Orlando Magic’s Jalen Suggs Recovers from Pre-season Injury

Orlando Magic sophomore guard Jalen Suggs will play in the team’s 2022-23 season opener.

After missing a couple of preseason games due to a knee injury, Jalen Suggs is now fully healthy and available when the Orlando Magic opens their season against the Detroit Pistons on October 20. According to the NBA.com News Services, Suggs has now recovered from the sprain and bone bruise that he sustained on his left knee. This is indeed a sigh of relief for Suggs and the Magic, especially with the second-year guard just coming off surgery on his right ankle last May.

Suggs, the 5th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, had a productive rookie year for the Magic. He was pegged as an all-around guard prior to being drafted, and that do-it-all repertoire showed in his averages of 11.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. However, Suggs still has a lot of things to improve on, particularly his shooting percentages. He shot a measly 36.1% overall clip from the field, including an abysmal 21.4% from the three-point line. Despite the shooting struggles, Suggs has a workable shooting form and his 6-foot-4 frame can absorb contacts when he drives down the lane.

At 21 years of age, Jalen Suggs is an integral part of the Magic’s pool of young and talented players. They just selected Paolo Banchero in this year’s draft, slotting him alongside Suggs, Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz, Franz Wagner, Jonathan Isaac, Mo Bamba, and Wendell Carter Jr. The Magic only compiled a total of 43 wins in the past couple of seasons, and it’s expected that they will again struggle to rack up the wins this year. The priority in the Magic camp right now is to develop their young guys and help them build winning habits.