Skin wrote:djhunkyherbs wrote:Nice post. I think there is a lot to like about Isaac, and the sky is the limit for him. What worries me, though, is his role on this team. I agree that ideally he would be a perfect fit next to Gordon, especially defensively, but for a team that desperately needs more offense, I'm just not sure if Isaac is the answer. The starting 5 that you described, Payton/Ross/Isaac/Gordon/Biyombo, would almost certainly be one of the worst offenses in the NBA, if not the worst, and it wouldn't even be that much better if you substituted Vucevic for Biyombo.
What the Magic sorely lack, in my opinion, is a go-to scorer, or someone who you can rely on to get buckets when the team desperately needs them. The Magic have tried to turn several guys on the roster into this go-to scoring option, and none of it has really worked. Can Isaac be that guy? I'm skeptical, and in the little bit I saw from him at FSU he looked passive, which has me worried.
With that being said, though, Isaac obviously has a ton of potential and if he can put it all together he can be a very good player. Dennis Smith, Jr. is still my guy, but if the Magic do pick Isaac I won't be that upset.
I totally get the skepticism and I thought about that too. But I told myself that I can't think about fixing this roster in one year. I just can't put those expectations on the player we pick at 6. In the short term, we will just have to rely on improved scoring off the bench... which is what Fournier, Vucevic and others could very well do. In the long term, we focus on developing our youth and hopefully in 2-3 years time, they blossom.
The thing about Isaac that makes him more than just attractive for his defense is his variety of offensive skills at a player his size. Outside of the ridiculously high release point he has on his unblockable shot... You just don't see many big men even capable of bringing the ball up court... or shooting floaters down the lane... dribble jab... driving to the lane right or left... Eurostepping... or having a high passing IQ. He has a collection of raw skills which glimmers potential, but he has yet to put it all together. He's still prone to making mistakes and in the NBA he will be pushed around until he adds weight and muscle. But this ball of clay is made up of really good stuff!
There is the critique that he appears passive, but he is also an unselfish passer who was a freshman on a veteran squad. I think it's fair that he would look passive as an NBA rookie due to the same sort of issue, but I also think he's shown more than enough to get the respect of his elders and provide an immediate impact in the role he was given.
At 19 years old, 6'10 with plenty of room to grow, he offers a high floor and a high ceiling because he can already defend multiple positions, shoot the ball,
put it on the floor, create for himself and others, rebound, and protect the rim. As I said before, there aren’t many players like him in the game.
I wasn't trying to troll, just like you weren't trying to find a good comparison. 
