The Orlando Magic are moving on from Jonathan Isaac. After nine seasons that showed flashes of elite defense but were mostly defined by injuries and missed time, the team is waiving the former No. 6 overall pick. The news came from Jake Fischer at The Stein Line.
Isaac was set to make $14.6 million next season, fully guaranteed. By cutting him now, the Magic will only pay $8 million of that. That’s a $6.6 million savings, and in today’s NBA — where the second apron is basically a fourth team in the Eastern Conference — that kind of financial breathing room matters a lot. The new collective bargaining agreement punishes teams that go deep into luxury tax territory, and Orlando clearly wants to stay flexible.
It’s not like Isaac didn’t show promise. When he was healthy, he was a nightmare for opposing offenses. Long arms, quick feet, the kind of defensive versatility that makes coaches salivate. He averaged 1.6 steals and 1.6 blocks per game in his best season, 2018-19, and even finished 10th in Defensive Player of the Year voting the following year. But his body just wouldn’t cooperate. He played in only 11 games over three seasons between 2020 and 2023 due to a torn ACL, a hamstring issue, and a torn adductor. Last season he got back on the floor for 58 games, but he never looked like the same player — averages of 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds don’t exactly scream untouchable.
The timing is rough for Isaac personally. He’s still only 26, and finding a new team in a market where cap space is tight won’t be easy. But the Magic aren’t slamming the door entirely. According to reports, they’re leaving the possibility of a reunion open. That probably means they’d like to bring him back on a smaller deal — something closer to the veteran minimum — but they weren’t willing to eat that $14.6 million number. It’s a cold business decision, but an understandable one.
Orlando has been building something interesting. Paolo Banchero looks like a franchise cornerstone. Franz Wagner keeps getting better. The team is young and athletic and just misses the playoffs last season. They need consistent contributors, not question marks. Isaac became a question mark.
For Isaac, this is a chance to restart somewhere else. Maybe a contender takes a flyer on him as a defensive specialist off the bench. The skill set is still there, buried under all those medical reports. Someone just has to bet on it.
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