Magic Invests $84 Million of Faith in Jonathan Isaac's Comeback

After missing nearly three seasons, Jonathan Isaac led the NBA in defensive rating. The Orlando Magic gave him a new five-year contract, showing their belief in Isaac and their young core of starters.

Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (1) blocks the shot of Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) in the fourth quarter during game four of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Kia Center. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

ORLANDO — After a nearly three-year absence from basketball, Jonathan Isaac rewarded the Orlando Magic's patience with a master class in defense.

Isaac had the best defensive rating in the NBA — while playing roughly 16 minutes a game — and helped Orlando reach the playoffs for the first time since 2020, coincidentally Isaac's previous season with any substantial playing time.

Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman on Saturday said the 2023-24 comeback was just a matter of Isaac being able to stay on the court and playing up to his potential.

Weltman believes it's a sign of things to come and the Magic showed their faith in Isaac with a five-year, $84-million contract extension.

"He's earned that faith through hard work and through the high character that he always exhibits," Weltman said. "He got to show a little bit of who he was last year and we're hoping that's just the beginning."

Isaac's impact as a defensive disruptor helped the Magic rank second in defensive rating and fourth in points allowed per game.

Agreeing on a new deal with the 6-foot-10 Bronx native was also a result of where Orlando currently stands with its cap space, the current Collective Bargaining Agreement deal in the NBA, and how Weltman is trying to keep the contracts of the Magic's young core aligned.

"This is just a unique situation where we happen to have the cap space to be able to do something like we did with him," Weltman said. "This new CBA is going to be restrictive for everybody. ... To realign some of the existing contracts so you can set yourself up to face that is part of what we hoped to accomplish this summer."

Isaac isn't the only elite defender in Orlando for the foreseeable future. The Magic signed 31-year-old guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a three-year, $66 million deal to join Jalen Suggs, who made the NBA All-Defense second team, in the backcourt.

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