The Orlando Magic have already started reshaping their roster for the 2026-27 season, and Jonathan Isaac is one of the biggest names still hanging in the balance.
Isaac was waived by Orlando earlier in the week, a move that saved the team $6.5 million. Even so, his time with the Magic may not be over just yet. There’s a path for the two sides to reconnect on a deal that would come in below the number he was slated to make next season.
That possibility makes sense on paper. Isaac has been with Orlando since the team took him No. 6 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, and his presence could still carry weight in a new-look setup under head coach Sean Sweeney. The Magic may not have wanted him at his previous contract, but they could be open to bringing him back at a different price.
Orlando already extended Isaac in 2024 after he impressed following his return from injury, but he wasn’t able to carry that postseason momentum forward. A knee strain knocked him out of the playoffs this past season, though he was not expected to be part of the postseason rotation anyway.
Even if his role is limited to the back end of the bench, the Magic could still find value in keeping him around. He is well-liked inside the locker room, and Orlando’s chemistry would not take a hit with him still in the building. He could also give the team some much-needed stability in a big man group that is expected to look different before long.
That frontcourt uncertainty matters. Orlando used a second-round pick on Izaiyah Nelson last week, and he could become part of the rotation. But the team still has to figure out how ready Nelson is to handle meaningful minutes, which could make Isaac a useful bridge option - a veteran presence for the rookie to learn from.
There is also the possibility that Moe Wagner is on the move. Wagner has been in Orlando since 2021, but the Magic are preparing for the chance that he finds a new NBA home. If that happens, Isaac becomes even more attractive as a backup big man behind Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze.
If Orlando and Isaac do not reach a new deal, there should be interest elsewhere. The New York Knicks could make sense, especially with Isaac being from the Big Apple and Mitchell Robinson potentially on the move this offseason. The New Orleans Pelicans are another fit, particularly with former Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley now leading the way in New Orleans.
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For Orlando, the loss stings a little more because this was not just a name on the end of the bench. Wagner was working his way back from a torn ACL, and the Magic had already been navigating their center rotation with Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze ahead of him, making his departure a reminder of how quickly a useful piece can disappear from the picture. The frontcourt is still intact, but one of the more dependable reinforcements the team could turn to is now gone. [Read more 🡒]