2023-2024 Regular Season Game 47: Orlando Magic (24-22) at Dallas Mavericks (25-21) - 8:30pm

[Fortune Teller]

I’m starting to detest Isaac. Hope this guy is gone as soon as his contract is up.

Weltman and co. Need to make some actual **** decisions for once without players making the decision for him.

it's more on the FO at this point. If he's in and Orlando uniform for next year then we aren't a serious basketball organization.

The fact that he's on the roster this season shows we aren't a serious basketball organization. More than half of his contract this season was non-guaranteed but they decided to continue throwing money at him.

The Magic and Isaac both said he was healthy going into this season, and no one has said different since the season started. So this is *healthy* Isaac...more than halfway through the season and still on an insanely conservative minutes restriction while missing almost half the games. There is zero value to playing 14 mpg every other game. He's little more than a distraction.

And giving him his first start in 4 years and then only playing him 8 minutes is beyond absurd. These 1- and 2-point losses where Mosley jerked around with the lineup and no one knew what Isaac would be contributing are going to come back to haunt them at the end of the season.

[89Magicfan]

I mean dude has had quite a few injuries. I’m not mad. Play the long game here. The man is only 26 too.

[TheChaser]

F**k man. I’m so sick and tired of losing games like this. I feel like we are so close to getting over the proverbial hump, but I also felt like that in a lot of the early games last year where we would jump out to these huge leads just to let them dissipate.

[VFX]

I’m starting to detest Isaac. Hope this guy is gone as soon as his contract is up.

Weltman and co. Need to make some actual **** decisions for once without players making the decision for him.

it's more on the FO at this point. If he's in and Orlando uniform for next year then we aren't a serious basketball organization.

The fact that he's on the roster this season shows we aren't a serious basketball organization. More than half of his contract this season was non-guaranteed but they decided to continue throwing money at him.

The Magic and Isaac both said he was healthy going into this season, and no one has said different since the season started. So this is *healthy* Isaac...more than halfway through the season and still on an insanely conservative minutes restriction while missing almost half the games. There is zero value to playing 14 mpg every other game. He's little more than a distraction.

And giving him his first start in 4 years and then only playing him 8 minutes is beyond absurd. These 1- and 2-point losses where Mosley jerked around with the lineup and no one knew what Isaac would be contributing are going to come back to haunt them at the end of the season.

It’s actually infinitely worse because everyone here knows he is an absolute game changer on the floor. I would bet Orlando wins 5 games at least with him playing real minutes.

It’s really simple..

Are you injured?

No. Ok then get your ass in the game and do the job you are paid to do.

Yes. Ok then you are on the bench until we can trade or cut you because you are injured 100% of the time.

He has no value if he’s relegated to limited minutes and taking games off for being “cautionary”. It makes no **** sense. You are either injured and unable to play or you aren’t. There is so much money just sitting and not doing anything. If Weltman doesn’t make a move by the deadline, then I don’t know what to tell people. This isn’t a serious organization worthy of following.

[VFX]

I mean dude has had quite a few injuries. I’m not mad. Play the long game here. The man is only 26 too.

How long do you play the long game?

Should Orlando keep shelling out large portions of cap space to guys that can’t get on the floor?

[MartinsIzAfraud]

it's more on the FO at this point. If he's in and Orlando uniform for next year then we aren't a serious basketball organization.

The fact that he's on the roster this season shows we aren't a serious basketball organization. More than half of his contract this season was non-guaranteed but they decided to continue throwing money at him.

The Magic and Isaac both said he was healthy going into this season, and no one has said different since the season started. So this is *healthy* Isaac...more than halfway through the season and still on an insanely conservative minutes restriction while missing almost half the games. There is zero value to playing 14 mpg every other game. He's little more than a distraction.

And giving him his first start in 4 years and then only playing him 8 minutes is beyond absurd. These 1- and 2-point losses where Mosley jerked around with the lineup and no one knew what Isaac would be contributing are going to come back to haunt them at the end of the season.

It’s actually infinitely worse because everyone here knows he is an absolute game changer on the floor. I would bet Orlando wins 5 games at least with him playing real minutes.

It’s really simple..

Are you injured?

No. Ok then get your ass in the game and do the job you are paid to do.

Yes. Ok then you are on the bench until we can trade or cut you because you are injured 100% of the time.

He has no value if he’s relegated to limited minutes and taking games off for being “cautionary”. It makes no **** sense. You are either injured and unable to play or you aren’t. There is so much money just sitting and not doing anything. If Weltman doesn’t make a move by the deadline, then I don’t know what to tell people. This isn’t a serious organization worthy of following.

think they're playing the long game while also seeing if he can help this year, shocker the wait-and-see path. If we make the play-ins then take the wheels off. If he can't handle that (which he's shown he can't) then cut him in offseason.

[pepe1991]

I mean dude has had quite a few injuries. I’m not mad. Play the long game here. The man is only 26 too.

How long do you play the long game?

Should Orlando keep shelling out large portions of cap space to guys that can’t get on the floor?

7 years and counting, menaged to get 5 playoff games off him ( 6 ppg, 27% FG) ,as defensive specialist kept Kawhi & SIakam on cumulative 60 ppg /60% TS

Guy is f*** 26 years old and you telling me he can't play second night of 20 min jogging more than f**** 6 +2 min?

Like, it's nba game, every 10 seconds you have stop that lasts for 2 min, 15 min half time, 48 game is streached to 150 min of real time.

[Residual-Heat]

Isaac was all over Luka. We couldve won this if he just played like 5 more minutes. I get wanting to be cautious with him but FFS at the very least let him play the last 2 or 3 minutes of this close game.

[VFX]

I mean dude has had quite a few injuries. I’m not mad. Play the long game here. The man is only 26 too.

How long do you play the long game?

Should Orlando keep shelling out large portions of cap space to guys that can’t get on the floor?

7 years and counting, menaged to get 5 playoff games off him ( 6 ppg, 27% FG) ,as defensive specialist kept Kawhi & SIakam on cumulative 60 ppg /60% TS

Guy is f*** 26 years old and you telling me he can't play second night of 20 min jogging more than f**** 6 +2 min?

Like, it's nba game, every 10 seconds you have stop that lasts for 2 min, 15 min half time, 48 game is streached to 150 min of real time.

Either trade him or just have him sit out indefinitely. Just like how this FO operates, it’s a half assed approach.

They have to know they are going to start pissing off fans when they sit a completely healthy guy for games at a time because they are being “cautionary” with a guy the at makes the most on the team.

What else is the point? Your job is to win basketball games. If you don’t make the playoffs there was zero reason for managing his time and paying him.

[89Magicfan]

I mean dude has had quite a few injuries. I’m not mad. Play the long game here. The man is only 26 too.

How long do you play the long game?

Should Orlando keep shelling out large portions of cap space to guys that can’t get on the floor?

Playoffs…That’s what we all want right? Not just one game against Dallas. Get in and compete. We’re going to need JI. This was JI’s first back to back in how long? Progress is done in small steps.

[89Magicfan]

Some of y’all are too emotional.

[Bergmaniac]

I get that people are frustrated by Isaac's low minutes, but for this year at least I think his impact is worth his salary. Who could we have signed for 16 mln. per year that would have been able to give us such a boost? His impact has been at a superstar level in his limited minutes. Yes, he is doing it mostly against bench lineups and this should be taken into account. But thanks to him we have had dominant defensive performance from the bench even in lineups where Cole, Ingles and Mo have played together. Look at these splits - https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612753&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&PlayerIds=1630175,204060,1628371,1629021

Cole, Ingles and Mo playing with Isaac - 104.17 DRTG, 14.71 net rating.
Cole, Ingles and Mo playing without Isaac - 129.04 DRTG, -11.10 net rating

https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612753&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&PlayerIds=1628371,1629021

Mo playing with Isaac - 103.02 DRTG, 16.44 net rating.
Mo playing without Isaac - 122.60 DRTG, -6.18 net rating.

[VFX]

I mean, I wouldn't care at all if Isaac was some Gary Harris or some inconsequential guy.

He's arguably Orlandos 2-3 best player when healthy and factually the highest paid on the roster. If you expected wins, then you should be pissed with how his tenure under this contract has been handled, specifically this season.

[JoshuaPotter]

I mean, I wouldn't care at all if Isaac was some Gary Harris or some inconsequential guy.

He's arguably Orlandos 2-3 best player when healthy and factually the highest paid on the roster. If you expected wins, then you should be pissed with how his tenure under this contract has been handled, specifically this season.

Apparently G. Harris posted hearts on his twitter.

Isaac mysteriously gets pulled after 8 minutes.....no other update.

Trade?

[yoyojw17]

I mean, I wouldn't care at all if Isaac was some Gary Harris or some inconsequential guy.

He's arguably Orlandos 2-3 best player when healthy and factually the highest paid on the roster. If you expected wins, then you should be pissed with how his tenure under this contract has been handled, specifically this season.

Apparently G. Harris posted hearts on his twitter.

Isaac mysteriously gets pulled after 8 minutes.....no other update.

Trade?

All people needed to see was isaac locking up one of the best offensive weapons in the league.... lol


but for real though... i get the concern by others and i wish we got more of him.... but... we had nothing to really do with that money and put in place many fail safes as well.... which is great. His impact is Freaking beyond obvious. I would honestly hate seeing him bodying up franz or paolo in the future in another uniform. Not sure how they will work it.... but we'll see.

[pepe1991]

I get that people are frustrated by Isaac's low minutes, but for this year at least I think his impact is worth his salary. Who could we have signed for 16 mln. per year that would have been able to give us such a boost? His impact has been at a superstar level in his limited minutes. Yes, he is doing it mostly against bench lineups and this should be taken into account. But thanks to him we have had dominant defensive performance from the bench even in lineups where Cole, Ingles and Mo have played together. Look at these splits - https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612753&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&PlayerIds=1630175,204060,1628371,1629021

Cole, Ingles and Mo playing with Isaac - 104.17 DRTG, 14.71 net rating.
Cole, Ingles and Mo playing without Isaac - 129.04 DRTG, -11.10 net rating

https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612753&Season=2023-24&SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&PlayerIds=1628371,1629021

Mo playing with Isaac - 103.02 DRTG, 16.44 net rating.
Mo playing without Isaac - 122.60 DRTG, -6.18 net rating.

His impact is massive because he plays so little min.
You go in and go balls to a wall for 8-12 min.
You can't get fatigued, you have no foul troubles to worry about, you are tasked with zero offense ( nor you have any role) on offense.
Basically only thing he does is play defense, for 10 min.

For same exect reasons by advanced stats, Gortat was Magic's second best defender in 2009-10.
Hell, Biyombo robbed Hennigan playing identical role on Raptors, and had one good playoff showcase.

Biyombo in playoffs had highest win share, had 3rd highest BPM, highest defensive win share etc.


Beuty of all that, from his perspective is that even if he does apsolutley nothing and plays 8 min and misses out on 84% of a game, and /or goes scoreless, reboundless, assistless, people still defend him "but but, defense":

Guy makes $17M a year to play one side of a court for 14 min once a week. It's mockery.

Like, i would litearlly be ashamed if i'm him, being part of organisation where players play hard, play 40 min a game, and i'm highest payed player going on 5th year in a row with hardly ever playing any sport.

And he sits there talks how Black plays hard during interview and nobody has balls to ask him why he isn't pissed by playing 7 min and 53 seconds of basketball due "load menagment" while being *****ing 26 years old. Guy of his age should be able to run uphill sprints for 30 mins straight, while wearning coach on his back. Not getting Pope treatment.
What's next?

"welcome to 2032 playoffs, here comes Jonathan, we hope he recovered from last flue from 2025, he says he is ready, but coaches will be carefull and keep him wrapped in bubble suit and limit him to virtual high 5s only"




Go out, play, if you can't handle 82 games and break , nba is not for you. Farewell. Suit up next one who can. End of story.

[ChosenSavior]

Well Isaac is not on the injury report so it appears he Magically healed in time for Wednesday.

Gary will remain in his comfortable spot in street clothes yet again...

Read on Twitter

[dsg2021]

I don’t understand why some people are really emotional about Isaac. I would feel embarrassed if any NBA or Magic player ever made me feel like that, like I am some kind of 17 year old hormonal teenager. The inflection point for me would simply be “go back to watching 0-10 Magic games this year.” Out of sight, out of mind. No money or support for the team. And I get to avoid being one of those people whose whole life is about complaining regularly.

Some of you say he’s a top 3-5 Magic player when healthy, which would then justify paying his last 7 mil owed this year.

He also has one last 17 mil year left before we can go hard on trying to keep him on something cheaper and also non-guaranteed again.

Keep in mind that all the rookie-scaled deals have blinded us too. We are about to potentially see the likes of Jalen Suggs get paid 24 mil, Franz Wagner 41 mil, Paolo Banchero 42 mil, WCJ 21 mil, and so forth. And 17 mil is where we throw a fit.

There is also an insane amount of grouping injuries up together. If every Magic player was healthy every game this year except Isaac was having the current season he has right now, there would be wayyyy less complaining about him. Why? It doesn’t make any sense at all. But it would prove that people here got more angry at Isaac when other Magic players became injured this season. If you want a healthier team, you don’t need to cut every single player who was injured for you that year. You get more healthier players, and do individual case by case analysis of which fewer injured players might be worth keeping.

The team we just lost to, DAL, is one of the confirmed teams that has reached out multiple times on trying to acquire Isaac.

Guaranteed if Isaac was released today, there would be about 10 teams hell-bent on acquiring him. Yes, probably older playoff type teams and then maybe much of, but not all, of the younger teams would be less interested. And then we’d even get blasted from the news when 2-3 of the teams who didn’t get Isaac say they would have easily given one mid/late 1st rounder for him.

Then we get to watch as Isaac is a serious impact in a title run. And salvages his healthiest seasons ahead of him still. To what degree, who knows but they’re probably ahead of him with our luck of watching ex-Magic players.

Long story short, we love JI here in Orlando. He gets cheered by our home crowd very loudly. Please ignore the online crowd instead.

[89Magicfan]

Well Isaac is not on the injury report so it appears he Magically healed in time for Wednesday.

Gary will remain in his comfortable spot in street clothes yet again...

Read on Twitter

Well then maybe coach had his reasons. I’d like to know why myself. Maybe for Wemby?

[ChosenSavior]

Well Isaac is not on the injury report so it appears he Magically healed in time for Wednesday.

Gary will remain in his comfortable spot in street clothes yet again...

Read on Twitter

Well then maybe coach had his reasons. I’d like to know why myself. Maybe for Wemby?

Possibly. Most likely though is that they didn't want to over exert him since it's a back to back and Coach probably assumed a bit that the team could at least hold on without him in the 2nd half.

Frustrating as it is, at least he's not injured and will be good to go on Wednesday.