The Orlando Magic are one of two teams that have already been mathematically eliminated from the NBA postseason, along with the Detroit Pistons. That could very well have played a part in the recent announcement that Jonathan Isaac will not be returning to the court this season.
Isaac tore his ACL in the Orlando Bubble in 2020, which caused him to miss the entire 2020-21 season as well. There was some cautious optimism that he would return at some point this season, as the opener was 14 months removed from when the injury first occurred.
The rehab process is a grueling one and Isaac just wasn’t able to get back on the court.
When the 2022-23 season tips off, he will be more than two years removed from the last time that he played in an NBA game.
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Orlando Magic president Jeff Weltman provided a statement, saying that at this point in the season, it would be prudent to say Jonathan Isaac will not be playing. With only 13 games remaining in their regular season, they are out of time to ramp him up to play in games.
This is certainly a disappointing development for fans, as Isaac is one of the franchise cornerstones in Orlando. Unfortunately, they are all too familiar with being without Isaac on the court.
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The No. 6 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft has dealt with injuries throughout his entire career. He missed 33 games before returning to action in the bubble, making two appearances before he blew out his knee. Isaac played in only 27 games as a rookie, as he has 136 games played in what will be five seasons, albeit two of them truncated because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jonathan Isaac signed a four-year, $70 million extension in December of 2020. It was a worthwhile risk for the Orlando Magic, as He has immense potential, but he has been unable to stay healthy enough to showcase it with any regularity.
