Jonathan Isaac's entire basketball career has been one difficult journey.
A sprained ankle in his rookie year that kept him out for all but three games for four months. The lateral corner injury that cut short his breakout 2020 season. The torn ACL that cost him two full seasons and the majority of a third, followed by another knee injury that knocked him out just as he was set to return.
Last season saw his season end with a sprained ligament -- and the fear, however brief, that he seriously damaged his knee again.
It has been a career of starts and stops. Of a promise unfulfilled.
But when Isaac was on the floor, his impact was undeniable.
Often termed the best "per-minute defender" in the league to account for his limited availability, Isaac was a defensive ace, flying around the rim to make impossible blocks and defending every position on the floor.
There were hints last year, after his push to put on more weight to play more center slowed him down, that he was getting back to that highly impactful play. Even as he struggled with other parts of his game. Of course, it was derailed by a knee injury that ended his season in March.
Orlando set itself up to cut bait with Isaac, pushing back the guarantee trigger on his contract and waiving him to cut half of his salary off the books. But Jeff Weltman would not give up on his first draft pick. Isaac is back on a minimum deal.
The question is whether the Magic can still get something out of Isaac or if he is simply window dresisng on the roster.
For all of Isaac's shortcomings and frustrations, he can still be a very impactful defender. He still has something to give to the Magic.
Isaac is in a different role entering this season. He no longer has that massive salary tied to his name -- not fully at least. He will be fighting for playing time with another young ace defender.
But Isaac can still be an elite defensive gamechanger. The kind the Magic can throw into the game and mess things up for five minutes. One that the team can cover for offensively in limited minutes. One who could make things work with a less aggressive defender like Nikola Vucevic.
For all the frustration and missed chances for Isaac, he still has somethig to give this team.
Isaac's defense remains
It was hard to let go of Jonathan Isaac for several years because he was still considered an elite defender.
The tape would show a player who was changing games with his disruptive ability. He would get deflections on the perimeter and block shots at the rim. He was impossible to score on, dragging opponents' offensive rating down with him.
For what little Isaac provides on offense -- 2.6 points per game and a career-low 9.3 points per 36 minutes on an even worse 18.4 percent from three last year -- he makes up for most of it on defense.
Last year, the Magic had a team-best 106.1 defensive rating with Isaac on the floor.
Opponents shot 47.0 percent on 1.3 attempts per game at the rim against Isaac, according to data from Second Spectrum. Among players who faced at least 1.0 attempt per game at the rim and played at least 41 games, Jonathan Isaac's defensive field goal percentage at the rim ranked fourth in the league -- only Isaiah Stewart, Khaman Maluach and Chet Holmgren were better.
He gave up only 0.792 points per possession against the ball-handler in pick-and-rolls, according to data from Synergy. He still averaged 1.3 deflections per game, according to NBA.com's hustle stats. That was virtually the same level of defensive disruption as Jalen Suggs (4.4 deflections per 36 minutes).
It might be a smaller sample size, but Isaac is still a consequential and impactful defender. Just as he has been throughout his entire career.
But like most of his career, his offense remains a question. Isaac's shot has completely abandoned him the last few years and the Magic still had a negative net rating despite his stellar defensive showing. Isaac can be a drain on offense.
That is why he became a liability, and his role diminished. It certainly was not because of his defense.
But that elite defensive potential remains even through everything.
Isaac still an X-factor?
The Orlando Magic are clearly an imperfect roster. They have a lot of questions and a lot of players and roles they have yet to fill at all levels of the roster.
The team has what it believes to be a strong starting lineup that it can build around. But the question has always been about scalability within roles and whether it has the right role players and bench players.
A strong season from Jalen Suggs, especially as a shooter, changes a lot for the Magic. There are so many players who could swing the Magic's season in one direction or another.
Jonathan Isaac can still be a big swing player, even if he is playing in limited minutes. He can still come in and wreck things defensively for five minutes at a time and check out. There will be a game where Isaac's defensive presence is meaningful. Perhaps even a playoff game.
Isaac's game-changing defensive ability is still valuable.
Isaac will be fighting for playing time. Noah Penda is going to push for more minutes as a second-year player eager to continue growing. He provides much of the same defensive versatility with some more hope offensively.
Isaac is fighting for a spot and fighting to stay in the league as a minimum player now.
He still has a role to play for this team.
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