3 realistic goals for Jonathan Isaac’s Orlando Magic return

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.

3 realistic goals for Jonathan Isaac’s Orlando Magic return

3. Play in 20 regular season games

Should Jonathan Isaac return on Monday night against the Boston Celtics at home, as has been reported, that will be the Orlando Magic’s 47th regular season game.

Given the Magic have already beaten the Celtics twice this season, and the minutes restriction Isaac will surely be on, he may only play 10-15 minutes. From there, the Magic will have a 35-game sprint to try and make the play-in.

They next play two nights later, again at home, against the Indiana Pacers. It is 50/50 on whether or not Isaac would play in this game, although if he is not ready to go once more 48 hours after initially suiting up then the Magic really are taking their time with him.

So for Isaac to play in 20 games between now and the end of the regular season should be a realistic goal here. The organization still has four remaining back-to-back games, as well as two more four-game road trips. One of these will again be a spin out to the West coast.

Regardless of the Magic’s status in the playoff chase, it is unlikely the Magic would play Isaac in both games of any back-to-back. Perhaps if the team absolutely needs a game in the postseason chase, they might consider pushing him. But the Magic will have a clear plan for Isaac in his return.

Even deeper into the season by mid-March or by the time they head West for their NCAA Tournament road trip, it would not surprise if there were minor restrictions in place for him, even then.

Isaac is not going to play his full minutes as if he were fully healthy. The Magic are going to examine and be careful with him.

Isaac has averaged 25.8 minutes per night in 136 career games. He is going to have to build to get to that moment. Perhaps he can get there this season, perhaps he will not.

If he can get relatively close to that number again by the end of the regular season, that has to be viewed as a success. Even more so when you factor in the competition for minutes at the frontcourt spots on this roster.

3 realistic goals for Jonathan Isaac’s Orlando Magic return

2. Help with the 3-point shooting

We know Jonathan Isaac is not a shooter first and foremost. So we will belabor the point here. But he did shoot 34 percent from deep the season before he got injured, on nearly three attempts per night.

In his last game for the Lakeland Magic before being recalled, he took six attempts from deep. Perhaps this is not a complete sign of things to come, as in the game before that he had a more predictable three shots from 3-point range.

The fact Isaac only went 1 for 9 on these efforts is beside the point. He clearly needed to get his legs under him as he builds his conditioning. That is the last element in his recovery that will take place on a Magic floor.

There is little doubt he is going to shoot more from further away, both because he has the length and range to do so, and because he will spend time next to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, two players opponents already respect.

We spoke in more detail recently about how the Magic should look to lean into their 3-point shooting more as a way to hurt opponents each night. It is a wrinkle to their offensive game that if anything appears underused at this point. Isaac can help out some in this area.

He showed in those Lakeland games he is unafraid to get back into the paint and do his best work there. But in jumbo lineups featuring a traditional guard like Markelle Fultz, Paolo Banchero, Bol Bol, Wendell Carter and Jonathan Isaac, the ability of all four of those big men to shoot will be huge for the Magic.

So taking over three shots from deep and making more than 30 percent of them feels like a modest and achievable goal here for Isaac.

3 realistic goals for Jonathan Isaac’s Orlando Magic return

1. Average a block per game

Before going down with that knee injury in the bubble, Jonathan Isaac was averaging a fabulous 2.3 blocks per game. At the time that was a top-five mark in the entire league. It was clear opponents feared driving on Isaac in the paint.

To average 2.3 blocks per night today would again put Isaac in the top five (fourth, and some way behind the monstrous 3.3 that Jaren Jackson Jr. is posting). He is not going to get back to those heights this season, especially if he only plays around 20 games on limited minutes. So let us recalibrate.

The Magic as a whole average 4.8 blocks per night, which is bang on league average. We have already listed out their rotation of big men and when you also factor in Mo Bamba, they should be doing better in this category.

Blocking is but one aspect of defending, and if Isaac can be a plus defender as many expect him to be again right away, then that will be huge for a group that ranks a lowly 23rd in defensive rating at 114.8 points allowed per 100 possessions.

But if he can average a block a game, and there is no reason why he should not be given he will be bringing more to the defensive end when he returns, then that small act would lift the Magic into the top five in the league in this category.

It would unlock so much more than a cool highlight reel to be posted on social media as well. Deterring opponents from shooting over or near Isaac means the ball will be funneled elsewhere.

Making scoring on this team a real pick-your-poison decision for opponents. The entirely doable one block a night from Isaac is the key to this, and is not asking too much of him either.