The Brooklyn Nets have added frontcourt depth in free agency, agreeing to a two-year, $19 million contract with veteran center Moritz “Moe” Wagner, according to NBA insider Michael Scotto. The fully guaranteed deal includes a mutual option for the second season and nearly doubles Wagner’s salary from the previous year after he spent the past six seasons with the Orlando Magic.
Wagner, 29, arrives in Brooklyn after appearing in 36 games for Orlando during the 2025-26 campaign. He averaged 6.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists in just 11.9 minutes per game while shooting 42.6% from the field and 31.4% from three-point range. Although his production dipped from previous seasons, his per-minute scoring and ability to stretch the floor remain attractive traits for a second-unit center.
The German big man established himself as one of the NBA’s more productive reserve centers during his tenure in Orlando. Between 2022-23 and 2024-25, Wagner averaged 11.4 points and 4.6 rebounds across 167 games while shooting 55.9% from the field. His best season came in 2024-25, when he posted career highs of 12.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in 18.8 minutes per game while converting 56.2% of his field-goal attempts and 36.0% from beyond the arc.
Over eight NBA seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, Boston Celtics and Magic, Wagner has averaged 9.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 399 career games. He owns an efficient career 51.8% shooting percentage from the field and has consistently provided offensive value as an energetic reserve capable of scoring inside and spacing the floor.
The signing gives Brooklyn another experienced frontcourt option after an eventful offseason. The Nets recently acquired three-time All-Star Julius Randle in a three-team trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls, making him the focal point of the offense after he averaged 21.1 points per game in 2025-26. Brooklyn also selected point guard Mikel Brown Jr. with the sixth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft as part of its youth movement.
Wagner’s arrival also helps address a change in Brooklyn’s center rotation following the trade that sent Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls. Day’Ron Sharpe averaged 8.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in 18.7 minutes last season, but Wagner brings a different skill set with his ability to operate as a pick-and-pop big and provide offensive spacing.
The Nets finished 20-62 last season, the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference, but their offseason has signaled a shift toward becoming more competitive. Adding Randle, drafting Brown and signing Wagner gives Brooklyn a blend of veteran experience and young talent as the franchise attempts to move forward after missing the playoffs.
