Orlando Magic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Terrence Ross Temporarily Leaves Campus For Medical Reasons

August 10th, 2020 at 1:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Magic wing Terrence Ross has temporarily left the NBA’s campus at Walt Disney World due to a personal medical matter that is unrelated to COVID-19, the team announced today (Twitter link). Ross’ medical issue requires him to undergo off-site tests, the club notes.

As a result of his departure from Disney World, Ross has been ruled out for Tuesday’s game against Brooklyn. His availability moving forward will depend on his test results and the NBA’s quarantine protocols, according to the Magic.

Typically, a player who leaves the NBA’s campus for personal reasons is subject to a quarantine period of at least four days upon returning. However, the league sent out a memo in July informing teams that players wouldn’t necessarily have to quarantine for that long if they leave the bubble for local medical treatment with league approval.

The Magic have had some bad luck this summer, having lost forward Jonathan Isaac to a torn ACL, while other key contributors like Aaron Gordon and Michael Carter-Williams have been sidelined with injuries of their own. The team is now locked into the No. 8 seed in the East, so the focus will be on getting as many players as possible healthy for the start of the postseason next week.

Magic Can Apply For Disabled Player Exception In October

August 9th, 2020 at 3:34pm CST by JD Shaw

The Magic can apply for a Disabled Player Exception worth $3.78MM starting in October, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). Orlando lost forward Jonathan Isaac for the season after he sustained a torn ACL and torn meniscus last week. The exception would allow the team to sign, acquire or claim a player on a one-year contract if Isaac is considered likely to miss all of next season.

Magic’s Isaac Undergoes Left Knee Surgery

August 7th, 2020 at 7:19pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Magic forward Jonathan Isaac underwent surgery on his left knee on Friday, according to a team press release (Twitter link). Isaac’s surgery was needed to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscal tear.

The team did not announce a timetable. His return to the court will depend on how he responds to treatment and rehab, according to the release.

Isaac suffered the first major injury during the league restart. He was driving to the basket early in the fourth quarter of Orlando’s win over the Kings on Sunday when his left knee buckled. He was eventually taken off the court on a wheelchair.

He was on the verge of a breakout 2019/20 season, having averaged career highs in PPG (11.9), RPG (6.8), BPG (2.3), and SPG (1.6). However, a severe left knee sprain and bone bruise sidelined him on January 1 and he didn’t play again until the seeding games in Orlando.

The team’s president of basketball operations, Jeff Weltman, insisted earlier this week the two injuries weren’t related. Isaac, 22, is still on his rookie contract and will make $7.36MM next season, though his ability to return at any point is obviously in doubt.

How Isaac's ACL Tear Will Affect His Future -- And Magic's

August 7th, 2020 at 1:55pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of Jonathan Isaac‘s season-ending ACL tear, Josh Robbins and John Hollinger of The Athletic examine how the injury will affect Isaac and the Magic going forward. Hollinger believes Isaac’s long-term All-Star potential still exists, but says the young forward now has a “longer, less certain pathway” to reaching that ceiling.

Mo Bamba Had COVID-19, Led To Conditioning Issues

August 6th, 2020 at 7:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Magic center Mohamed Bamba contracted COVID-19 in June, which led to subsequent conditioning issues and a large reduction in playing time during the restart, Josh Robbins of The Athletic reports.

Bamba’s demotion to third-string center behind Nikola Vucevic and Khem Birch was one of the mysteries of the restart. The revelation by the No. 6 overall pick of the 2018 draft of his positive coronavirus test earlier this summer shed more light on the situation.

The illness led to fatigue and muscle soreness and temporarily removed Bamba’s senses of smell and taste, according to Robbins. His lack of playing time — he’s only made brief appearances in two of Orlando’s four seeding games — led to his decision to make his diagnosis public. He saw action in 60 games this season prior to the suspension of play.

“Part of me is reading the temperature of the room and just knowing that there are definitely going to be questions, and sometimes you’ve just got to address them with honesty,” Bamba said. “In this case, I think it’s best for them to have that context and have that understanding of what, exactly, is going on. I want people to know that I’m still working as hard as ever, if not even harder, and I’ll get through this.”

Due to his illness, Bamba was unable to go through individual workouts at the Magic’s practice facility prior to team’s arrival on the Disney campus. He also had a pair of false positive tests once he was on the campus, forcing him to go into additional quarantine and causing him to miss three days of practice.

Subsequently, he’s been relegated to spot duty due to conditioning issues. Bamba had been bulking up before the diagnosis, putting on 20 pounds. He’s had trouble carrying that extra weight without steady exercise.

He feels he’s ready to contribute if called upon.

“I was frustrated because I really felt ready to contribute like I was earlier in the year,” Bamba said. “But the medical staff is in the perfect place to protect me, so I have to follow their guidelines. It really kills me to be sitting there, but at the same time, it’s also really motivating. When you’re sitting out, you can see the game from different angles, different sights and sounds. Especially in the bubble, with no fans, you can really lock in on the game. But I know I have to stay focused, so whenever I’m called upon, I’m ready.”

Aaron Gordon (Hamstring) Doubtful For Friday

August 6th, 2020 at 9:35am CST by Luke Adams

Magic forward Aaron Gordon, who left Wednesday’s game due to a left hamstring injury, doesn’t appear to have suffered a serious injury, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Sources tell Charania that tests on the hamstring showed no significant damage, and Gordon is expected to be re-evaluated in “several days.”

Although Gordon’s recovery timeline is unclear, it sounds like he’ll at least miss Friday’s game against Philadelphia. He has been listed as doubtful for that contest, according to the team, which tweets that the forward’s injury is being called a hamstring strain and he’ll be day-to-day after Friday. The Magic’s remaining seeding games are against Boston (Sunday), Brooklyn (Tuesday), and New Orleans (next Thursday).

One more Magic win or one more Wizards loss would secure Orlando a playoff berth, so the team will likely play it safe with Gordon in the hopes of having him back for the start of the postseason. Still, the Magic will be motivated to finish strong, since they’re currently a half-game back of the Nets for the No. 7 seed in the East.

MCW Suffers Tendon Strain In Foot, Doubtful For Wednesday

August 5th, 2020 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

Magic guard Michael Carter-Williams, who left Tuesday’s game with a sore left foot, has been diagnosed with a tendon strain after undergoing an MRI, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Carter-Williams is doubtful to play on Wednesday vs. Toronto.

Weltman: Isaac's Torn ACL Unrelated To Previous Injury

August 3rd, 2020 at 6:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Magic forward Jonathan Isaac suffered the first major injury during the league restart. However, the team insists that his torn left ACL wasn’t related to the left knee injury that had sidelined him since New Year’s Day, according to Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel. The team’s president of basketball operations, Jeff Weltman, noted Isaac “cleared every hurdle” in his recovery from the knee injury.

Magic Announce Torn ACL For Jonathan Isaac

August 3rd, 2020 at 7:15am CST by Luke Adams

The Magic‘s fears were confirmed following an MRI on Jonathan Isaac‘s injured left knee, with the team announcing early on Monday morning that the young forward has suffered a torn ACL and will be sidelined indefinitely.

According to the press release issued by the Magic, Isaac’s return to the court will depend on how he responds to treatment and rehabilitation. However, given the nature of the injury, it’s safe to assume he won’t be back this summer, and there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to play at all next season.

Isaac was driving to the basket early in the fourth quarter of Orlando’s blowout win over the Kings on Sunday when his left knee buckled and he went down, clutching the knee in pain. He was eventually taken off the court on a wheel chair.

Isaac was on the verge of a breakout 2019/20 season, having averaged career highs in PPG (11.9), RPG (6.8), BPG (2.3), SPG (1.6), and a handful of other categories in the 34 games (28.8 MPG) he played. However, a severe left knee sprain and bone bruise sidelined him on January 1, and his summer comeback effort was abruptly halted on Sunday by another injury to that knee.

As Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes, in the short term, Isaac’s injury will limit the Magic’s playoff upside this summer. However, it’s the long-term impact that figures to be of greater concern to the franchise. The 22-year-old, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, is viewed as perhaps Orlando’s most obvious franchise cornerstone. Now there’s no chance he won’t be back on the court before his rookie contract expires in 2021.

The Magic figure to be patient with Isaac’s injury, which shouldn’t compromise his long-term future in Orlando, but it creates some major questions for the club to answer within the next year or two. For instance, an offseason extension for Isaac had appeared likely, but that will be trickier to negotiate now that he’ll be in the early stages of rehabbing his torn ACL when he becomes extension-eligible.

Additionally, the idea of shopping Isaac’s fellow power forward Aaron Gordon in potential trades this fall figures to look less appealing with Isaac expected to miss most or all of 2020/21, as Robbins observes.

While the Magic will have to eventually consider those issues, for now they’re focused on supporting Isaac.

“It was tough seeing it just knowing what he’s been through and knowing the work he put in to get back out here,” teammate Markelle Fultz said, per Robbins. “Immediately when he went down, I just started to pray for him. I’m hoping everything works out the best for him. He’s just such a good guy.”

“We all love him to death,” Terrence Ross added. “Just to see what he’s been going through these last couple of years, it’s tough on everybody. If anybody can handle this and push through and come out better, it’s J.I. So our prayers are with him, and we’re going to support him no matter what.”

After consecutive wins in their first two seeding games, the Magic are 32-35, placing them seventh in the Eastern Conference and putting them in good position to make the postseason without participating in a play-in tournament. They’ll have to clinch that spot without their best defensive player in the lineup.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jonathan Isaac Suffers Non-Contact Knee Injury

August 2nd, 2020 at 8:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Magic forward Jonathan Isaac left Sunday’s game against Sacramento after suffering an apparent non-contact knee injury, as Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel details.

Isaac was driving to the basket early in the fourth quarter of Orlando’s blowout win over the Kings when his left knee buckled and he went down, clutching the knee in pain. He was eventually taken off the court on a wheel chair.

A severe left knee sprain and bone bruise had sidelined Isaac from January 1 until the season went on hiatus in March, and there was uncertainty about whether he’d be ready to return this summer. After participating in practices and scrimmages in July, the 22-year-old was given the go-ahead to play in the Magic’s seeding games. However, it appears likely that his comeback effort has come to an early end.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter), Isaac is undergoing an MRI on his knee at the Orlando campus on Sunday night. Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated adds (via Twitter) that the team has fears that Isaac suffered a torn ACL. While such an injury would likely sideline the former lottery pick for most or all of the 2020/21 season, there’s no formal diagnosis yet.

For his part, head coach Steve Clifford expressed hope that the injury wouldn’t end up being that serious, as Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press relays (via Twitter).

“I’m hopeful. It looked bad, obviously, but until you hear anything I’m just hopeful, that’s all,” Clifford said. “… It’s all conjecture and you just have to wait and find out.”

As a first-round pick in 2017, Isaac will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason. It’s not clear if the two sides’ chances of getting something done this fall would be adversely affected if the knee injury turns out to be significant.