Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Ben Gordon

The Orlando Magic took a risk signing Ben Gordon this summer and trying to resurrect his career. He showed he could play, but did little to stand out.

When the news came across the scroll — Orlando Magic have signed G Ben Gordon to a two-year, $9 million deal — it was met with a collective: “Whaaaa?”

The move seemed so far out of left field. This was a player whose career was all but dead. He was cut from the Bobcats after appearing in just 19 games and was even cut after the deadline so he could not play in the Playoffs. Gordon’s final year in Charlotte was mercurial at best as he clashed some with coach Steve Clifford.

His time in Orlando was a second chance, of sorts. His somewhat bloated salary was just the price of doing business and it came with an easy one-year out clause.

Gordon would either continue being a disappointing shell of the sixth man he was in Chicago or the overpaid former borderline star from Detroit.

He was most likely going to be somewhere between.

The expectations for Gordon entering the season were so low that getting anything of value from him would have been seen as a success. If he could be just a rotation player that might be enough to call the whole experiment worth it.

Like with Luke Ridnour, the Magic were likely asking more from Gordon than he could provide at the end.

Some nights, it looked like Rob Hennigan had scraped off a veteran on his last legs off the trash heap. Some nights, Gordon looked like he was on his way out of the NBA. And most nights, the Magic just did not play him.

To say the least, only a team like the Magic — heading back to the bottom of the league — could afford this kind of an experiment.

Next: The Good and The Bad