It used to be that the Orlando Magic were just happy to have Jonathan Isaac on the floor.
After four seasons beset with injury -- first the lateral corner injury he suffered on Jan. 1, 2020, followed by the torn ACL in the bubble in August 2020, followed by the hamstring issue that popped up as he was recovering from his ACL tear -- having Isaac reliably on the floor. Back-to-back seasons playing more than 50 games and hitting 71 games this season felt like a minor miracle.
This was not the season Isaac hoped for, though. It was clear Isaac was a step off from where he normally is on the floor. His defense was less impactful. His shot completely betrayed him.
The experiment to play him at center did not quite pan out. After a season of uncertainty, the Magic and Isaac had to admit they made a mistake with their offseason planning.
Orlando finally got Isaac back only to see him struggle in the role they devised for him. That has put his future on the line.
This was not the season Isaac or anybody hoped for. And now his entire place with the franchise is facing some question as the Magic ponder what comes next for the team.
"For me, personally, [the season went] obviously not great," Isaac said at exit interviews. "Definitely inconsistent, a bit up and down. I tried to work through it as much as I could. I started to feel a little better toward the end of the season. I felt a little lighter and a little more agile. And so I am taking that into the summer and just focusing on my game and really getting into shape, shedding some weight and getting back to where I was before."
A poor offseason plan
Part of that was the decision for Jonathan Isaac to put on weight. He reported he came to camp at 250 pounds and was listed at 240 pounds, more than 10 pounds heavier than he was listed in previous seasons.
Orlando got into the habit of using him as a backup center during the team's run in 2024. It seemed the Magic had the idea to put on weight to make him more resilient against centers and take the pounding and more durable to make it through the season.
The latter goal is the only goal the team achieved with Isaac playing 71 games. Everything else fell apart.
He averaged only 5.4 points per game and shot an icy 25.8 percent from three. Isaac still accumulated his defensive counting stats -- 0.9 steals per game and 1.1 blocks per game, the most stocks per game he has had since before his injury.
But even his defensive metrics fell apart.
The Magic had a 106.6 defensive rating with Isaac on the floor. That is still among the best marks on the team and 2.5 points per 100 possessions better than the team's average. But last year, the Magic had a 102.1 defensive rating with Isaac on the floor, 8.7 points per 100 possessions better than the team's already sterling average.
In other words, Isaac went from an elite defender to merely a very good defender. That difference might not mean much, but with Isaac's struggles on offense and the Magic increasingly more focused on their preparation for the Playoffs, it is a huge difference.
Isaac reported throughout the season that his stamina and wind were not where he wanted them either. It was hard for him to play for long stretches. He settled at 15.4 minutes per game.
Instead of growing from a healthy season in 2024, Isaac seemed to regress.
"I was definitely really sluggish at the beginning of the season," Isaac said during exit interviews. "I started to shed that weight throughout. But just being able to defend and be on the court for longer periods of time. It just wasn't conducive to my game and my makeup, too, and just the way I'm wired to play."
Isaac indeed looked better toward the end of the season as he naturally shed some weight during the season.
After the All-Star break, he averaged 3.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He played in only 12.6 minutes per game. But he had 1.9 "stocks" per game and the Magic had a 104.2 defensive rating with him on the floor, the best among rotation players.
He was not playing enough to say anything with certainty. But he did look more mobile and more active on defense, even if his shot continued to betray him completely.
Still, Isaac could not shoot himself out of his shooting struggles. He said it became a mental block for him. That was a tough hill for him to climbe. It made him impossible to play in the Playoffs -- where he averaged 3.6 points per game in 13.8 minutes per game.
Isaac said in hindsight that he regretted the decision to put on all that weight. He could feel how much it affected his stamina and his mobility. All he can do now is look forward to getting back into better game shape, getting down to 230 pounds, his previously normal playing weight, and spending more time in the gym and less time in the weight room this summer.
Decision time on Isaac
The Orlando Magic have felt how close they are. And a return to the intensity Jonathan Isaac typically brings could change the Magic.
But everyone feels the change coming this offseason. The Magic have made it clear they will make moves to improve their roster. There is a real opportunity for the Magic to fill the power vacuum that seems to have formed in the Eastern Conference.
"We want to win," Isaac said at exit interviews. "We wanted to win all season. I don't think it would be healthy or wise to come into next season feeling like we have to make up for this one. I think we were dealt some tough cards. We were still there at the end. A couple of the last few minutes of a few of those games go our way, and we're in a different conversation. I think we're fine. Everyone is going to work as hard as they can to be a better player and be in a better position to win next season. It's something we have to let come."
If the Magic are indeed close, then they must make moves to get themselves there.
So what do the Magic do with a player like Isaac, who has so much potential and impact but struggled so much this season? Isaac is one of those major salaries Orlando has in its quiver to use in trades and deals.
Inevitably, Isaac has been included in many of these conversations. A difficult season has led to difficult questions about him and his future with the team.
Isaac admitted to the critical mistake in his offseason and what put him behind the 8-ball this season. It is what has him on the trade block with is $25 million salary for the 2025 season that drops down to $15 million next season, with some key injury protection clauses.
If Orlando is going to make the big move, it may cost Isaac. He is a big piece of this puzzle.
His entire future depends on how he responds to this setback. Orlando may have to make that choice sooner than Isaac can prove himself.