Young Magic cornerstones Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz, who are both coming off ACL tears, won’t be ready to play in the team’s regular season opener next month, sources tell Josh Robbins of The Athletic.
As Robbins explains, the Magic’s organizational policy is to avoid setting specific timelines or return dates for players who are recovering from injuries. However, Robbins has heard that the team will exercise significant caution with both Isaac and Fultz. The front office views getting the two players back into games and getting them through the 2021/22 season without any new health issues as two of its top organizational priorities, Robbins adds.
“Both of those guys have been, as you would expect if you cover our team, relentless in their approach,” president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said of Isaac and Fultz. “They’ve been working daily grinding. They both look really good. I will not elaborate on timelines. To me as a layman, this is where I just don’t want any setbacks. … But right now, they continue to progress through their rehab right on course and they’re making progress.”
As Robbins observes, Isaac is about 14 months removed from his ACL injury, while Fultz underwent surgery on his ACL only about nine months ago, so the forward may be on track to return a little sooner than the former No. 1 overall pick.
The Magic will also be missing veteran guard Michael Carter-Williams to start the regular season, putting point guard duties in the hands of youngsters Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony.
Here’s more on the Magic:
- Isaac confirmed on Monday that he has yet to take the COVID-19 vaccine, but suggested that a recent Rolling Stone report misrepresented his views. “I am not anti-vax,” Isaac told reporters, including Robbins. “I’m not anti-medicine. I’m not anti-science. I didn’t come to my current vaccination status by studying Black history or watching Donald Trump press conferences. … But with that being said, it is my belief that the vaccine status of every person should be their own choice, and completely up to them without bullying, without being pressured, without being forced into doing so. I’m not ashamed to say that I’m uncomfortable with taking the vaccine at this time.”
- Suggs and fellow lottery pick Franz Wagner are both candidates to begin the season in the Magic’s starting lineups, but new head coach Jamahl Mosley isn’t prepared to speculate about the makeup of his starting five quite yet, according to Robbins. “I think it’s a little early to tell which way we’re going to go with lineups and the roster and rotations,” Mosley said on Monday. “We want to get that first part of training camp started just so we can see what the different combinations look like.”
- Chuma Okeke won’t be participating in full-contact drills at the start of training camp, since he recently sustained a right hip bruise during a voluntary workout, per Weltman (via Robbins).
- The Magic are expected to have “thorough” discussions with Wendell Carter Jr.‘s reps about a possible rookie scale extension before opening night, says Robbins. “I would love to be here for a long time,” Carter said. “I love Orlando. I love the city. I love my teammates. I love the people here, the weather, everything. So I would love to be here, but right now, I’m just focused on training camp.”
The Orlando Magic are one of the teams I have my eye on. It’s fun to see how they’ve collected so many prospects. It will be interesting to see how they manage it and who they give their minutes to. Isaac, Fultz, Suggs, Hampton, Carter Jr, Bamba, Okeke, Anthony, Wagner.
Well, that’s a disappointing stance from Isaac since being unvaccinated at this point, after billions of datapoints regarding its safety, is hard to justify, especially relative to picking up the virus itself. Granted, if he’s doing all of the other stuff to protect himself and others that could be a different story. He always seemed quiet conscientious to me. I wonder what he’s thinking.
Also a bit disappointed to see he won’t be ready for opening night given the amount of time since his injury. I understand being cautious with him, but this seems like overkill. Would love to know why the Magic think he still needs more time to rehab. Is their an actual scientific basis for it?
I don’t get it, Isaac is willing to trust a doctor open up his knee and fix his ACL but he won’t trust 96% of doctors which say you should get vaxxed.
Yeah, I don’t see a lot of wiggle room on this issue for him to break from the majority of the illogical anti-vax crowd. Guess there’s no point in speculating.
Amazing that you both took what Isaac said about not being pressured or bullied into doing something regarding his health and that wouldn’t be ashamed to stand behind his stance, and are now here doing all 3 to a comment section on the internet.
What is actually truly amazing is how so many ignoramuses in this country seem to think that public health is less important than their own personal hang-ups which they feel justify risking the lives of others. Think about the 50 million people who died from the bubonic plague over 600 years ago. I suppose there were plenty of people back then who were so ignorant that they would have rather let the disease take their lives and allow the world’s population to be reduced by half as if Thanos himself had snapped his fingers.
YOU are risking the lives of others. Denying the vaccine is what is risky, both for you and others.
Robohouston is afraid to vaccinate!
Look at the posters and players who are anti-vax! Their explanations are rationalizations.
Is this Thanos something real? I doubt it.
If there was a vaccine for the bubonic plague, some people would refuse it, and die, and kill others via transmission. FYI, everyone was ignorant of it’s cause, that’s why it spread.
He’s fighting the pandemic of the overpopulated.
So did Thanos create covid to fight the pandemic of overpopulation?
There’s actually no way any doctor could know its safe to use on humans because its never been used on humans.
They can agree all they want. Doesn’t mean their theory is proven
Never? You sure?
“Proven” does not mean anything in this case. There is a normal amount of time required by the FDA for vaccines, but that requirement is of random length. The vaccines have been tested on humans, by me for one.
Isaac tries to sound smart but is mostly just chicken. He is anti-science.
People who do not vaccinate are sponging off the health of people that do.
Isaac thinks it is a personal choice. For a transmitable virus, it is not. He chose to be a weak link for the defense of humans.
Which of these talented former Magic wings would you rather have on your team, Dennis Scott, Evan Fournier, Mickael Pietrus, Nick Anderson or Mike Miller? Name a top3 if possible..
You mean “Nick the Brick” Anderson?
None of them is talented, so I don’t take any of them!
Isaac is one of the most talented players in the league when he plays, but man is he injury proned. If he gets hurt again I wouldn’t be surprised if he quits basketball and becomes a pastor.
No, you see, Isaac isn’t allowed to get hurt anymore because my dynasty teams need him to help compete for a championship. So it’s all good. And I don’t think I can have any worse injury luck than I did last season *knocks on every piece of wood in the house*.
Issac was looking like the next great PF. He’s filled out and looks confident and aggressive. They should go easy with him, make sure. Fultz can take his time too. Suggs is ready to run team. Unfortunately by the time he comes back. Suggs might have taken his spot. Fultz was starting to find his groove. I hope he keeps moving forward. Even if it’s not with Magic. He can find a team. With his size he can be a top 2way player.
Honestly, Fultz might be better as an elite bench guard given his lack of shooting. Yes, he does enough other things well to be a low-end starter but non-shooting PGs are so hard to build around these days. Of course, they are paying Fultz starter’s money and not bench money. Either way, it’s not a bad problem for the Magic to have if Suggs (and Cole) does pan out.
Magic have so many guys on rookie scale (and will continue to for 2-3 years), carrying a $16.5m salary isn’t a big deal wether he starts or comes off bench.
+ Fultz and Suggs will play together quite a bit…eventually probably both start sooner than later. Magic will play a lot of 2 ball handler & 3 guard lineups.
Gary Harris’ $20m expires as well, so both from cap and role perspective there isn’t much headwind.
The wildcards in backcourt rotation are Cole Anthony and RJ Hampton…but both will have to take a significant 2nd year step to beat out Fultz for starter minutes.
Good points. It will be nice for the Magic to have some legitimate guards for a change. It’s been awhile.
They’ll play together. Teams use multiple ball handlers a lot now; and both have enough length and strong frame to defend both positions.
I don’t want to get too homer-y optimistic, but in a clip from day 1 training camp his shot release looked higher / pocket further back. He said rehab time gave him opportunity to work on it, so we’ll see…
Fultz isn’t ready for anything, let alone opening night. Suggs is gonna eat his minutes.
I think Isaac’s sounds very articulate in his opinion of the matter and regardless of the majority’s opinion everyone has the right to their own opinions and choices!
I never thought much of him as a player or person… but now I definitely respect him more, that is for sure!
Whatever….he’s scared, that’s all there is to it.
Whatever….he’s scared, that’s all there is to it.
Whatever….he’s scared, that’s all there is to it. Respect for a person that’s willing to put his family, friends and fans on the line for his selfish and personal beliefs.