The Orlando Magic waived Jonathan Isaac on Saturday, ending a run that began when they took him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft and making him available again just before free agency opens Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET. The move, first reported by NBA insider Jake Fischer, puts the 28-year-old forward on the market after he spent his entire career in Orlando.
Isaac’s departure comes after a season in which he averaged a career-low 2.6 points in 10.0 minutes per game during the 2025-26 regular season, then missed the end of the year because of a knee sprain. That limited scoring line, though, does not tell the full story of why he still has a market. The Orlando Magic posted a 106.1 defensive rating with him on the floor last season, compared with 113.7 when he sat, a gap that keeps him relevant for teams that value size and resistance more than shot volume.
The timing matters because clubs are setting their boards now, and the list of possible landing spots already points to a few frontcourt openings. The Phoenix Suns could be a suitor after agreeing Thursday to a three-year contract worth $38 million with Mark Williams, while also keeping young options such as Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro under head coach Jordan Ott. The Sacramento Kings have rookies Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell showing promise, while Domantas Sabonis remains on the roster even as his name has surfaced in trade rumors. The New York Knicks, meanwhile, are coming off a championship victory for the first time in 53 years, but Mitchell Robinson may depart in free agency, Ariel Hukporti is set to become a restricted free agent and the club is not planning to go into the second apron.
That leaves Isaac in a familiar but uncertain place: still valued for what he can do defensively, but no longer tied to the only franchise he has known. If a team wants him, it now has a clean path to make the call before Tuesday evening. If not, one of the league’s most recognizable defensive specialists will be waiting in a market that is already starting to sort itself out.
