NBA Thanksgiving 2019: What each team has to be thankful for

Orlando Magic

Jonathan Isaac stepping up

Jonathan Isaac isn’t having a breakout season in a more traditional sense, but there’s no denying he’s stepped his game up this year, especially over the last few weeks. The Orlando Magic will need that to continue with Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic banged up at the moment.

In the last eight contests, Isaac has put up 15.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.7 blocks and 1.2 steals per game, posting impressive .535/.409/.714 shooting splits in the process. He’s not an alpha dog yet, but he’s becoming a very versatile two-way player who can spread the floor on one end and protect the rim on the other.

Orlando’s decision to reinvest in a middling playoff team was a curious one this summer, and it doesn’t look great with the Magic off to a 6-10 start, but at least one of their foundational pieces is starting to look the part at age 22.