Orlando Magic president Jeff Weltman has provided an unfortunate update on the status of 22-year-old forward Jonathan Isaac, who is currently dealing with a knee injury.
Weltman recently made an appearance on ESPN's Afternoons with Scott Anez podcast and revealed Isaac isn't expected back this season:
“Yeah, I never want to say a thousand percent, but I think we're not expecting him back, put it that way,” Weltman responded when asked if he could confirm if Isaac is expected to sit out the remainder of the season. “And if we're pleasantly surprised then so be it, but the fact of the matter is the longer you're out you're gonna get de-conditioned and we don't ever wanna rush our guys back or put them in a position to get re-injured, god forbid. We're taking a very cautious approach as we always do.”
There you have it. This comes straight from the man at the top, and as Weltman explained, barring any miracles, we should not expect Isaac to take the floor this season.
This does not come as a surprise considering the nature of Isaac's injury. The youngster suffered a posterior lateral corner injury and a knee contusion at the beginning of January. While surgery wasn't necessary, he was still ruled out multiple months. Knee problems are obviously tricky, especially for a 6-foot-11 big man like Isaac.
The good news for both the Magic and Jonathan Isaac himself, though, is that he is just 22. His body should be able to recover much quicker than it would have five or so years down the road. At this point, the most prudent decision would be to give the promising youngster ample time to recover in preparation for what will hopefully be a breakout campaign next term.
As for this season, the Magic are struggling at 22-31, but they still hold a three-game lead over the Washington Wizards for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Follow Us
Subscribe