After over two years of waiting for Jonathan Isaac’s return to an Orlando Magic uniform, the day is almost upon us.
So much has changed for the organization since Isaac last suited up in the NBA’s bubble, and he will be returning to a drastically altered roster, as well as a new head coach in Jamahl Mosley.
Fans are understandably excited by Isaac’s imminent return, especially after showing some of what he can do during a brief stint with the team’s G-League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic. There was a bit of everything on display from Isaac in those games.
But once the dust has settled and Jonathan Isaac returns to the grind of the regular season with the group, what will the realistic expectations for him on the court be?
But playing in the G-Leauge is very different from playing in the NBA. And it has been a long time since Isaac last played in the NBA.
If there was a delay in bringing Isaac back, it was more about the concern of his long layoff and conditioning than the strength of his knee and hamstring (which he had what was called “minor” surgery in March).
No matter how quickly Isaac hits the ground running, it is going to take time to implement him into various lineups and decide what is the best way to utilize him alongside players like Wendell Carter, Bol Bol, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. All of whom he has never played with before.
After all, this is still a franchise with hopes of making the play-in and will have to be competitive to do so. With that in mind, let us examine three realistic goals for Isaac once he does return.