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.