Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac has missed over two full seasons with a knee injury. The last time he played for the team was all the way back in August of 2020, when COVID was wreaking havoc. Magic fans have waited a long time to see Isaac return to the court. According to a recent and encouraging injury update, they won't have to wait much longer, but there's a catch.
Isaac will suit up for Orlando's G-League affiliate — the Lakeland Magic — on Wednesday to begin what will be a two-game stint for him in the G-League before making his NBA return, per a tweet from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Jonathan Isaac, 25, has played just 136 games in his career across three seasons since Orlando picked him sixth overall back in the 2017 NBA Draft. He holds career averages of 9.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game.
In the last season that he was somewhat healthy (2019-20), Isaac averaged 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and 2.3 blocks across 34 appearances (32 starts). He was one of the top defensive players in the league that year, as evidenced by his otherworldly 3.9 combined stocks (steals and blocks) average.
Considering how much time Isaac has missed for the Magic, it's unclear what he'll look like when he returns and if he'll still be the same defensive force he was pre-injury. However, what's clear is that the Magic need to improve on the defensive side of the ball if they want to compete for a play-in spot. The team currently ranks 25th in the league in defensive rating (114.6) and 24th in fastbreak points allowed (14.9).
Follow Us
Subscribe