Entering the season, a lot of expectations were already placed on the young shoulders of Jonathan Isaac to immediately make an impact for the Orlando Magic. Being selected sixth overall in last June’s draft, many thought of him as a game-changer for the team, but that has not been the case so far as he has been plagued by an injury in his first year in the league.

He is reportedly closing in on a return but will be assigned to the team’s G-League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic, and play a few matches for them first. This is to make sure he gets his timing back and shake off any rust he might have after sitting out a lot of games. Although it’s not final yet, head coach Frank Vogel said Isaac will most likely be headed there starting this coming weekend, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.

Isaac has only played in 15 games so far this year, with averages of 5.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game. He was able to showcase his skills when the season started and was impressive, especially on the defensive end, using his speed and length to reject shots. He last suited up for the Magic back in December, and has since been hampered by a lingering ankle injury.

If he shows no sign of being slowed down by his troublesome ankle. Isaac may not play for Lakeland beyond the weekend and could be back with the Magic sooner than expected. With news that Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon also seeing action again soon, the Florida State product’s potential return will be another boost for them and will give the team a better chance of finishing the season on a high note by stringing a few wins together to have a more decent record.