Jonathan Isaac, the sixth pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, has struggled with injuries throughout his career. Mike Ehrmann / Getty ImagesJuly 1, 2026 Updated 2:56 pm EDTThe Orlando Magic and forward Jonathan Isaac have reached an agreement on a one-year deal for him to return to the team, according to a league source who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been completed.The Magic waived Isaac on Saturday to shave $6.5 million of his partially guaranteed 2026-27 salary of $14.5 million off their cap figure and to eliminate their partial guarantee obligations to Isaac for the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons. Each year had been worth $14.5 million in total before he was waived.Waiving Isaac before re-signing him to a smaller contract was imperative to Orlando because significant salary commitments to Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner have helped to put the franchise over the luxury tax.
Isaac will earn about $4 million less than he would have if the Magic had picked up his original contract. The Magic are $2.5 million from the second apron with 14 contracts.The Magic picked Isaac sixth in the 2017 NBA Draft, but knee injuries have hampered his development on the offensive end. In 52 contests, he averaged a career-low 2.6 points and 2.5 rebounds in 10 minutes per game last season.When healthy, Isaac, who will turn 29 in early October, is one of the league’s most versatile defenders.
