The Magic announced Monday that Nelson will undergo surgery to repair a fracture in his left ankle, and he's expected to return to basketball activities in 3-4 months.
Nelson sustained the fracture during Sunday's Summer League win over Portland and is now in danger of missing the start of the 2026-27 campaign. The No. 51 overall pick in this year's draft signed a two-way contract with the Magic and isn't expected to have a consistent role with the parent club once he returns.
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Magic's Izaiyah Nelson: Signs two-way deal with Orlando
Rotowire
Nelson agreed to a two-way contract with Orlando on Wednesday, Paul Garcia of The Spot Up Shot reports.
Nelson was selected by Washington with the No. 51 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and subsequently traded to Orlando. He began his collegiate career at Arkansas State before spending the 2025-26 campaign at South Florida. In 34 games, which included an NCAA Tournament loss to Louisville, the 22-year-old averaged 15.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.6 steals over 27.3 minutes. The Magic's roster is loaded, and while that doesn't necessarily mean Nelson won't see the floor for the parent club, he will likely spend most of his first season in the G League.
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Magic's Izaiyah Nelson: Selected No. 51 by Orlando
Rotowire
The Wizards selected Nelson with the No. 51 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and traded him to the Magic.
Washington gave Orlando the No. 51 and 60 picks to move up to 46 and take Felix Okpara. Nelson is a quality defender and rebounder for being an undersized center, but he doesn't bring much perimeter shooting. He put in averages of 15.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks per game on 56/14/73 shooting splits during his senior season at South Florida, but he'll have a tough time getting into the rotation in Orlando while the team is healthy.
