The Orlando Magic waived Jonathan Isaac on Saturday, ending his run with the team and putting him on the free-agent market before Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET. The move comes after years of injuries and reduced usage, and it leaves the Magic with one fewer defensive frontcourt option.
Isaac’s Numbers Drop Off
Isaac, 28, averaged a career-low 2.6 points in 10.0 minutes per game during the 2025-26 regular season. He also missed the end of the season with a knee sprain, another setback in a career that has been interrupted by a torn ACL and a two-season absence from 2020-22.
That production helps explain why the split happened now. The Magic selected him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, and he spent his entire career in Orlando before this move.
Magic Defense Changes
When Isaac was on the floor last season, the Magic posted a 106.1 defensive rating. When he sat, that number climbed to 113.7, a clear sign that his value was tied more to stopping possessions than to scoring them.
That is the complication for Orlando and for the teams watching him. He was waived despite the fact that his defensive versatility could still draw interest in free agency, especially from clubs looking for frontcourt depth rather than a high-usage scorer.
Phoenix, Sacramento, New York
The Phoenix Suns may be a suitor, and they already agreed to a three-year contract worth $38 million with Mark Williams on Thursday. The Sacramento Kings also have Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell on their roster after both showed promise as rookies, while Domantas Sabonis remains on the roster and has been mentioned in trade rumors ahead of free agency. The New York Knicks are another possible fit, with Mitchell Robinson possibly departing in free agency and Ariel Hukporti set to become a restricted free agent.
For Isaac, the market opens Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET, and the next step depends on whether a contender wants his defense enough to bet on a player who has struggled to stay healthy. The release gives him a fresh start; it also puts Orlando in position to replace a specific kind of frontcourt length that has not been easy to duplicate.
