Why Jalen Suggs is not playing against the Bulls

The Orlando Magic (1-1) will be without a guard Jalen Suggs on Saturday night as they host the Chicago Bulls (1-0) to close out their three-game homestand. The team announced Saturday afternoon that Suggs was ruled out due to treatment of left knee injury.

Suggs’ absence comes after back-to-back strong performances to open the 2025-26 season. The decision to rest him is precautionary as the Magic continue to manage his workload following surgery to address a cartilage injury in his left knee.

The 24-year-old guard suffered an injury in January 2025 required arthroscopic surgery and dropped him until the end of the 2024-25 campaign. Suggs returned to action in Tuesday’s opener against the Miami Heatmarking his first game since January 25th. He made an immediate impact, contributing 14 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals while shooting 6-for-7 from the field and 2-for-3 from beyond the arc in a 125-121 victory.

According to the injury report, Jalen Suggs is out of the Magic’s lineup for treatment of a left knee injury. The Magic are playing for the second night of back-to-back games.

— KC Johnson (@KCJHoop) October 25, 2025

Jalen Suggs sat out against the Bulls as the Magic managed to injure the guard’s knee

He followed that performance with another effective outing on Friday against the Atlanta Hawks. In the 111-107 loss, Suggs had 11 points, four assists and three rebounds, shooting 4-for-5 from the field and 3-for-4 from three-point range in 19 minutes. His energy and defensive intensity were key in both games, cementing his role as one of Orlando’s emotional leaders.

However, with the team playing on the second night of back-to-back games, the Magic decided to sit Suggs to prioritize long-term health and recovery. Minute management early in the season has been a focus of Orlando’s medical and coaching staffs, especially after his extended rehab process last year.

The Magic are expected to rely on Desmond Bain, Tyus Jones and third-year guard Anthony Black to fill the void in the backcourt against Chicago. Suggs’ absence could also lead to an expanded role for second-year forward Tristan da Silva, who has impressed early in the season, while rookie guard Jace Richardson remains an option if the team tries to adjust its rotation depth.

Orlando will look to close out their match with a win before embarking on a five-game road trip next week. The team is expected to re-evaluate Suggs ahead of the next game, although his absence is not believed to be serious.