Jonathan Isaac, Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic have one of the youngest cores in the NBA, but they haven’t made the playoffs since the 2011-12 season. In their quest to, at some point, end that drought, second-year forward Jonathan Isaac will need to progress his game – which is feasible.
Last season, Isaac endured a discouraging rookie campaign. Being limited to just 27 games due to injury, he was unable to get into any sort of rhythm. Averaging just 5.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game on 37.9 percent shooting from the field and 34.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc, Isaac immensely struggled to make a profound impact on the Magic in his rookie season.
But the talent and potential to grow exists with Isaac. He’s athletic, capable of getting to and finishing at the rim, and has the intangibles to grow into an elite defender; those traits in his game are why Isaac was held in such high esteem going into the 2017 NBA Draft.
The Magic are one of the more athletic teams in the association which re-signing Aaron Gordon and drafting Mohamed Bamba reiterated. At the same time, if he can stay healthy, Isaac is a vital part of their rotation’s athleticism, and it’s only a matter of time before Orlando begins to turn a corner. Expect Isaac to begin to play up to his potential and showcase why he was a top 10 selection in last year’s draft.