Should Orlando Magic Trade Jonathan Isaac?
As far as frontcourts go in the NBA, the Orlando Magic have very few questions.
Their two best players, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, are both forwards and have secured starting spots, and Wendell Carter Jr. is no slouch as a starting center. In 2017, the Magic drafted its center of the future, Jonathan Isaac, who has only played in 147 games over six seasons.
With Isaac seemingly always out with injury, the Magic has built a competitive young team by not factoring him into the equation. Considering Isaac was once compared to Kevin Durant, moving on from him seems unthinkable.
And yet, he was listed as the one player Orlando should put on the trade block by Bleacher Report.
"Any team that wants to shed some long-term salary from its books should be interested," Bleacher Report writes. "If the Magic can flip that flexibility for a win-now player, they might have to consider it."
Jonathan Isaac's injury issues don't help his trade value.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Despite commanding some value as a salary chip, the Magic seems to think it can roll with Isaac. President Jeff Weltman said that Isaac will be an “important guy” this season. However, if the Magic are playing well enough to get into the playoffs and Isaac is unable to become a critical role player, Orlando might have to pull the trigger.
A team that is underperforming and wants to move veteran pieces could be convinced to take a swing on Isaac. The Magic desperately needs more shooting, so adding a sharpshooter like Doug McDermott from San Antonio would help, or Orlando could go big and pursue a reunion with Nikola Vučević, who can space the floor better than Carter Jr. or Isaac.
Of course, the Bulls are in a hairy situation and need draft capital, so the Magic would have to include a pick in that deal, but other veterans like Malcolm Brogdon or P.J. Tucker could be available for less.
At the end of the day, Orlando doesn’t really know what it has in Isaac. He hasn’t played for at least half a season since 2019, and he will need some time to find his footing. Before the season starts, the Magic will certainly hold onto him, but once the team finds their groove, all bets are off, especially if Isaac isn’t a big-time contributor.
