Orlando Magic’s center Wendell Carter Jr. is now listed as day-to-day after spraining his left ankle in Monday’s tight 106-104 preseason loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel reported that Carter injured himself while challenging a jump shot from Pelicans center Daniel Theis. He landed awkwardly and twisted his ankle on Theis’ foot.
Carter immediately dropped to the floor, clearly in pain, and rolled over before teammates helped him up. Frustrated, he threw his headband as he was led off the court and down the tunnel to the locker room, angrily shouting an expletive.
This update follows the news that just a day earlier, Carter and the Magic finalized a three-year, $59 million contract extension, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
This new deal adds to the two years remaining on Carter’s current contract, which had him set to earn about $22.7 million through the 2025-26 season. With the extension, Carter’s total earnings now climb to $82 million over the next five years.
The 25-year-old’s extension represents the maximum allowable under the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, guaranteeing that the Magic retain their starting center through his age-29 season.
Despite being young, the big man has rarely managed to stay fully healthy.
In fact, Carter has only played over 60 games once, appearing in 62 games during the 2022 season. Last season, he managed just 55 games, the lowest total since joining the Magic.
The team almost expects him to miss around 15-20 games each season—a tough reality for such a crucial role. What’s more challenging is that the injuries vary; it’s always something different that sidelines him for extended periods.
Last year, it was a fractured bone in his left hand that became a season-long issue. He sustained the injury on October 31, in just the fourth game of the season, while leaping for a crucial rebound late in their win against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City.
Right after grabbing the board and getting fouled, he grabbed his hand and sprinted off the court.
After surgery on his left hand, Carter was out for 21 games, causing him to miss the team’s run in the In-Season Tournament, a nine-game win streak, and much more. He later admitted that he rushed his comeback, eager to support the team’s playoff push.
That early return may have led to a lackluster season, where Carter averaged just 11.0 points and 6.9 rebounds per game—his lowest stats since joining Orlando in 2021.
Following the season’s end and Game 7, Carter underwent another surgery. This set him back during the summer, giving him time to reflect and focus on improving both on and off the court.
This contract makes a lot of sense on paper. Carter is a rare type of center who can defend and shoot 3-pointers effectively. While he’s not elite in either area, his 3-point shooting percentage has hovered around the league average, with over three attempts per game while playing for Orlando.
Although he isn’t the best rim protector, he moves well on defense and was a key part of the league’s third-best defensive unit last season. Centers with these skills are hard to find, and they often attract significant trade interest. Securing a player like him for five years at a reasonable price, despite his injury concerns, is a smart move.
However, it’s worth noting that the Magic have re-signed four centers this offseason. They offered Goga Bitadze, who stepped up during Carter’s injury, a three-year contract worth $25 million in free agency. They also kept Mo Wagner with a two-year, $22 million deal.
Additionally, they renegotiated and extended the contract of their defensive standout, Jonathan Isaac, committing $84 million over five years. With Carter now set to make $82 million over the same period, the team has invested about $211 million in these three big men.
READ MORE: Why did Shams Charania leave The Athletic for ESPN?
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