Magic set to get back Wendell Carter against Miami Heat

It’s been almost 50 days since Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. last took the court for Orlando but that could be changing soon.

The 6-10 center, who’s only played in five games after fracturing the third metacarpal in his left non-shooting hand at Utah on Nov. 2, was not listed on the Magic’s initial injury report for Wednesday’s home game against the Heat (Bally Sports Florida, 7) .

Coach Jamahl Mosley said after practice Tuesday that Carter was able to go through “a little bit more of practice” than last week and the work included “a little bit of contact.”

Typically full contact is the precursor to an injured player’s return to game action. Mosley added that Carter went through offensive and defensive drills to see how he felt afterwards.

“We’re going to just see how he pulls up and feels [Wednesday,]” the Magic coach said at AdventHealth Training Center.

Carter has missed 20 games in a row while Goga Bitadze has started in his place. The Magic (16-9) have gone 13-7 without Carter.

Although Bitadze has proved to be reliable near the basket on both ends — almost 80% of his points come in the paint while he ranks 13th in the NBA in blocked shots (1.7) — Carter’s absence has been noticeable at times.

Carter is not only the team’s frontline defensive anchor but he helps the space floor on offense as a 32% career 3-point shooter who appears to be improving, especially from the corners. Bitadze attempts fewer 3s, shoots at a lower percentage (25%) and is not a threat offensively outside of the paint.

“I know what kind of player I am and what I can bring to a team,” Carter said last week. “Looking from the sideline, knowing where I can implement myself, it’s going to be really special, especially when me and Markelle [Fultz] get back.”

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Fultz (left knee tendinitis), however, remains out.

Mosley said Carter is “potentially closer” to returning to the court than the team’s point guard.

“He went through some things but he’s going to be probably a little bit longer,” Mosley said about Fultz, who’s set to miss his 18th game in a row. “We won’t put a timetable on it but we’re going to continue to evaluate him as he goes through a couple more practices and see how he feels.”

Mosley also provided an update on veteran Joe Ingles, who did not practice Tuesday after he missed Sunday’s game in Boston with a sprained left ankle from last week.

“He’s just continuing to clean some things up and make sure he’s 100% the next time he touches the floor,” Mosley said about Ingles, who’s listed as questionable.

As for Miami (15-12), it’ll be without star Jimmy Butler because of a left calf strain in Monday’s home loss vs. Minnesota. Starting forward Kevin Love (stomach illness) is questionable.

Former Magic guard RJ Hampton, who’s now with Miami on a two-way contract, also is questionable while second-year forward Nikola Jovic is probable to play after being on assignment in the G League.

Mosley described Wednesday’s meeting with the Heat, who lost to the Nuggets in the Finals last season, as a great opportunity to get back in the win column after losing consecutive games in Boston this past weekend.

The Heat come to Orlando with two others who average 20-plus points in sharpshooter Tyler Herro (23.1) and big man Bam Adebayo (22.2).

Herro had missed 18 games with a sprained right ankle while Adebayo sat out seven straight with a left hip contusion before the duo returned to Miami on Monday.

“They do a great job of flying around,” Mosley said about the Heat. “That same level of physicality we saw in Boston and Cleveland, we’re going to see a lot of that from them.”

If Carter returns, it couldn’t come at a better time for the Magic.

Email Jason Beede at [email protected] or follow him on X, also known as Twitter, at @therealBeede.