JANUARY 2: The Magic have released a statement (Twitter link) declaring that, following an MRI today, ascendant third-year forward Jonathan Isaac suffered “a posterior lateral corner injury and a medial bone contusion.”
The team also noted that Isaac would be out indefinitely and will be re-evaluated in eight-to-10 weeks. Orlando is considering “operative and non-operative treatments” for Isaac. This is a huge blow for the Magic, who are already dealing with numerous injuries to their front court as they scrap to make the 2020 playoffs.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter) that the Magic still have an open roster spot, which could be used to add some frontcourt help.
JANUARY 1: Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel reports that Isaac injured his left knee this afternoon while driving on a layup attempt during the first quarter of game action against the Wizards.
The Magic have tweeted that Isaac’s injury is a hyperextended left knee. They note that he will be re-evaluated with an MRI tomorrow, when the team returns to Orlando.
The 22 year-old big man lingered on the floor for several minutes clutching the knee. He eventually sat up and was carried off the Capital One Arena hardwood of on a stretcher. Isaac’s fellow Magic forwards Aaron Gordon (sore left Achilles) and Al-Farouq Aminu (knee) are also battling injuries.
Isaac, a 6’11” combo forward out of Florida State, was drafted by Orlando with the sixth overall pick in 2017. He has been enjoying his best statistical pro season to date, averaging a solid slash line of 12.3 PPG/7.1 RPG/2.5 BPG/1.6 APG. Isaac is also shooting a career-best 46.3% from the field. Nicknamed the “Minister of Defense” on the Magic, Isaac has been particularly strong on that side of the floor.
If Isaac, Gordon and Aminu miss extended time with their maladies, second year power forward Amile Jefferson, undrafted in 2017, may get additional run for the Magic. Parry noted that Jefferson was the first on-court replacement for Isaac after the starrier Orlando prospect went down today.
According to Josh Robbins of the Athletic (Twitter link) Isaac told his colleague Fred Katz after the game, “I’ve never hurt my knee before. But as I was down there (on the court), I started to feel better and better just being down there. So I kind of felt just a reassurance that I was going to be OK.”
It was not a contact injury. When he was driving towards the basket, his knee bent in the wrong direction. Any contact was incidental and not with that leg. I was watching on LeaguePass.
Likely a torn ACL. I’ll be surprised if it’s anything different.
I suspect so. If he’s lucky it will just be a hyperextension.
Hope for the best for this young man. He really looked like the game was starting to slow down for him this year, and looked like a future 2-way stud for the Magic.
Regardless what happens, I definitely hope the best for this young man. Both him and Mo Bamba are two young kids that embody hard work and being excellent role models.
With those two, the Magic have a great foundation to build on. They just really need to get better shooters to surround them and Vuc..
Should they go sign Viacheslav Kravtsov? He played on the Pistons and Suns in 2013 or so and looked excellent averaging 2.2 PPG. I watched some interview of him whilst in Ukraine and he seemed like a nice guy. He is playing in Spain so that makes it difficult to get him, but who cares! I want to see a return to the NBA for Viacheslav!
So this must be Kravtsov?
He’s a whilster, not very American.
It’s a shame. Kid was finally putting up some good numbers and establishing himself. There was a point it didn’t seem like he’d be worth the pick that was used in him.
Went from bust alert to earning his way onto an All Team Defense
Magic going to sell I assume? Move Gordon, Fournier, Augustin? The squad as is doesn’t have a bright future.