Jonathan Isaac is looking huge compared to last season.

[PrimeThyme]

Jonathan Isaac is...

1st in the NBA in blocks
9th in the NBA in steals
1st in the NBA in stocks (steals + blocks combined)
7th in the NBA in deflections
6th in the NBA in shots contested (non-centers)

I feel like the irony of this thread is it's one of the few times that the classic offseason bulking claims has actually mattered once the season started. There is no doubt in my mind that his added size this summer has helped him tremendously. He can guard any player on the court now. In his rookie year and even parts of last year, though he still was special, he couldn't hold his own against bigger offensive players.

He is better in every single way on defense this year, and he is combining that with more efficient offense. This is the kind of jump we were looking for from one of our young guys. It has the potential to propel us to a top 5 defense.

[basketballRob]

I wish they'd bump his minutes up a little

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[Knightro]

Jonathan Isaac is the 5th best player in the NBA according to FiveThirtyEight's RAPTOR rating system.



https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-nba-player-ratings/

RAPTOR uses play-by-play and player-tracking data to calculate each player’s individual plus-minus measurements and wins above replacement, which accounts for playing time. Eligible players are those who have played in at least 70 percent of their team’s games and average at least 24 minutes per game.

[MagicFan101]

Serious question.

Is Isaac on pace to earn an All-Star invite?

Edit / Update:

Last year we had 10 all-star forwards:
LeBron
Durant
Giannis
Kawhi
George
Middleton
Griffin
Dirk
Aldridge
Davis
——————

Durant is out for the year and Dirk retired. If all else stays the same there is room for 2 newbies. Or perhaps even room for guys like Aldridge or Blake to be jumped.


Again, is Isaac playing well enough to be among that group should be stay at this pace?

[Knightro]

Serious question.

Is Isaac on pace to earn an All-Star invite?

If Isaac's defensive metrics are what they are right now (7.2 DBPM) by the time they are picking all-stars, he's a led pipe 100% lock.

Only 5 players since 1974 have had a higher DBPM than where Isaac's currently at.

Ben Wallace in 2003 (won Defensive Player of the Year)
Hakeem Olajuwon in 1990 (All-Defense 1st Team)
Mark Eaton in 1985 (Won Defensive Player of the Year)
Rudy Gobert in 2019 (Won Defensive Player of the Year)
Andrew Bogut in 2016

[MagicFan101]

Serious question.

Is Isaac on pace to earn an All-Star invite?

If Isaac's defensive metrics are what they are right now (7.2 DBPM) by the time they are picking all-stars, he's a led pipe 100% lock.

Only 5 players since 1974 have had a higher DBPM than where Isaac's currently at.

Ben Wallace in 2003 (won Defensive Player of the Year)
Hakeem Olajuwon in 1990 (All-Defense 1st Team)
Mark Eaton in 1985 (Won Defensive Player of the Year)
Rudy Gobert in 2019 (Won Defensive Player of the Year)
Andrew Bogut in 2016

Hard to believe that two years ago he was all but declared a bust around here and just one year ago many (including myself) were at least discussing ... if not outright crying for ... and Isaac for DSjr swap.

[Xatticus]

Jonathan Isaac is the 5th best player in the NBA according to FiveThirtyEight's RAPTOR rating system.



https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-nba-player-ratings/

RAPTOR uses play-by-play and player-tracking data to calculate each player’s individual plus-minus measurements and wins above replacement, which accounts for playing time. Eligible players are those who have played in at least 70 percent of their team’s games and average at least 24 minutes per game.

It must be biased.

[RookieStar]

All-star selection is all about getting buckets no? Sad but chuckers are probably gonna get voted in over him

[MoMM]

Yes, no way he would get an All-Star invite averaging 12ppg and Orlando not being a top team in Eastern Conference.

However, we can definitely see him making All-D# team, but not All-Star Game.

[Ducklett]

I remember the old days (2 years ago) when this board was on fire and mad about drafting Isaac over DSJ. Should we go looking for people's old posts?

[PrimeThyme]

I remember the old days (2 years ago) when this board was on fire and mad about drafting Isaac over DSJ. Should we go looking for people's old posts?

That wasn't even two years ago. People were in threads up until January of last year when Isaac started breaking out complaining that we didn't draft DSJ over him. In fact, I still know a poster to this day that would choose DSJ

Edit:

Like I'm not even kidding, just for kicks I went back and read some threads from last year and there were actually people in December deeming him the next Harkless

Spoiler:

Is Isaac the new harkless?

Harkless came in my mind as well tonight when watching Isaac play.

Posters complaining that we didn't draft him over DSJ was really just the surface level of all the hate that was coming towards him before January of last year. I honestly forgot how bad it got. This was also before we had him start wearing the ankle braces and he had just come off the season-ending injury so many posters were calling him glassman and labeling him a bust because of that.

I'm not trying to take victory laps or anything either, Ive been wrong about plenty of things on this board. Isaac was just one of the most controversial topics of the last few years and it's interesting to see how much opinion has shifted about him.

[GelbeWand09]

I remember the old days (2 years ago) when this board was on fire and mad about drafting Isaac over DSJ. Should we go looking for people's old posts?

That wasn't even two years ago. People were in threads up until January of last year when Isaac started breaking out complaining that we didn't draft DSJ over him. In fact, I still know a poster to this day that would choose DSJ

Edit:

Like I'm not even kidding, just for kicks I went back and read some threads from last year and there were actually people in December deeming him the next Harkless

Spoiler:

Is Isaac the new harkless?

Harkless came in my mind as well tonight when watching Isaac play.

Posters complaining that we didn't draft him over DSJ was really just the surface level of all the hate that was coming towards him before January of last year. I honestly forgot how bad it got. This was also before we had him start wearing the ankle braces and he had just come off the season-ending injury so many posters were calling him glassman and labeling him a bust because of that.

I'm not trying to take victory laps or anything either, Ive been wrong about plenty of things on this board. Isaac was just one of the most controversial topics of the last few years and it's interesting to see how much opinion has shifted about him.

Yea the Isaac bashing was my reason to finally register & post here, despite reading the board since 2010.
I coudn't believe how people can't see, how special & how unique his range on defense already was. Like i wrote in my first post ever. That Spurs home game, a few games into his rookie season, was absolute special. We demolished the spurs & the reason was the 2nd quarter, when Isaac shut down there whole offense as a one man wrecking crew. He was everywhere & disrupting every one of there plays. That was the day i knew he is special & a ''unicorn'' on defense.

[fendilim]

Is it even possible for a player to win DPOY even if he hasnt been an all defensive team member in previous years? Just curious. The nba relies so much on reputation, i feel like its going to be difficult for him to even get a respectable number of votes for DPOY.

[GelbeWand09]

Is it even possible for a player to win DPOY even if he hasnt been an all defensive team member in previous years? Just curious. The nba relies so much on reputation, i feel like its going to be difficult for him to even get a respectable number of votes for DPOY.

I woudnt be surprised if he doesnt even make a all defensive team. Or at least not the 1st team. Nobody watches Orlando, they gonna vote AD despite that you can argue, if he is even there best defender (Dwight) & having a ton of help with almost Toronto like defensive supporting cast (Dwight, Bradley, Green). AD, Gobert, Giannis gonna be the bigs in the 1st, no matter what Isaac does

[KillMonger]

i'm wondering how accurate is the kirlenko comp? like at the same age

[basketballRob]

Is it even possible for a player to win DPOY even if he hasnt been an all defensive team member in previous years? Just curious. The nba relies so much on reputation, i feel like its going to be difficult for him to even get a respectable number of votes for DPOY.

I woudnt be surprised if he doesnt even make a all defensive team. Or at least not the 1st team. Nobody watches Orlando, they gonna vote AD despite that you can argue, that he is not even the best defender on his own team (Dwight) & having a ton of help with almost Toronto like defensive supporting cast (Dwight, Bradley, Green). AD, Gobert, Giannis gonna be the bigs in the 1st, no matter what Isaac does

The Magic will probably start a campaign to get him recognition like they did with Vuc last year.

I'm thinking he might be the first player in a while to receive an extension next summer.

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[MoMM]

i'm wondering how accurate is the kirlenko comp? like at the same age

At 22, AK47 was an All-Star for his 1st and only time, he averaged 16/8/3 + 4.7 stocks. Isaac already is a better 3pt shooter, but Kirilenko gets more points from the FT line.

Some people are saying he might average 25/10 (lol), he can improve for sure, but it's not like it's a sure thing, that was AK's best season (at 22), so the same thing can happen to Isaac, but since I always liked AK, I wouldn't be sad if he doesn't improve in terms of numbers.

AK made All-Defensive 3 times (2x 2nd + a 1st).

[Knightro]

i'm wondering how accurate is the kirlenko comp? like at the same age

Both players were 22 years old in their third seasons so it's a pretty good comparison.

All stats are per 100 possessions

Kirilenko
Counting Stats: 24.6 PTS, 12.0 REB, 4.7 AST, 2.9 STL, 4.1 BLK, 4.1 TO
Shooting Stats: .443 FG%, .338 3PT%, 3.8 3PTA, .790 FT%, 9.5 FTA, .479 eFG%, .559 TS%, .216 3PT Rate, .533 FT Rate
Metrics: 21.9 USG, 6.5 OWS, 5.0 DWS, 11.6 WS, .192 WS/48, 3.6 OBPM, 4.7 DBPM, 8.2 BPM

Isaac
Counting Stats: 20.2 PTS, 11.6 REB, 2.5 AST, 2.5 STL, 5.1 BLK, 2.5 TO
Shooting Stats: .494 FG%, .364 3PT%, 6.0 3PTA, .905 FT%, 3.8 FTA, .568 eFG%, .615 TS%, .407 3PT Rate, .259 FT Rate
Metrics: 16.7 USG, 3.6 OWS (on pace), 7.3 DWS (on pace), 10.9 WS (on pace), .203 WS/48, -0.3 OBPM, 7.3 DBPM, 7.0 BPM

Kirilenko had the basketball in his hands and was much more comfortable with the basketball in his hands than Isaac at the same age. He significantly outpaced Isaac in points, FT attempts and assists.

Isaac is the better shooter from all areas, is much less turnover prone due to his lack of usage and also measures out as the best defender in basketball at this time compared to Kirilenko who was merely excellent on that end.

[yoyojw17]

Serious question.

Is Isaac on pace to earn an All-Star invite?

If Isaac's defensive metrics are what they are right now (7.2 DBPM) by the time they are picking all-stars, he's a led pipe 100% lock.

Only 5 players since 1974 have had a higher DBPM than where Isaac's currently at.

Ben Wallace in 2003 (won Defensive Player of the Year)
Hakeem Olajuwon in 1990 (All-Defense 1st Team)
Mark Eaton in 1985 (Won Defensive Player of the Year)
Rudy Gobert in 2019 (Won Defensive Player of the Year)
Andrew Bogut in 2016

Hard to believe that two years ago he was all but declared a bust around here and just one year ago many (including myself) were at least discussing ... if not outright crying for ... and Isaac for DSjr swap.

And DSjr can barely get time on a team needing talent.... and is playing behind 2 players that this board also sh**s on in payton and frank. lol

and Chuma vs. NAW looks like the most recent possible version

[basketballRob]

i'm wondering how accurate is the kirlenko comp? like at the same age

At 22, AK47 was an All-Star for his 1st and only time, he averaged 16/8/3 + 4.7 stocks. Isaac already is a better 3pt shooter, but Kirilenko gets more points from the FT line.

Some people are saying he might average 25/10 (lol), he can improve for sure, but it's not like it's a sure thing, that was AK's best season (at 22), so the same thing can happen to Isaac, but since I always liked AK, I wouldn't be sad if he doesn't improve in terms of numbers.

AK made All-Defensive 3 times (2x 2nd + a 1st).

I could see him averaging 22 and 12. Right now Evan and Vuc get most of the usage. Vuc also sits under the basket on defense to gobble up all the easy defensive rebounds..

If you bumped up Isaac's usage another 1/3 plus improved offensive moves, 22 pts isn't out of the realm of possibility.

AK47 had terrible injuries which limited his career. Plus Isaac is a late bloomer, growth wise. Meaning Isaac's body isn't fully developed yet. AK47 was a finished product body wise when he came into the league.

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