Kawhi Leonard, Jonathan Isaac top first NBA Defensive Player of the Year ladder

Now in his third season, Jonathan Isaac is figuring out what to do with his length and bounciness at the defensive end. Still slight of build at 6-foot-11 and just 210 pounds, Isaac is currently leading the NBA in blocked shots, swatting 2.7 per game.

Isaac is improving as a rebounding presence for the Orlando Magic at the defensive end, now getting 5.4 defensive boards per game — an increase of more than one per 36 minutes over last season — while also averaging 1.2 steals and committing only 2.4 fouls in 30.9 minutes per game.

It’s at the rim where Isaac’s 7-foot-1 wing span becomes a problem for opposing shooters. He’s allowing 63.7 percent shooting on 16.3 shots per game in the restricted area, but that is a number that should come down as Isaac adds some bulk to his frame.

Among bigs, Isaac is in the 98th percentile with a block rate of 4.6 percent and in the 92nd percentile at a 1.8 percent steal rate. The defensive glass is an issue — again because of his lack of strength and bulk — where his 15.8 percent rebounding rate on the defensive end is only in the 43rd percentile.

Orlando’s defensive rating with Isaac in play is 104.4, a figure that increases to 105.4 when he’s off the court.