As Orlando prepares to cut ties with their defensive specialist, Philadelphia could find a high-upside bargain to bolster their frontcourt depth—provided his health and jumper hold up.
There is an expectation that the Orlando Magic will waive Jonathan Isaac, according to Heavy's Sean Deveney.
The reported reason is financial: Orlando is facing a tighter cap situation with Paolo Banchero’s extension approaching, and the Magic are expected to waive and stretch Isaac’s $8 million cap hit rather than use him as trade ballast.
Isaac would not be worth a major asset. He would not be worth chasing in a trade. But if he becomes available as a low-cost free-agent flyer, the Sixers should at least consider the idea.
At his best, Isaac was one of the more disruptive defenders in basketball. His appeal has always started with size, length, and movement. At 6-foot-10 and 230 pounds, he has the frame of a frontcourt player but the mobility to guard across positions. Before injuries reshaped his career, Isaac looked like the type of defender who could switch onto guards, battle wings, protect the rim from the weak side, and clean up mistakes that most players simply could not reach.
That version of Isaac would make sense for almost any playoff team. For Philadelphia, the appeal is obvious. The Sixers have spent years searching for long, athletic defenders who can cover ground around Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and their perimeter scorers. Isaac, if healthy, could give them a defensive specialist who does not need touches to impact a game.
The problem is that “if healthy” has become the defining phrase of his career.
Isaac’s injury history is long and difficult to ignore. He tore his left ACL in 2020, missed the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, returned after more than two years away, and later had season-ending surgery for a torn left adductor in 2023.
The production has also slipped. Isaac averaged just 2.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 0.4 assists, and 0.6 blocks this season while shooting 42.2 percent from the field. He simply was not used outside of garbage time; this is why his acquisition is a gamble for any team.
The shooting is the other issue. Isaac has never fully developed into a reliable floor spacer. He shot 18.4 percent from three this season, and that lack of touch would make his offensive fit tricky in Philadelphia. Having a player on the floor that a team can treat as a free assignment is never a good idea unless that player provides something significant elsewhere. This is where the Sixers have to weigh how valuable they think Issac’s defense is.
Overall, Isaac is not someone the Sixers should aggressively pursue. But if Orlando waives him and the cost drops, he becomes interesting. Defensive tools like his are rare, even after the injuries.
Join The 76ersRoundtable
Head over to the 76ersRoundtable page and hit the "Join" button under the featured story... it's completely FREE! You'll have the opportunity to engage with other 76ers fans who live and breathe the team, share your thoughts on the organization, and more. If you're asked to sign up or download the Roundtable app... that's free too.
Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected].
