Moritz Wagner’s run in Orlando is over.
The free agent center has agreed to a two-year, $19 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania. The contract includes a mutual option for the 2027-28 season, giving either side the chance to opt in and keeping the possibility of a new deal on the table next summer.
Wagner leaves the Magic after six seasons in Orlando, five of them spent alongside his brother, Franz Wagner. The 29-year-old eight-year veteran had an uneven year overall, finishing with 6.9 points on 42.6 percent shooting and 3.2 rebounds in 36 games. He also missed the start of the season while working back from a torn ACL.
By the time Wagner returned, Orlando’s center rotation was already crowded. Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze were ahead of him on the depth chart, and even with chances to work his way back into a bigger role, he never quite looked fully like himself.
That was a tough contrast to what Wagner had been building in 2024-25 before the late-December injury hit. He was tracking as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, putting up a career-best 12.9 points on 56.2 percent shooting to go with 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists.
Brooklyn is getting a veteran big man who fits what the Nets have been collecting early in the offseason: proven pieces with a little edge. Sean Marks and the front office already added All-Star forward Julius Randle in a three-team trade, re-signed Day’Ron Sharpe and Josh Minott, and brought in Keon Ellis on a two-year, $18 million deal. The Nets also had the flexibility to keep making moves without worrying about crossing the first-apron threshold.
For Brooklyn, Wagner brings intensity, physicality and floor spacing. He shot 36 percent from three before the ACL injury in the 2024-25 season, and he should slot in as a dependable backup behind Nic Claxton. He also adds playoff experience to a roster trying to climb back toward Eastern Conference relevance.
Wagner isn’t the kind of center who lives on the ball, but he has a knack for making an impact even without many touches. For Orlando, his exit leaves a hole in the frontcourt. For Brooklyn, it’s a useful pickup for a team still trying to build something bigger.
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