Aaron Gordon, Frank Vogel clear the air after white board reveal
Orlando Magic coach Frank Vogel said he cleared the air with Aaron Gordon after an internal list of trade targets listed Aaron Gordon as trade bait.
The Orlando Magic are in full damage control after a white board featuring offseason trade and free agency targets was accidentally photographed and released on social media.
The white board, pictured behind Patricio Garino as he signed his contract Monday, listed several ‘hybrid’ targets for the Magic’s offseason. It seemed like a general brainstorming and options list with nothing concrete for the Magic to pursue.
Except for one.
Under trade targets, the team listed Philadelphia 76ers forward, and potential Rookie of the Year, Dario Saric with “for AG?” in parentheses next to his name. It was the most concrete thing on that infamous white board, even if it is actually silly putty.
But there it is out in the open now.
Rumors leak all the time and players know they have to deal with a team at least discussing sending them to a new home at various points in the season. This seemed like something more.
The Magic reportedly felt the need to clear the air with Aaron Gordon. Both coach Frank Vogel and Aaron Gordon told Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel the two discussed what was on that white board so they could move on.
"“It was definitely something that I wasn’t aware of before,” Gordon told Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel at the Magic’s shootaround this morning. “It wasn’t for me to see, so for me to see something like that, it brings something that’s out of my control into my reality. But that’s neither here nor there. My plan and my focus is to play basketball and to enjoy the game of basketball. Anything other than that is out of my control. I love this organization and I’m going to continue to work hard and play.”"
Kudos to the 21-year-old Gordon for playing through all the controversy. That is life in the NBA. Everyone is involved in trade rumors.
There is a bit of overreaction to this list. What generated that comment on the white board is unclear. The Magic may indeed have
The Magic may indeed have interest in Dario Saric (who would not?) and asked about him. The Sixers may have responded Gordon was the starting point. That in no way means the Magic are interested in pursuing that deal. It may just be a note that is where the conversation starts.
That might be the optimistic view. There is always the other side that the Magic did explore that rabbit hole and merely saved it for later.
That is what anyone can say about everyone on that white board. It appears the board was simply options for the team, not a plan of action. And considering how much work the Magic need after this disappointing season, it was at least encouraging to see the Magic willing to explore a lot of different options.
That is the line the Magic are holding. Magic general manager Rob Hennigan told Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel what was on that white board is not indicative of the team’s future plans. It was merely the team listing its options.
Otherwise, no one knows the whole truth on all this.
Next: White board leak only latest of Orlando Magic's dysfunction
All Gordon and the Magic can do is move forward and finish this season with just five games remaining. And put this embarrassing incident behind them.