Orlando Magic: 2018-19 player grade for Jonathan Isaac
By Luke Duffy
Jonathan Isaac was another positive for the Orlando Magic as they cemented themselves as one of the surprise packages of the 2018-19 season.
The 2018-19 season was an impressive one for the Orlando Magic, as they posted a 42-40 regular-season record and made it back to the postseason for the first time in seven seasons.
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On the surface, Jonathan Isaac didn’t have a massive hand in this happening, his basic numbers an improvement on his rookie season, but pedestrian nonetheless.
Isaac’s second campaign wasn’t about showing out though, the most important thing for him was finding some kind of consistency. Injury curtailed his rookie season, as he appeared in only 27 games, starting 10.
So to see his final tally for year two, not including a valuable foray into the playoffs, at 75 games (64 starts) was hugely encouraging in itself.
Within that Isaac began to really find his feet at the turn of the year, coming alive to play his best basketball in 2019.
He was more integral than most in the Magic finishing the season ranked 8th in defensive rating (107.6), and it feels like that end will be where he can be an absolute difference-maker in future.
Offensively there is clearly work to do, but to see Isaac grow more comfortable when his number was called as the year went on was another promising sign.
Only 21, his blossoming partnership with Aaron Gordon, which did not look like it could happen when Frank Vogel was head coach, looks to be at the core of how the magic will improve in future.
Now a presumed starter for the Magic and a key piece of how they operate defensively, it is about filling out the other aspects of his game that still have plenty of room to grow. An invitation to Team USA training camp during the offseason will only have helped as well.