Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated: A-
"Orlando was rumored to have promised Isaac at this spot, and rolling the dice on his long-term potential makes a lot of sense for the Magic as they begin to chart a course with Jeff Weltman and John Hammond running the show. Isaac had a case as high as the third pick (and in a different year would surely have gone higher) but comes with more risk than the players selected before him given his slight frame and inconsistent play as a freshman for Florida State. That said, his best-case scenario would give the Magic a strong piece to build around, as versatile, tall front-court shooters don’t come along every day. Orlando doesn’t immediately address a need with this selection, but the Isaac pick is a clear indication of the Magic’s timeframe."
Jeremy Woo is a fan of the Orlando Magic’s pick of Jonathan Isaac in this Draft. And there is definitely a sect — a large sect — of NBA people who love Isaac. With his 6-foot-10 frame and length and athleticism on defense, there is plenty of potential and plenty of ability within him.
Liking this pick might also be dependent on where you think the Magic are in their development.
As I noted, believing the Magic are closer to the Playoffs and are on a more shortened timeline means this pick is a bad one. Isaac will take some time to develop. He will not be able to contribute.
Believe the Magic are at rock bottom and need to restart completely, and Isaac is the right pick. Someone who can grow slowly and develop for the team’s long-term health as part of another rebuild.
The national perspective likely would follow the latter. The local perspective, after five years out of the Playoffs, probably hoped for the former.