Jalen Suggs suffers fractured thumb, has no timetable for return

Orlando Magic rookie G Jalen Suggs is out indefinitely after suffering a fractured thumb last week. Suggs sustained the injury in Monday night’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. He played 29 minutes, scoring 17 points with 5 assists. Things can’t really get much worse for the Magic at 4-18 this season. Orlando has dropped seven in a row and 10 of the past 11 games.

Suggs is on his way back to Orlando and will be re-evaluated, but ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is already speculating Suggs will miss several weeks with the injury. That’s bad news for the rookie, who has struggled early in his rookie season. Suggs is averaging just 12.1 points in 20 starts this year.

The Magic are also without Cole Anthony, who was ruled out for Monday with an ankle injury. With both guards on the mend, the Magic are lacking depth in the backcourt big time. It seems it could be R.J. Hampton time. The former Nuggets draft picks was acquired in the Aaron Gordon trade. We also should see more playing time go to veteran Terrence Ross.

Suggs was 50/1 to win Rookie of the Year, so his injury doesn’t really hurt his chances that much. Fellow rookie Franz Wagner has a chance to step up with Suggs sidelined. Wagner is 28/1 to win ROTY and has better odds, but not a realistic shot. Orlando isn’t getting any better and Wagner isn’t going to have the stats to win the award anyway.