BOSTON -- It has been an all-too-familiar scene for the Orlando Magic in the past nine seasons.
Everyone carefully watching what happens after a shootaround and practice, as players leave the court and Jonathan Isaac takes the floor. He has been through this process plenty of times before in his career.
There was one more bit of rehab to complete as Isaac took the United Center floor Friday morning. While the media were present, he was only starting his workout, doing high knees across the width of the court before presumably starting a basketball workout.
It would be easy to ask: What's the point? The season is almost over. The Playoffs may prove short-lived for the Magic as a whole. Both sides seemed to admit already that this is the last hurrah.
But if one thing that has defined Isaac through all the injuries he has faced in his career, it is that he has never given up on his body or his team. Isaac wants to play for the Orlando Magic again, even if it is just one more time.
"I really don't know. Just got to see what happens," Isaac said before Wednesday's home finale against the Minnesota Timberwolves. "Hopefully the brace does what it's supposed to do and I'm ready to rock and good to go and just fill any spot or use me in any way coach wants to. If not, it sucks, but it is what it is."
Isaac said on Wednesday that things were trending in the right direction. He said an MRI he had on Tuesday came back positively for his return. It was just about overcoming discomfort. He hopes that a new brace will limit the discomfort and allow him to play.
The workouts he has been doing must be going well. The Orlando Magic upgraded him to QUESTIONABLE for Sunday's season finale against the Boston Celtics. But have since ruled him OUT before tip-off.
Certainly Isaac can still make a major impact for the Magic.
But there is a dark cloud looming over him and his future. His return could be his last with the Magic.
Another injury
Unfortunately for Jonathan Isaac, the scene of watching him working out on his own, trying to make his way back from an injury, has defined his nine seasons with the Orlando Magic.
He has played in more than 60 games just twice -- the breakthrough 2019 Playoff season in his second season in the league and last year's at-times frustrating 2025 season.
He struggled to recover properly from a sprained ankle in his rookie season. As he was beginning to take off with more responsibilty in the 2020 season, he suffered a lateral corner injury when his leg wrapped around a defender's leg on a Euro-step.
The pandemic shut him down just as he seemed near a return. And then he returned in the Bubble only to tear his ACL two games into his return from that initial injury.
It would be two seasons before Isaac saw the court, suffering a setback that required surgery as he was beginning to ramp up in the 2022 season. He returned for 11 games only to suffer another injury that required surgery to clean up.
The last three seasons, the Magic have been careful about his minutes. But he has largely put his injury concerns behind him -- playing in 58, 71 and 52 games the past three seasons. Considering where he was, that is quite a gain for Isaac.
This season saw Isaac's minutes waver. But he was starting to find his stride again defensively and contribute more consistently when he took a scary fall against the Washington Wizards on March 12.
Isaac has been out ever since then and missed 21 of the last 22 games for the Magic.
The team seemingly forced a critical decision on him that signals his time with the team is coming to an end.
A league source confirmed in March that the Magic changed the trigger date on the guarantee in his contract from 52 games to late June, allowing the Magic to cut him and save $6 million in salary this offseason as the team enters the tax for the first time.
It seems Isaac is playing his last games for the Magic. Or at least trying to.
Fighting for a chance
Jonathan Isaac's attempt to return to the court then is just as much about him fighting for his chance to prove himself one more time as it is about him trying to get back to his teammates.
His fate for the offseason may already be sealed, but the Magic forward has always been about fighitng to give something to his teammates.
His play style is certainly still one that boosts the team around him.
While Isaac has had a rough season -- averaging only 2.6 points per game in 10.0 minutes per game and shooting a woeful 42.2 percent overall and 18.4 percent from three -- he is still a major impactor on defense.
Orlando has a team-best 106.1 defensive rating with Isaac on the floor. He still ranks among the top quarter in the league in most defensive categories, according to Synergy Sports. Isaac's versatility and ability to step on the perimeter and defend the paint and rim are incredibly valuable.
Isaac was starting to find a groove just before the injuries began to slow him down and this knee sprain knocked him out.
Even though he has struggled to find much offensive rhythm this season, he still has something to contribute. And he could still be a potential game-changing defender in the postseason.
Isaac is certainly eager to add to what the Magic have done the last few weeks.
"I think we're playing really well," Isaac said in the locker room before Wednesday's game. "I'm excited about what the team looks like right now heading into the end. We are hitting our stride at the right time. Getting Boog [Franz Wagner] back and getting AB [Anthony Black] back at the right time. I feel like we're scary right now. Win tonight, win in Chicago and then it will be a great game against Boston. I feel really good about us."
Isaac's return would also be a big boost.
But all he can do is keep pushing and trying to set himself up to contribute as much as he can. It is all he has done throughout his career.