Aaron Gordon cleared to play, probable tonight
Aaron Gordon has been officially cleared to play and is listed as probable to play against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.
Orlando Magic rookie forward Aaron Gordon has been cleared to play and is listed as probable for tonight’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Orlando Magic said.
Gordon has missed the past two months with a fracture in the fifth metatarsal of his left foot. It has limited him from doing much of anything on a basketball court, much less play. He traveled with the team out West where his rehab took a seemingly major step forward. His initial prognosis of 6-8 weeks got Magic fans excited that he would return sooner rather than later.
That sooner appears to have come. Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reports however that just because Gordon has been cleared to play does not mean he will be active tonight or moving forward. Jacque Vaughn may want to see him in full practice first or he may not want to disrupt the rhythm his team currently has. That decision will be made closer to tip off when Vaughn has to turn in his 13-man roster (one player would have to be deactivated to make room for Gordon too).
Either way, Gordon told Robbins he is happy to be back:
"“I’m back, so that’s a good thing. It’s still up to the organization on how they want to go from here, but my foot feels great. I’m just happy to be playing basketball again.”"
Magic general manager Rob Hennigan told John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com earlier this week that the Magic do not like to put timelines on things. Magic fans know this as the team has typically let players progress slowly back from injury even if they are capable of playing. There is still a long term to think about.
It is likely in the best interest for both Gordon and the Magic for him to take his return slowly, because an aggravation of the injury could potentially lead to shutting the Arizona product down for the remainder of the season.
At this point, the Magic will be hard pressed to make the playoffs and will be turn at least some of their focus on player development. In order to carry out that plan, it is instrumental for the young players on the roster to remain healthy in order to gain much needed experience.
In the short term though, it would appear Gordon’s return could be a boost to this newly found sprinting offense the Magic have. Gordon was a high-energy player who defended well at either forward position and was willing to run and push the pace offensively. The rest of his offensive game needed refinement, but he showed plenty of potential in his short 11 games before the injury.
As the conversation surrounding the Rookie of the Year has picked up, it has been disappointing for Magic fans that the team’s first selection in the 2014 Draft was unable to throw his hat into the ring. Prior to going down with this injury, Gordon was performing well in his limited minutes. Although raw, Gordon’s length and athleticism make him a player to keep an eye on at all times.
In the 11 games he was active for prior to the injury, Gordon averaged just 15 minutes per game, so his impact comes in short bursts. Through all of Orlando’s struggles in his absence, it has been easy to forget the energy Gordon can provide. And how much he was missed.
There will surely be an adjustment period as Gordon gets his game legs back under him, but it is good to hear the rookie is back in the fold.
As a prospect, it was clear that Gordon was a very raw player that displayed freakish athleticism and tremendous length and size. With that being said, Gordon needs time on the court in order to refine his game and to adjust to the pace and quality of the NBA game.
Stephen Fenech contributed to this post.