigger issue has been continuity. Orlando has rarely had its core pieces healthy at the same time, making it difficult to evaluate the roster’s true ceiling. Suggs’ return won’t solve everything, but it stabilizes both ends of the floor.
The Magic have treaded water during a challenging stretch. Getting Suggs back could be the inflection point that turns survival into momentum.