There are players you remember because of the banners they help raise.
There are players you remember because of the statistics they compile.
And then there are players like Jonathan Isaac, whose legacy can’t be measured by points, rebounds or even games played.
Read more Parents of 255-pound 7-year-old boy charged with killing him with junk food
If Sunday’s deadline comes and the Orlando Magic, as expected, waive Isaac to avoid guaranteeing the $14.5 million remaining on his contract, it will mark the end of one of the most bittersweet chapters in franchise history.
The move won’t be personal. It will be practical. The Magic are brushing up against the NBA’s unforgiving second apron, and every dollar matters. They just drafted former USF forward Izaiyah Nelson in the second round and have indicated they intend to keep him on the roster. Somebody has to lose a roster spot, and somebody has to create financial flexibility. Sadly, it appears that somebody is Jonathan Isaac.
Perhaps there is still a happy ending. Maybe the Magic waive him, allow him to clear waivers and then bring him back at a more team-friendly salary. That remains possible. But it is equally possible another contender decides a healthy J.I. is still worth the gamble.
If that happens, Orlando won’t simply be losing a reserve forward. The franchise will be saying goodbye to its longest-tenured player, and that feels significant because, for a brief moment in time, Jonathan Isaac looked as though he might become one of the very best defensive players in basketball.
Remember that player?
The impossibly long, impossibly agile forward who could switch onto point guards one possession and battle centers the next. The young man who erased shots at the rim, swallowed passing lanes on the perimeter and flashed enough offensive promise that you wondered if he might someday become an All-Star.
He was only beginning to scratch the surface.
Then came the injuries.
Not one injury. Not two. Entire seasons disappeared. Every time Isaac seemed ready to reclaim his career, another setback interrupted it. The cruel reality is that his basketball story will forever be defined less by what he accomplished than by what he never got the chance to become.
That’s what makes this potential ending so sad.
Nobody could question Isaac’s perseverance. Every rehabilitation was attacked with optimism. Every comeback attempt was genuine. Every setback was met with more determination instead of self-pity. He simply kept working.
The Magic kept believing in him as well. Part of that faith was undoubtedly tied to his extraordinary upside. Part of it may have been because Isaac was Jeff Weltman’s very first draft pick after taking over basketball operations. But mostly, I think, it was because everyone inside the organization understood exactly who Jonathan Isaac was.
He was an exceptional teammate. He was respected throughout the locker room. He represented the franchise with dignity in the community. In an era when athletes are often measured by their social media following or endorsement portfolio, Isaac quietly became one of Central Florida’s most dependable ambassadors.
His faith wasn’t something he put on for interviews. It defined the way he lived.
As an ordained Christian minister, he consistently tried to practice what he preached. Many athletes thank God after victories; J.I. thanked God after adversity. He launched Unitus, a faith-based apparel and sneaker company rooted in biblical principles. He authored a best-selling book, “Why I Stand,” chronicling his spiritual journey and the convictions that shaped his life.
Read more Florida restaurants, show us your fees: New state law cracks down on hidden dining surcharges
Of course, the title of his book was based on what happened during the NBA bubble in 2020, when every Magic player knelt during the national anthem following the death of George Floyd. Jonathan Isaac stood. He also declined to wear the league’s “Black Lives Matter” warmup shirt, instantly becoming one of the most talked-about players in the NBA.
His decision was controversial then, and it remains controversial today. Some applauded him. Others sharply criticized him. But regardless of where anyone stood politically, there was one thing that could never be questioned: Isaac understood exactly what the reaction would be before he made his choice.
He knew he would be criticized. He knew he would be called an “Uncle Tom.” He knew many people would misunderstand his motives. Yet he stood anyway.
He repeatedly explained that his decision flowed from his Christian faith rather than politics. He said he believed Black lives matter but didn’t believe kneeling or wearing a T-shirt was the only way to express that belief. Instead, he argued that lasting change for all lives begins with the gospel and with transformed hearts. Whether you agreed with him or not, there was never any doubt that he was acting out of deeply held conviction rather than convenience.
I’ve always admired that about Jonathan Isaac.
Not because I agreed with every opinion he expressed, but because authenticity has become increasingly rare in modern sports. Too many public figures carefully calculate every statement. Too many chase approval before speaking. Jonathan Isaac never seemed interested in doing either. He simply tried to live according to his beliefs, even when doing so came with consequences.
Maybe that’s why this roster move feels different from most. Every offseason, players come and go. Salary-cap math forces front offices into difficult decisions, and the NBA’s second apron has made sentiment almost impossible to afford.
This isn’t really about whether Jonathan Isaac is worth $14.5 million. It’s about recognizing that professional sports often reduce human stories to financial calculations. Sometimes the numbers erase a story before it ever receives the ending it deserved.
Jonathan Isaac deserved a healthier career. The Magic deserved to discover just how great he could have become. Basketball fans deserved to watch a defender whose ceiling may never have been reached.
Maybe this isn’t goodbye. Maybe Orlando finds a way to bring him back after waivers. I certainly hope so.
But if he ends up playing for another team this season, I won’t remember Isaac for the games he missed, but I’ll remember him for the man he is. A teammate who never complained; a community leader who always showed up; and a man of faith who refused to compromise his convictions simply because they were unpopular.
In the end, injuries have derailed Jonathan Isaac’s Magic career.
They never derailed his character.
Email me at [email protected]. Hit me up on social media @BianchiWrites and listen to my radio show “Game On” every weekday from 3 to 6 p.m. on FM 96.9, AM 740 and 969TheGame.com/listen.
Read more Hurricane center forecasts system could develop off Florida coast