Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac has accomplished something this offseason that he hasn’t been able to do in years: he remained healthy. For the first time since 2019, he isn’t injured heading into a season.
The No. 6 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft has been sidelined more than he has been healthy enough to play in his NBA career. As a rookie, he played in only 27 games before appearing in 75 the following season. In Year 3, he played only 34 games, which is when the real issues began.
Isaac would miss the next two seasons because of ACL recovery as the Magic exhibited extreme caution. He still wasn’t unleashed fully during the 2022-23 season as he played in only 11 contests and averaged 11.3 minutes per game.
But the 2023-24 season could be the first time we see Isaac at full strength in a long time. According to Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman, Isaac and his teammates are healthy and ready for the start of training camp.
NBA INJURY NEWS & RUMORS: Jonathan Isaac & Orlando Magic Updates
Weltman was asked specifically about Isaac, and he said the Florida State product will be a full participant in camp. But, the team is still going to monitor him closely given the lengthy injury history he has.
This is excellent news for Isaac and the Magic. His once-promising career has been derailed in a major way, but he is still not even near his prime. Just turned 26, Isaac has plenty of time to get things back on track and realize the immense potential that he possesses.
Before the injuries, he was showing development on the offensive side of the ball, becoming a more efficient shooter and scorer. Couple that with the All-NBA Defensive Team potential he had on that end of the court, and Orlando looked to have a future two-way producer on their hands.
NBA INJURY NEWS & RUMORS: Jonathan Isaac & Orlando Magic Updates
There is certainly still a chance that Isaac can reach that level of production once he is comfortable on the court again. The Magic hope that occurs this season as they are a franchise ready to take that next step after a strong second half of the 2022-23 campaign.
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