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Jonathan Isaac finds NBA defense easy… and he still thinks he can get better

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 16: Jonathan Isaac #1 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball against the Boston Celtics on March 16, 2018 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 16: Jonathan Isaac #1 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball against the Boston Celtics on March 16, 2018 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Jonathan Isaac made his mark defensively in his short run his rookie year. He says in an interview he can only get better on that end as his game grows.

If there has been anything that is remotely positive about the Orlando Magic’s season, the promise of rookie Jonathan Isaac stands out.

The sixth overall pick in last year’s draft has played in only 27 games this season. He is unlikely to play in the season finale Wednesday against the Washington Wizards. That is a disappointing way to end the season. And overall, it felt like the Magic only got a taste of what Isaac can do.

But his impact when he was in the game was abundantly clear. It goes much further beyond his relatively meager 5.4 points per game and 43.4 percent effective field goal percentage. Isaac still has a lot of growing to do.

Already, though, team personnel are singing his praises defensively. And it is abundantly clear what he can do on that end.

The Magic had a 101.0 defensive rating with Isaac on the floor, by far the best mark of any player on the team. There can be a lot of noise with these on/off defensive numbers.

But even the eye test would suggest Isaac made a real impact defensively. He was active and able to use his length to get deflections. The team was legitimately better with him on the floor.

And pairing him up with Aaron Gordon also brought a lot of promise defensively — the team had a 90.6 defensive rating in 135 minutes. That part was encouraging for this team especially.

Isaac took to defense very quickly. And as he told Michael Pina of Vice Sports in a wide-ranging interview while the team was in New York last week, defense came natural and easy to him this year.

"“I’ll watch our film and my minutes and things like that. I was talking to one of our coaches, I was watching my game film and I had five steals or something like that, and I told him my defense was awful, in terms of knowing where to be.“And as I grow in the league and have more time, I feel like I’ll be able to take my defense to another level when it comes to knowing what’s gonna happen, knowing what this action looks like, and things like that, instead of just going off of raw instinct. I was looking at myself like ‘yo I’m in the wrong position like 90 percent of the time,’ but I kind of make up for it.Once I’m able to understand ‘this is where I need to be’ and then use my quickness and ability and length and things like that, I think I’ll be a nightmare.”"

It is a scary thought he could continue to improve defensively. He still makes a ton of rookie mistakes. But it is clear the impact he makes.

What will determine his career will be how he grows on the other end.

Isaac said he has confidence in his offense. This year was not a good representation of what he can do offensively. He finished the year averaging 5.4 points per game and shooting 37.9 percent from the floor.

Isaac said the game will slow down for him on that end still. He said he is going to work especially on his ball handling and improving his jumper to get ready for next season. Isaac still has a lot to learn and a lot to grow.

It will be one of the biggest storylines for the Magic this offseason. Isaac is expected to make a big leap as most rookies do after their first year.

Next: Orlando Magic searching for meaning in final games

Of course, staying healthy will be task one. The plain truth is the Magic did not get to see enough of Isaac in his rookie year.