Magic Waive Jonathan Isaac Before Contract Guarantee Deadline

The Orlando Magic have officially moved on from one of the longest-tenured players on their roster.

Saturday’s news of Orlando waiving Jonathan Isaac officially ended a run that began when the franchise selected him No. 6 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft.

The timing of the move isn’t surprising. Had Isaac remained on the roster past June 28, his $14.5 million salary for the upcoming season would have become fully guaranteed. Instead, given his injury history and Orlando’s desire to use that financial flexibility to keep building out the roster, it makes sense why the Magic made this move.

Isaac does still have some guaranteed money on his contract, but Orlando will not owe him the full $14.5 million next season.

He appeared in 52 games last season, averaging just 2.6 points and 2.5 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per game. He also did not appear in the playoffs due to a left knee strain.

And that’s been the story for much of his career in Orlando.

When healthy, Isaac has been one of the most unique defensive forwards in the entire league. At 6-foot-10 with incredible length, he has the versatility to guard multiple positions, protect the rim and impact games without needing many offensive touches.

But availability has always been the issue. It has felt like Isaac was rarely healthy for extended stretches, especially in the biggest moments. Because of that, the financial piece of keeping him around just wasn’t feasible for the Magic.

Now, the expectation is that Isaac will draw interest on the open market from contenders looking to add defensive help at a cheaper price. If he can be signed on a smaller deal, it becomes easier for teams to take on the risk that comes with his injury history.

For Orlando, this is about flexibility and moving forward. For Isaac, it’s the beginning of a new chapter after nearly eight seasons with the Magic.