ORLANDO, FLA- According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Orlando Magic (27-37, 13th in East) forward Jonathan Isaac will miss the remainder of the 2022-2023 NBA season due to a torn left adductor, for which Isaac later underwent surgery. Isaac’s aforementioned injury is just the latest development in his four-year NBA career, which injuries have defined. For reference, Isaac tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Orlando’s matchup versus Sacramento in the NBA Bubble on August 2nd, 2020. As a result, Isaac was sidelined for the entirety of the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 NBA seasons, and endured multiple surgical procedures on his lower body, including a surgical procedure on his right hamstring just ten months ago.
“Our thoughts are with Jonathan, whose fortitude in dealing with adversity is unique,” Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said. “Jonathan has worked extremely hard to return to the court this season and has demonstrated his impact on our team. We will be by his side as he focuses on the work ahead.”
For the next two and a half years, or 891 days, Isaac underwent several rehabilitation programs in preparation for a long-awaited return to the basketball court. On January 11th, Isaac made that goal become a reality, playing in his first professional basketball game since the 2020 NBA Bubble for the Lakeland Magic, Orlando’s G-League Affiliate Team. In reference to this, Isaac looked superb in his return, recording 15 points, five rebounds, one assist, and one block on 6-12 (50.0%) shooting from the field in 15 minutes, leading Lakeland to a 129-117 win over the Westchester Knicks.
“I’m not going to look at it too deep because it is my first game back,” Isaac said. “I’m glad I got a couple buckets to fall, but really it was just for my conditioning. I definitely got tired, so that’s something I’ve got to keep working on to have the impact that I want to.”
“There were days where I was like I don’t know if I want to keep going,” Isaac said following his 2022-2023 NBA season debut versus Boston. “But then again, I have to thank Christ. Being able to go back to my faith and say God has me on this journey for a purpose. I know that I was made to play basketball. I was made to give glory to God on this stage.”
After his awe-inspiring season debut versus Boston, Isaac would play in ten of Orlando’s next thirteen games from January 25th to February 23rd. Across that timespan, Isaac averaged 11.4 MPG, 4.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 0.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, and 0.4 BPG on 39.1% shooting from the field in ten games. In addition, Isaac’s excellent defensive contributions off the bench helped the Magic go 7-3, which included wins over Indiana, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Denver, and Chicago.
In spite of his inspirational story and special ability to deal with adversity, Isaac’s future in Orlando is more uncertain than ever. Since entering the NBA in the 2017-2018 season, Isaac has played in just 147 career games, which includes two seasons (2020-2022) where Isaac didn’t play at all.
Although the Magic have plenty of cap space ahead of the 2023 offseason, parting ways with Isaac would give Orlando the ability to possibly sign one of the top free agents in the 2023 offseason. As stated by Spotrac, Isaac has two years and $34.8 million remaining on his four-year, $69 million contract he signed in December of 2020. Since Isaac did miss the entire 2021-22 season, Isaac’s salaries for the 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 became partial or non-guaranteed.
To be specific, $7.6 million of Isaac’s $17.4 million salary will become fully guaranteed on January 10th, 2024, while his $17.4 million salary in the 2024-2025 season will become fully guaranteed on January 10th, 2025. By either trading or cutting Isaac ahead of those dates, Orlando will save a considerable amount of money, for which they can sign their own or other upcoming free agents. For example, 2021 No. 5 and No. 8 draft picks Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner will be eligible to sign rookie-contract extensions, and Orlando will need to sign their two upcoming draft lottery picks in the 2023 NBA draft.
ESPN Sources: Orlando Magic F Jonathan Isaac underwent season-ending surgery today to repair a torn left adductor muscle. Brutal setback for Isaac, 25, who played only 11 games this season after missing two years with a torn ACL. An MRI revealed the adductor injury on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/nkPMfszXPI
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 3, 2023