Jonathan Isaac may be the Orlando Magic’s X-factor

Jonathan Isaac holds a lot of potential for the Orlando Magic. But this is essentially a rookie year for him and finding consistency will be key for him.

Jonathan Isaac has not had the career he had imagined so far.

Injuries sapped him of all but 27 games last year and after his injury in November those games were haphazard. There was hardly time for Isaac to gain a rhythm. He remained a promise more than a reality.

This sophomore season was going to look like his rookie year in a lot of ways — a lot of inconsistency and learning as there is for most young players. But it was easy to let expectations run wild.

The flashes and glimpses of what Isaac can be are apparent everywhere. There were the five steals he picked up in a March game against the Toronto Raptors last year. His blocking prowess during Summer League.

And then there was Monday’s game against the Boston Celtics. A career performance — career highs in points (18) and rebounds (12) for his first career triple-double — was highlighted with a clutch shot that will define Isaac’s growth in many ways.

Isaac was shooting confidently — even his misses — and the ball rotated to him with the Orlando Magic up three points late in the game. Isaac got the ball at the top of the key and saw Jayson Tatum closing out on him. He pump faked, dribbled twice toward the free throw line and drained the jumper.

After the game, players noted how big that shot was. It is because they know how big Isaac will be for this team this year.

"“J.I. is going to be the x-factor for us,” Evan Fournier said at the Magic’s media day last month. “I don’t want to put any pressure on him at all. But I feel like he is a key guy for us because of his versatility. He’s a 3-4 who can really guard, super long. I feel like his shot making especially corner 3s is going to be the key for him. As a young player that’s what you have to do. You have to knock down open shots to be dangerous. I think us players and coaches, we are very high on him.”"

Isaac’s start to the season has been disappointing in some respects. Foul trouble kept him from playing full minutes in his first two games. He has sometimes looked a bit invisible on offense.

That is how young players are.

Coach Steve Clifford said the coaching staff worked with Jonathan Isaac on improving his range shooting especially this summer. That will be vital to him finding and fitting into an offensive role. And his defense remains a skill the team wants to improve grow, as good as it is already.

His defense remains strong and he is hitting his corner 3s at a decent clip so far — 2 for 3 on corner threes and 3 for 6 on 3s above the break, according to NBA.com. He is showing signs of the player he can become. It still remains a bit uncertain what the Magic can and will get from him on a night-to-night basis.

Such is the life of a young player.

Isaac showed just how good he can be in Summer League. He was the talk of the league in many ways with his defensive impact and assertiveness. Now he is working to translate that to the league and fit within the team.

"“I think it’s right to stop and not put so much behind Summer Leauge,” Isaac said. “It’s not the guys I’m going to be playing against this year. I don’t want anybody to jump on whatever and even myself to put everything into perspective. Seeing myself be more assertive and be more of a leader out there definitely speaks to where I can come in this league.”"

Isaac’s potential is abundantly clear every time he is on the floor. His length and versatility give a lot of teams problems on both ends. And it is also clear he is more confident with his offensive abilities too.

Many players — and Isaac himself — think he grew this summer. There are plenty of photos where it looks like Jonathan Isaac is taller than Nikola Vucevic. And the added muscle and weight he put on in the weight room this summer has also helped him.

Orlando Magic

In Monday’s game, he fought for offensive rebounds and finished with authority on several occasions. All those pieces are coming together for him.

Just him being out there is a good sign after last year’s false start with the early season injury and continued set backs. He is a player full of potential but still a lot o work to do to get there. And last year was a frustrating one for him that undoubtedly hurt the Magic and their ultimate outcome.

"“No one had a more frustrating season last year than Jonathan Isaac not because he took his lumps as a rookie but because he wasn’t able to do that,” president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said. “Here’s a guy who worked extremely hard this summer. I think for anyone who saw Summer League in Las Vegas in July would attest to his game is starting to blossom. I would look for him to make improvements this year and in the next several years. Jonathan already has some innate qualities to play for others and impact winning.”"

Magic is just how quickly he can develop those and what kind of impact he can make in the meantime.

Isaac suffered a mnior setback during the preseason with his ankle injury. It was not a major injury but it held him out of games and some practices. Every bit of time for him is crucial for his development.

Even on defense where Isaac already feels fairly confident, he knows there is plenty of room for improvement so he does not have to rely solely on his length and athleticism.

It was easy during Summer league to get caught up in Isaac’s potential and set bigger expectations for him when he sitill is a raw prospect with a long way to go.

If Isaac can take that next step forward, the Magic become a much better team. He is the difference between the Magic being an intriguing young team and a future team to watch.

And when he is playing well, like he did Monday, the Magic can do some really special things.

For Isaac, it is about finding consistency and getting better each day.

"“The next step for me I would say is to continue to do what I’ve been doing,” Isaac said. “Keep that mindset that I’m going to be a great player in this league and take strides to get there. It’s going to happen. I don’t know the timetable. I mean that and I know that. I just want to continue to get in here and just work. The work is going to speak for itself. The more and more I work, the better I will be.”"

The Magic are looking to give Isaac every opportunity to take that next step. He earned a spot into the starting lineup. And he has held that spot and thre is no sense he will let it go. His versatility is too valuable and stands to make the team’s defense better.

But whether Isaac can take that next step is vital to any chance for success for the Magic this year. He is truly the team’s X-factor and the biggest variable for the team on a night-to-night basis.

When Isaac gets comfortable and shows that improvement, it will be very good for the Magic.