The former No. 6 pick has been let go! The Magic officially waived Isaac, saving $6.5 million in luxury tax.

According to league sources who spoke with the Orlando Sentinel on June 28 Beijing time, the Magic have officially released veteran forward Jonathan Isaac. Selected sixth overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, Isaac would have seen his guaranteed salary for the 2026-27 season jump from $8 million to a full $14.5 million if the team had not waived him before Sunday local time.

After this waiver, Isaac, who spent nine seasons in Orlando and was frequently plagued by injuries, becomes an unrestricted free agent. Last season he played only 52 games, suffering a left knee sprain in mid-March that caused him to miss the final 17 regular-season games and all of the playoffs.

With this move, the Magic freed up salary cap flexibility, bringing their total team salary below the second apron. Their estimated luxury tax for next season is reduced from about $16.5 million to approximately $10 million. This marks the first time in over a decade that the franchise has faced a luxury tax bill.

Isaac still has the chance to re-sign with the Magic, but starting at 6 p.m. local time on Tuesday, he can negotiate a contract with any team in the league as a free agent.

In the 2017 NBA Draft, early in his tenure as the team's president of basketball operations, Jeff Weltman used the sixth pick to select the 2.08-meter forward.

Isaac missed as much as two and a half years of action due to various knee injuries, including a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. However, he successfully returned and put up an impressive performance in the 2023-24 season. That offseason, he agreed to a five-year, $84 million renegotiation and extension with the Magic.

To better handle the responsibilities of a traditional center, Isaac gained weight before the 2024-25 season. This decision, made jointly by him and the team, ultimately backfired. He admitted he was slow on the court, and his three-point percentage dropped to a then career-low of 25.8% (down from 37.5% the previous year).

Although he made an effort to lose weight before the start of last season, his competitive form never returned to its peak. His three-point percentage further declined to 18.4%, and his average of 2.5 rebounds per game also set a career-worst mark.

Isaac's original contract for this season included a guarantee clause: if he played at least 52 games, his salary for the 2026-27 season would become fully guaranteed. This spring, he and the Magic modified the clause, setting the guarantee deadline to June 28.

After waiving Isaac, the Magic currently have four remaining standard roster spots. The team used the 51st pick in the draft to select Izaiah Nelson, a senior from the University of South Florida. As a late second-round pick, it is unclear at this point whether the team will offer him a standard contract or a two-way deal.

Additionally, the Magic need to decide on Jamal Cain's team option for the second year of his contract.