Jonathan Isaac reveals lofty goal heading into new season

Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac has struggled to stay healthy over his eight-year career.

Isaac, drafted No. 6 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, has appeared in 70 percent of his team's games just three times. He missed a gigantic chunk of four seasons (2019-23) with multiple knee and leg injuries, including tearing his ACL during the bubble restart in August of 2020, which led to him missing the following two campaigns.

Ironically enough, the 28-year-old was one of the Magic's healthiest players during their injury-riddled campaign a year ago, playing in 71 games. Though his troubled injury history isn't stopping him from setting a lofty goal for the upcoming season.

“My goal this season is 82 (games)," Isaac said, according to the Orlando Sentinel's Jason Beede. "And if nothing happens, if I don’t get any sicknesses, I should be fine to go 82."

Only 11 NBA players played all 82 games last year; 17 played at least 82 -- Buddy Hield played in 84 after getting traded from Indiana to Philadelphia midseason -- in 2023-24 while 10 did it in 2022-23. The fact is suiting up for all 82 is more of a rarity in today's NBA.

The Magic haven't had a player appear in all 82 games since Bismack Biyombo did so in 2017-18. A total of 14 Magic players have accomplished that feat since the start of 2000-01, led by Dwight Howard, who accomplished that amazing feat five times. Elfrid Payton and Darrell Armstrong were the only others who did it multiple times over that span.