Eh, he’s young and he is also someone that took a bit of time to find his role and rhythm at Michigan. I certainly wouldn’t be jumping to conclusions after a small handful of games.
Here are some thoughts from the Magic beat:
Wagner is a smart player, just like Suggs. Where Wagner’s savvy manifests most on offense is through his cutting game. That’s something he does naturally, and I expect he’ll generate a larger proportion of baskets early in his career through cuts, before he develops more fully on the offensive end.
“We talk about guys with high basketball IQs,” Mosley told me. “We talk about guys that want to play the right way, and he plays the right way. He tries to find the right reads. He tries to make the right pass. I think those are such important things, and that’s what he does. He makes the right cut at the right time. He just knows how to play.”
Where Wagner shines most right now is on defense. He’s an alert, talkative team defender who understands rotations and has an innate feel for what opponents are doing. His height and length should make him an asset on that end of the floor.
He also runs the floor exceedingly well for someone his height.
Garza just got a two-way from the Pistons. He shot really well from three and made some great passes from the top of the key. Wasn’t awful on defense (had 5 blocks in one game.) Summer League caveats apply.
I read something about him that discussed how he could potentially take Okafor’s spot and bring some upside on offense without much drop off in defense.
The things that Franz is good at aren’t necessarily going to jump off the TV screen like some other guys. You draft Franz for his defense, size and basketball IQ. You don’t draft him thinking you’re getting a 20 ppg scorer so if you’re disappointed that he hasn’t been scoring like some other top 10 guys, you were mistaken about his game
The Pistons have more guaranteed contracts than roster spots bow - Okafor seems like the obvious cut.
I agree with everything said about Franz regarding summer league being a fit, being a “smart” player in a pickup environment where 80% of the guys are auditioning for their career being tough for him etc.
The lasting concern, because we saw it go up and down at Michigan, is his jumper, I think. He’ll defend well, I’m confident he’ll “find” points by doing the right thing, etc.
If there’s a discussion about him having to compete for PT against Isaac and Okeke. Okeke was a 2019 1st round pick, didn’t play his first year, had a decent rookie year. Orlando didn’t feel the need for him to play in summer league. I think that speaks to how much they value him. Guys like Okeke and Isaac are terrific athletes themselves. I guess I am little surprised without Suggs playing Franz wouldn’t take on a larger role.
I’m really not sure why Ignas took the 2-way from the Magic. He probably had the best summer league of any of the Michigan guys, and I’m not sure what a third season of spit-roasting the G League is going to prove to a GM what it already hasn’t (he even did pretty well for the Magic themselves at the end of last year) If I were him, I’d seriously go see what a Spanish team or one of the Euro powers had to offer - if he can score 24 a game in the G league, I bet he can get buckets there.
Well if you’re a fringe guy who values playing in the NBA the most, your best bet is the G League. NBA teams probably aren’t gonna bother to pull guys from Europe to fill a roster spot for ten days.
