Jonathon Isaac

[doordoor123]

If Isaac can't play the 3, he's just an athletic stretch 4 that hasn't proved he can stretch yet. His value declines a lot. He's not even a big that can handle the ball or can create in the post. He's also too skinny to give good screens.

I still have him ranked high because someone that big and athletic could be something because he's young, but I can also see him not working out well enough. IMO his value is in defending wings, but if he can't do that, why is he valuable? There are better shot blockers/potential shot blockers and there are better stretch players. And if he can't get his weight/strength up he's going to have a problem finishing at the rim.

I'm so conflicted with this guy. My heart says he's a top 6 pick, but my head says he's a late lotto pick.

He's shown better solid stretch potential for a 19 year old forward.
78% at the line,41 percent on two point jumpers with 36% of those assisted,35% percent from three.
Thats average shooting ability for a wing lottery prospect but above average/good for big lottery prospect.
He's shooting stats are around Harrison Barnes,Oladipo in college and as a big he's shooting stats are rather good.
He also has pretty elite defensive stat for a 19 year old with 12 rebounds per 40,near 6 blocks and steals combined per 100 poss, high DRPM,Good defensive rating. Must players who have around these stats are usually great defenders in the Nba: Kawhi,Draymond,Roberson.

Statistically, Isaac was a difference-maker at Florida State, and the company he kept bodes well for his future. He was one of only five high major defenders since 2009-10 to post a 25 percent defensive rebounding rate, six percent block rate, and 2.4 percent steal rate. The other four? Anthony Davis, who has twice made the NBA's All-Defensive team; Andre Roberson, who is likely to make the same squad this season; Dewayne Dedmon.

The main critiques on Isaac for me is he low creation usage at FSU,Missing one aspect of great defense prospects for me strength.
He's improved as passer as the season went on as he posted a 0.92 AST/TO ratio in conference play so his awareness as a big combined with his high steal rate makes me think he has good awareness as a big. Has a high FTR at 0.46 and 0.5 in conference Many players make a big jump in creation ability from freshman to sophomore year and Isaac is player who improved a lot in a short period of time from junior year to now give me some hope for improvement not a lot. A weird thing I saw in profile was that he was rarely used with a ball handler as a big instead usually used as a off ball wing. Had the lowest usage as a PicknRoll big as I have seen as a guy with his size. Guys like David lee,Milsap,Joakim Noah were able to do this well as young players as there creation ability improved.If Isaac could show ability in this aspect to use his shooting,speed to more use outside of shooting and cutting he's offensive outlook looks solid as a big. This is something I want to see tbh a big who can rim run and shoot and has good awareness is invaluable to NBA teams which can explode a teams offense with good guards.

Well yeah, that's why I consider him a high draft pick, his defense. Automatically someone with that size and length becomes a force, but what you're not taking into account are NBA athletes. Can he defend 3s that are NBA athletes? Because many on this sub don't think so. If he can't his defense won't be as successful because he doesn't clog lanes and he doesn't stop scorers from going in the paint. On the inside he's more likely going to get out-strengthened. And the guys you mentioned aren't great three point shooters, they're streaky three point shooters. With that said he doesn't have a bad shot and his free throw percentage is good news. It's just that time of the year I find a reason to question everyone.

[Derento]

I think Isaac has shown enough to be pretty firm in the top 8 and his completion in bigs is pretty lacking.
The only ones that can really challenge him right now is Zach Collins and Markannen.
Patton if he was not so soft he could be in the mix.
Markannen:great shooting stats,bad defensive stats,good production
Z collins:Great production,ok shooting stats,good defensive stats,bad awareness.

[SelfishPlayer]

The small forward talk has given him more perceived value than he has. At the beginning of the college season there were comparisons between him and Durant. In reality he is a 4 man. I can't call him a power forward because he has no power. The NBA has a bunch of SF's turned stretch 4's that have more power, agility, and speed than Isaac. Isaac's real value to me came from having more length than just about all NBA SF's. That doesn't matter because that will not be the position he plays unless a coach does what Orlando did with Aaron Gordon this past season. This draft is not strong enough for Isaac not to be a lottery pick. I value Ball, Fox, Fultz, Jackson, Tatum, and Smith ahead of him.

[Kolkmania]

Warning: really long post (copied it from my Sixers board), but I'd like to hear your thoughts. As you'll read I'm much higher on Isaac than most of you.

First of all, I don't see Isaac as a standard wing/small forward in the NBA. He's a stretch forward with the qualities to become a situational center for me. Keep this in mind.
Envisioning Isaac as a weakside rim protector on defense and stretch forward on offense negates the criticism that he's not quick and crafty enough to create his own shots. Well, it doesn't negate those statements, but it makes them less relevant.
On offense he was a low usage player at Florida State. Making plays off the catch and he kept the ball moving at all times, that's valuable in the modern NBA. He made 92 of his 118 FT attempts and ended with a .348 three point shooting percentage after a slow finish of the season. Combine that with his promising shooting history in high school and I think he'll at least be an average three point shooter in the NBA. Certainly good enough to stretch the defense.
However, that's not where it stops for me. Besides standing in the corner and the pick and pop, he has some potential to become a capable roller off the screen. He's very mobile for his size , his BB IQ surprised me this season and he made plenty of good reads that makes me think that he'll make the right decision between attacking the rim or kicking the ball to a three point shooter.

A rare pick and roll situation with Isaac as the ball handler, patient and making a good read to pass the ball to the rolling Koumadje. It's not a play on the move, but it shows some vision by Isaac. College basketball is an entire different sport than NBA basketball since the pace is so different and the lane is at all times clogged. Imagine Isaac in Houston's offense replacing Ryan Anderson, poor LMA.

Watch on YouTube

However there weren't many similar occasions. Isaac posted a very low AST% and the combination with his relatively high TOV% (7.5/13.3) confirms this. It's certainly an aspect that Isaac has to work on, but part of that poor ratio is his willingness to move the ball. Isaac knew his role with Florida State and moved the ball to the weakside to create space for Bacon, Mann, etc to attack. The times he positioned himself in between two zones he seems able to make the right pass.
The combination of limited finishing abilities at the rim and assist/turnover ratio issues will probably limit him as a low usage guy in the NBA as well, especially in his early years. The chance that he'll ever become a first or second option on offense is slim, but he's capable to make some plays coming off screens and creating off the dribble, especially when he limits the dribbles to 2/3.

The next video shows some examples of Isaac shooting after a jab stap (0:35), stepping away from closeout (several), attacking the closeout (several), shooting off a screen (1:15).

Watch on YouTube

Occasionally he brought the ball up the court, if the defense did a poor job attacking the ball handler he could rise up and hit a transition three. Defenses need to defend him in transition, could become valuable as a trailing big, ready to pop a three.

Watch on YouTube

Ignore the title, but this high school mixtape shows some of the versatility and dribble moves Isaac has. If he can further improve his handles, strengthen his core and gain a bit more explosiveness with professional NBA training, the sky is the limit.

Watch on YouTube

During the season Isaac shot an excellent 41.0% of his two point jumpers, this is even more impressive if you consider only 36.0% of these jumpers were assisted. He's also very good at getting to the rim and drawing the foul, posting a FTr of .461. However, Isaac's ability to finish at the rim wasn't impressive. Although his percentage says otherwise (69.8%, with about half of the shots assisted), he seemed very stiff and his upper body looked out of control at times. Professional training regimes could and should improve his core strength, but I doubt he'll ever become a creative finisher at the rim.

So offensively Isaac shows some promise, mostly as a low usage role, but probably not a negative on the court. Defensively, he might be the best prospect of this draft class after OG Anunoby. Jonathan Isaac has a wiry frame, but he competes on the boards. His 25.0 DREB% says it all, despite playing big minutes next to giants like Ojo and Koumadje. For the readers that don't have an idea how high that is, KAT had a 22.3 DREB%, Anthony Davis 25.6 DREB% and Myles Turner had 24.9 DREB%.

Due to his weak frame, he'll be limited to playing the 4 in his early years in the NBA, but he'll be able to make an immediate impact with his tremendous feel for weakside help. He posted a 6.2 BLK% while often being dragged out to the perimeter.
On the perimeter he's not a liability either, he has quick hands (2.4 STL%) and is quite mobile for his length.

Watch him being a pest on the defensive end, making the lives of Justin Jackson and Jayson Tatum miserable.

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

An example of Isaac's excellent ability to provide weakside rim protection.

Watch on YouTube

Isaac has good footwork, which allows him to play in a more switch-orientated defensive scheme. I'm not overly impressed by his hip mobility, but he's making an effort and like I said his feet are quick.

Watch on YouTube

I saved the best for last, watch him flying all over the court in the next clip. Constantly scanning the floor to provide help, nearly stealing the ball, recover to his man and at last end the possession with a clean block. These plays make me fall in love with him.

Watch on YouTube

Conclusion
So to conclude, Jonathan Isaac is an intriguing prospect for me. Offensively he'll likely thrive as a low usage guy, due to his limited playmaking abilities, sloppy handles and poor body control at the rim. If he can improve his handle and core strength, he could eventually grow into a 3rd or occasional 2nd option on offense.
Defensively, Jonathan Isaac seems elite to me. Big time rebounder, rim protector while being nimble on the perimeter and quick hands to deflect passes and strip opponents. Does that sound as a prototypical defender in the modern NBA? To me it does.

[Duke4life831]

I think its a very well thought out post for sure and I think you definitely did youre homework on him. I think youre being pretty optimistic with him though. Honestly I see his upside as like a skinnier Serge Ibaka and not the earlier seasons when he was Serge Iblocka blocking 4 shots a game, but the one we have seen the past few seasons. I just have very little optimism for his ability to create his own shot offensively and if you cant do that, you cant become a reliable 2nd or 3rd option as a scorer unless youre elite of the elite shooter like a Klay Thompson. You dont want to rely on Serge as being youre 2nd or 3rd scoring option. I think hes going to be a really good 3&D 4 once he puts on some weight (which I think he will).

Serge this year put up 15/7 with 1.5 blocks while shooting 48/39/85. I think those will be similar numbers that Isaac is going to put up in his prime. I dont think hes going to be a star but I think hes going to be a starter any team in the league would like to have on their roster.

[Kolkmania]

I think its a very well thought out post for sure and I think you definitely did youre homework on him. I think youre being pretty optimistic with him though. Honestly I see his upside as like a skinnier Serge Ibaka and not the earlier seasons when he was Serge Iblocka blocking 4 shots a game, but the one we have seen the past few seasons. I just have very little optimism for his ability to create his own shot offensively and if you cant do that, you cant become a reliable 2nd or 3rd option as a scorer unless youre elite of the elite shooter like a Klay Thompson. You dont want to rely on Serge as being youre 2nd or 3rd scoring option. I think hes going to be a really good 3&D 4 once he puts on some weight (which I think he will).

Serge this year put up 15/7 with 1.5 blocks while shooting 48/39/85. I think those will be similar numbers that Isaac is going to put up in his prime. I dont think hes going to be a star but I think hes going to be a starter any team in the league would like to have on their roster.

Well I agree with you that it's somewhat unlikely that he'll ever develop into a second option on offense, like I mentioned in the post. Isaac is certainly not as strong as Ibaka, but he does offer more versatility on that end imo. The statline you posted is indeed a realistic one, combine that with being a positive contributor on the defensive end makes him a really valuable player imo.

Part of him being my #2 is that I like Jonathan Isaac, part of it is because I'm lower on Ball and Jackson.

[Duke4life831]

I think its a very well thought out post for sure and I think you definitely did youre homework on him. I think youre being pretty optimistic with him though. Honestly I see his upside as like a skinnier Serge Ibaka and not the earlier seasons when he was Serge Iblocka blocking 4 shots a game, but the one we have seen the past few seasons. I just have very little optimism for his ability to create his own shot offensively and if you cant do that, you cant become a reliable 2nd or 3rd option as a scorer unless youre elite of the elite shooter like a Klay Thompson. You dont want to rely on Serge as being youre 2nd or 3rd scoring option. I think hes going to be a really good 3&D 4 once he puts on some weight (which I think he will).

Serge this year put up 15/7 with 1.5 blocks while shooting 48/39/85. I think those will be similar numbers that Isaac is going to put up in his prime. I dont think hes going to be a star but I think hes going to be a starter any team in the league would like to have on their roster.

Well I agree with you that it's somewhat unlikely that he'll ever develop into a second option on offense, like I mentioned in the post. Isaac is certainly not as strong as Ibaka, but he does offer more versatility on that end imo. The statline you posted is indeed a realistic one, combine that with being a positive contributor on the defensive end makes him a really valuable player imo.

Part of him being my #2 is that I like Jonathan Isaac, part of it is because I'm lower on Ball and Jackson.

I am no way saying I dont think he can be a valuable player. I do think there is a high bust potential for him but I do think there is a good chance he becomes that 15/7 player that is a good defender. I personally just dont see the versatility potential on offense from him. If he had ball skills and had a potential to be a guy that can split time at the 3 or the 4, I would be with you. I dont see that though, I think there is a far far greater chance he is a 4/5 hybrid instead of a 4/3 hybrid. I personally just see his potential as a really good role player but not a star on your team. I just think there are a good amount of guys in this draft that have a really high offensive potential with solid defensive potential to go with it.

[Kolkmania]

I think its a very well thought out post for sure and I think you definitely did youre homework on him. I think youre being pretty optimistic with him though. Honestly I see his upside as like a skinnier Serge Ibaka and not the earlier seasons when he was Serge Iblocka blocking 4 shots a game, but the one we have seen the past few seasons. I just have very little optimism for his ability to create his own shot offensively and if you cant do that, you cant become a reliable 2nd or 3rd option as a scorer unless youre elite of the elite shooter like a Klay Thompson. You dont want to rely on Serge as being youre 2nd or 3rd scoring option. I think hes going to be a really good 3&D 4 once he puts on some weight (which I think he will).

Serge this year put up 15/7 with 1.5 blocks while shooting 48/39/85. I think those will be similar numbers that Isaac is going to put up in his prime. I dont think hes going to be a star but I think hes going to be a starter any team in the league would like to have on their roster.

Well I agree with you that it's somewhat unlikely that he'll ever develop into a second option on offense, like I mentioned in the post. Isaac is certainly not as strong as Ibaka, but he does offer more versatility on that end imo. The statline you posted is indeed a realistic one, combine that with being a positive contributor on the defensive end makes him a really valuable player imo.

Part of him being my #2 is that I like Jonathan Isaac, part of it is because I'm lower on Ball and Jackson.

I am no way saying I dont think he can be a valuable player. I do think there is a high bust potential for him but I do think there is a good chance he becomes that 15/7 player that is a good defender. I personally just dont see the versatility potential on offense from him. If he had ball skills and had a potential to be a guy that can split time at the 3 or the 4, I would be with you. I dont see that though, I think there is a far far greater chance he is a 4/5 hybrid instead of a 4/3 hybrid. I personally just see his potential as a really good role player but not a star on your team. I just think there are a good amount of guys in this draft that have a really high offensive potential with solid defensive potential to go with it.

Yeah I agree with that. If you don't look at him as a 3/4, but as a 4/5 his lack of offensive polish is less important.
The clips are shown because there is some potential in him as an offensive player, it's not likely to become a consistent threat though. If he'll ever be able to beat a mismatch and attack off the catch, then he's worth a top 2 pick in this draft(!) imo.

[Derento]

He needs to work on being aggressive in transition. He's very efficient in the half court and know where to go for spacing and movement but in transition he struggles to go coast to coast or as a rim runner. This usually the opposite for young players.

[Derento]

Gaining strength and working hard on his handle will help. If he could be able to start the break that could add another valuable offensive skill along with his good defensive rebounding.

[Duke4life831]

Well I agree with you that it's somewhat unlikely that he'll ever develop into a second option on offense, like I mentioned in the post. Isaac is certainly not as strong as Ibaka, but he does offer more versatility on that end imo. The statline you posted is indeed a realistic one, combine that with being a positive contributor on the defensive end makes him a really valuable player imo.

Part of him being my #2 is that I like Jonathan Isaac, part of it is because I'm lower on Ball and Jackson.

I am no way saying I dont think he can be a valuable player. I do think there is a high bust potential for him but I do think there is a good chance he becomes that 15/7 player that is a good defender. I personally just dont see the versatility potential on offense from him. If he had ball skills and had a potential to be a guy that can split time at the 3 or the 4, I would be with you. I dont see that though, I think there is a far far greater chance he is a 4/5 hybrid instead of a 4/3 hybrid. I personally just see his potential as a really good role player but not a star on your team. I just think there are a good amount of guys in this draft that have a really high offensive potential with solid defensive potential to go with it.

Yeah I agree with that. If you don't look at him as a 3/4, but as a 4/5 his lack of offensive polish is less important.
The clips are shown because there is some potential in him as an offensive player, it's not likely to become a consistent threat though. If he'll ever be able to beat a mismatch and attack off the catch, then he's worth a top 2 pick in this draft(!) imo.

I think you and I have basically the same conclusion on him, its just you have more optimism about him improving his ball skills than I do. I think thats the big question for him. I personally just dont see the potential there. The level you need to create your own offense on the NBA level is insanely high, I didnt think he was all that good at it consistently in high school and I thought he was pretty bad at it in college, so thats why I guess I sound pessimistic when it comes to his ball skills. Either way I think hes a solid pick around the 10th pick.

[cedric76]

If Orlando miss on Fultz I hope they draft Isaac

Isaac +Gordon combo would be very nice

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[Kolkmania]

If Orlando miss on Fultz I hope they draft Isaac

Isaac +Gordon combo would be very nice

Sent from my SM-A310F using RealGM mobile app

Not sure offensively, Isaac doesn't have the burst to play the 3 effectively and Gordon should play the 4 at all times.

[No-Man]

If Orlando miss on Fultz I hope they draft Isaac

Isaac +Gordon combo would be very nice

Sent from my SM-A310F using RealGM mobile app

Not sure offensively, Isaac doesn't have the burst to play the 3 effectively and Gordon should play the 4 at all times.

Gordon-Isaac as a PF/C pairing is def intriguing.

[Kolkmania]

If Orlando miss on Fultz I hope they draft Isaac

Isaac +Gordon combo would be very nice

Sent from my SM-A310F using RealGM mobile app

Not sure offensively, Isaac doesn't have the burst to play the 3 effectively and Gordon should play the 4 at all times.

Gordon-Isaac as a PF/C pairing is def intriguing.

Really intriguing on both ends, but it will take a few years of intensive strengthening program to transform Isaac into a full time center. I'd rather take a more cautious approach and let his body strengthen over the years like the Bucks tend to do.

[916fan]

Not sure offensively, Isaac doesn't have the burst to play the 3 effectively and Gordon should play the 4 at all times.

Gordon-Isaac as a PF/C pairing is def intriguing.

Really intriguing on both ends, but it will take a few years of intensive strengthening program to transform Isaac into a full time center. I'd rather take a more cautious approach and let his body strengthen over the years like the Bucks tend to do.

Is Orlando sold on Aaron Gordon being their franchise player? If not, then I think it's time for them to find a franchise player. Time to quit screwing around because their post-Dwight rebuild hasn't worked out at all. I think DSJ should be the best pick for them. He'll fit in every lineup. You can even play him off-ball with Fournier running the point too. Isaac has a lot of raw potential, but I don't think he has the aggression to be a #1 scorer. While I think Isaac is a good long-term fit next to Gordon, I think Orlando needs to find a franchise player more than anything right now. Their core is a little older too. Vucevic and Fournier turning 27 this year. Biyombo turning 25. Gordon, Hezonja, and Payton are still younger though, 23 and under.

I wonder if Orl tries to package Vucevic and Fournier for picks, and start a full-on rebuild? In that case, I could justify spending a pick on Isaac.

[Kolkmania]

Gordon-Isaac as a PF/C pairing is def intriguing.

Really intriguing on both ends, but it will take a few years of intensive strengthening program to transform Isaac into a full time center. I'd rather take a more cautious approach and let his body strengthen over the years like the Bucks tend to do.

Is Orlando sold on Aaron Gordon being their franchise player? If not, then I think it's time for them to find a franchise player. Time to quit screwing around because their post-Dwight rebuild hasn't worked out at all. I think DSJ should be the best pick for them. He'll fit in every lineup. You can even play him off-ball with Fournier running the point too. Isaac has a lot of raw potential, but I don't think he has the aggression to be a #1 scorer. While I think Isaac is a good long-term fit next to Gordon, I think Orlando needs to find a franchise player more than anything right now. Their core is a little older too. Vucevic and Fournier turning 27 this year. Biyombo turning 25. Gordon, Hezonja, and Payton are still younger though, 23 and under.

I wonder if Orl tries to package Vucevic and Fournier for picks, and start a full-on rebuild? In that case, I could justify spending a pick on Isaac.

Jonathan Isaac isn't going to be a primary scorer and I agree with your take that Orlando should take some risk and draft the prospect with the highest upside, even if he has the biggest bust potential. De'Aaron Fox, Dennis Smith jr and Jayson Tatum would have my preference, in that order.

Problem with trading for high picks is that the teams owning those picks are in the same situation as Orlando. They want that franchise player to build around. The Wolves and Sixers might have their player, but they shouldn't have any interest in a package of Vucevic and Fournier.

[GimmeDat]

I personally think there's a whole lot of overlap between Gordon and Isaac. I don't see them being a great fit together.

Isaac is a 4, I think 5 is a stretch. Maybe very situationally.

[nykgeneralmanager]

Anyone else see Rashard Lewis with perhaps lower usage/offensive ceiling?

[RightToCensor]

Too much is getting looked into if Issac can be a 1st or 2nd option, and people are ignoring the potential impact he can have on a game with his combination of rim protection and switching ability on defense and his shooting and quickness at the PF position.