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Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag Volume 24: One Draft to rule them all

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Aaron Gordon (Arizona) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number four overall pick to the Orlando Magic in the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Aaron Gordon (Arizona) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number four overall pick to the Orlando Magic in the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 21, 2017; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Louisville Cardinals forward Mangok Mathiang (12) defends Florida State Seminoles forward Jonathan Isaac (1) during the second half at the Donald L. Tucker Center. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2017; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Louisville Cardinals forward Mangok Mathiang (12) defends Florida State Seminoles forward Jonathan Isaac (1) during the second half at the Donald L. Tucker Center. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports /

There have been a lot of vague statements from general manager John Hammond that have everyone believing the team will look to take a player like Jonathan Isaac in the draft.

Hammond has said on multiple occasions now the team is looking for length and versatility. These are qualities he believes good teams need in the modern NBA. He said it on the radio a few weeks ago and then added this to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel:

"Jeff’s philosophy, and my philosophy in the past, has been that. We love length. We love athleticism. But a critical part of the game today is: Can a player stretch the floor and shoot the 3-point shot? So if you can get a combination of something like that — a player who can play multiple positions, a player who has length, a player who has some athleticism, a player that can eventually step on the floor and stretch the floor — in this day and age in this league, those are potential All-Star players."

It is reasonable to infer that could mean Isaac. I will have more on Isaac in Monday’s draft profile (should be the next post up, depending on when this publishes), but there is something to suggest he could be that. With the Florida State Seminoles last year, Isaac averaged 12.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 34.8 percent from beyond the arc. There is clearly something there.

But I am less optimistic about his ability to play alongside Aaron Gordon. I think Isaac is ultimately a power forward in the league because of his size and inconsistent 3-point shot right now. I do not think he would help bring the best out of Gordon, despite the two players having prodigious defensive ability and versatility to play both positions.

In this case, similar skill sets will not mesh well together.

This is one of the reasons I have shied away from Isaac ahead of this Draft. I think he will be a good player in the long run. But I am not sure he will ever become the transcendent star the team needs. Florida State was an odd situation for him last year, but I was not impressed with how passive he plays.

Right now, if I am the Magic, I am looking for ways to give Gordon every chance to improve as a player. I think a player like Isaac gets in his way.