Jonathan Isaac’s time with the Orlando Magic could be over soon, as the organization might move on from the lanky forward.
“The Magic may move on from Jonathan Isaac, whose contract lost most of its guarantee protections with his multiple injuries,” wrote Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.
If that happens, Isaac would see his Magic tenure end six years after the team acquired him with sixth overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft. Orlando was quite high on him then, as he had potential to be a game changer on the defensive end of the court thanks to his length and athleticism.
The Florida State University product showed his immense upside during his rookie season, averaging 2.2 steals and 2.0 blocks per 36 minutes. However, his health issues also became apparent then. He played in just 27 games in the 2017-18 campaign.
The following season saw Isaac suit up for 75 contests, which gave Orlando hope that he could become one of the team’s cornerstones in the years to come.
Unfortunately, that’s turned out to be the only campaign where he’s had a clean bill of health. The 6-foot-10 forward found himself on the sidelines for much of the 2019-20 season, eventually sustaining a season-ending torn left ACL in the 2020 NBA bubble.
Plenty of injury setbacks caused him to miss the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns, and many in the NBA world have largely forgotten about him. His tickets to fame in recent years were his stances against kneeling for the national anthem while many of his teammates did so and the COVID-19 vaccine.
It’s unclear what the future holds for the once-promising prospect. The 2022-23 season was supposed to be his comeback bid. But sadly, he couldn’t remain healthy and appeared in just 11 matches before undergoing another surgery to address a torn left adductor muscle.
The Magic could still look to bring him back on a cheap deal. However, the roster already features several players (Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Bol Bol) who play the same position as Isaac. That could mean that the 25-year-old ends up as the odd man out.
His defensive prowess could prove useful for a squad. But his inability to stay on the court overshadows his potential.
