Report: Magic's Jonathan Isaac to Play vs. Celtics in Return 2+ Years After Injury

Orlando Magic big man Jonathan Isaac is reportedly set to return to the court for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Isaac will play in Monday's contest against the Boston Celtics. He suffered a torn ACL in August 2020 during a game against the Sacramento Kings at the Walt Disney World Resort after the NBA restarted its season following a delay for the COVID-19 pandemic.

That wasn't his only setback, as he suffered a hamstring injury when he was rehabbing last season that required surgery.

"I can see the light at the end of the tunnel," Isaac told reporters at Media Day. "I want to get on the court (with my teammates). I'm excited about it."

He was recently assigned to the Lakeland Magic, which is Orlando's NBA G League affiliate, as he worked his way back to his eventual return.

There was a time when the Magic surely envisioned the Florida State product as an important building block for the franchise. They selected him with the No. 6 overall pick of the 2017 NBA draft and then selected Texas' Mohamed Bamba with the No. 6 overall pick of the next year's draft.

Yet injuries are one reason they haven't lived up to expectations as franchise cornerstones.

Isaac appeared in 27 games as a rookie and appeared to turn the corner with 75 games in his second season. However, he played 34 games in his third season prior to the setback against the Kings, averaging 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 47 percent from the field.

It probably isn't realistic to expect him to be a consistent double-double threat every time he steps on the court until he has a handful of games under his belt, but he can still be a rim protector on the defensive side.

Orlando is also just 17-29 on the season and not a realistic contender, meaning it isn't a realistic contender and can work Isaac back into the lineup without the pressures of a playoff race.