Jonathan Isaac rejoined the Orlando Magic in Milwaukee and could make his return in Wednesday’s road game against the Bucks.
Isaac was listed as questionable for the matchup because of a strained right hamstring after sitting the previous two games.
He underwent further evaluations and didn’t travel with the team to New Orleans to start its three-game trip but went through drills during Tuesday’s practice at Fiserv Forum.
The Magic are operating with an abundance of caution with Isaac after he was sidelined for 2 1/2 years before returning to the court last month. Orlando will see how he feels Wednesday before determining his status against the Bucks.
Isaac was sidelined from August 2020-January 11 after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on Aug. 2, 2020, during the league’s restart in its Disney World bubble.
He had surgery on the right hamstring last March while rehabbing from the left knee injury.
Isaac made his return with the Magic’s G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic, last month and played three games for Lakeland before making his return to Orlando in the Jan. 23 win over the Boston Celtics.
He’s averaged 5 points, 4 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 11.3 minutes (11 games) since returning.
The Magic (26-36) kicked off the swing with a 101-93 win over the Pelicans Monday at Smoothie King Center.
Rookie forward Paolo Banchero’s clutch shotmaking and playmaking led the Magic to victory.
Banchero (29 points on 10-of-18 shooting, 8 rebounds and 4 assists) scored 20 second-half points, including 8 of the Magic’s 10 points in the final four minutes — three midrange pull-ups and a pair of free throws.
He also had the hockey assist — a pass to an assist — on the Franz Wagner floater that iced the game with 24.9 seconds left.
“They trust me to make the right play,” Banchero said. “I don’t take that for granted. I take it seriously. I just want to win. Whether it’s me getting the basket late. Or at the end, coming off of it, [pass] to Gary [Harris] and Gary swinging it to Franz to go up 6.
“That’s just us trusting each other — them trusting me and me trusting them to finish the play as well. We’re close as a group and it shows in moments like that.”
The Magic recalled rookie forward Caleb Houstan from Lakeland and he’ll be available against the Bucks.
He averaged 15 points (50% on 3s) and 6 rebounds in 30.3 minutes in his three-game stint with Lakeland.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at khprice@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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