Magic's Isaac: 'I don't think I came back too soon' from knee injury

Jonathan Isaac doesn't have any regrets about the timing of his return from a serious knee injury.

"In retrospect, no, I don't think I came back too soon," the Orlando Magic forward told The Athletic's Josh Robbins. "I really was ready to go. I didn't have any doubts about where I was in terms of moving or playing."

Isaac sustained ligament damage in his left knee on New Year's Day but returned to the court July 31. The 23-year-old appeared in just two games before suffering a torn ACL in the same knee Aug. 2.

Having already been ruled out for the entirety of the 2020-21 season, Isaac is maintaining an optimistic approach as he battles his way back.

"This is just what I have to do for now, but there will come a time when I play again," he said. "I still have hope. I still have a purpose. I still have a job that I go to and take care of business."

Isaac was in the running for an All-Defensive team nod in his third NBA campaign before being sidelined. He averaged 2.3 blocks and 1.6 steals per game last season.

The former sixth overall pick has only appeared in 136 of a possible 237 regular-season contests since entering the league.