Could draft pick stunt Aaron Gordon’s development?
Aaron Gordon got off to a less than stellar start in the NBA, and if the Orlando Magic draft big it may not accelerate his progress.
Aaron Gordon had by most accounts a rough rookie season. He battled a nagging foot injury, struggled to find court time and rhythm and only really looked like the No. 4 overall pick he was in stretches of game play.
With the Orlando Magic seemingly keyed in on drafting big in the 2015 draft, it could be a harbinger for Gordon’s career.
Early career development has been pegged as one of the most crucial aspects in a player’s career. Without a proper start, some players never reach the apex they should have. And there are a lot of factors that can go into slowing a player’s development.
The rotation and players in front of him in it play a role. Coaching does, too. And the fact the Magic are on the verge of having both a new coach and a new lottery pick on the team, both these aspects are sketchy moving forward for Gordon.
To be sure, Gordon has demonstrated elite athleticism and shown the energy and spark of a guy with major potential. He did catch two blocked shots in mid-air this season, a defensive play that is every bit as difficult as it looks. At a minimum, Gordon could develop into a strong defensive specialist, but the Magic are likely still hoping for more from a guy that came at such a high cost.
And to be sure, the Magic drafted Gordon knowing he would take time. But the desire to win does not necessarily wait for young players to develop.
Gordon will have his work cut out for him in learning Scott Skiles’ schematics, and also in adjusting to his new teammates. The Magic are a team in transition, anyway, so Gordon will be on the same boat as his teammates hoping to improve on last year’s disastrous campaign.
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Paramount in all of this is what the Magic do with their No. 5 overall pick.
Kristaps Porzingis is looking as though he could potentially be Orlando’s pick. The 7-foot-1 Latvian is a power forward whose ability to play other positions is nominal — at least at this point. Willie Cauley-Stein is also a 4/5-man who projects to be a starter early in his career. Neither Cauley-Stein nor Porzingis would be a good sign for Gordon, really.
While we know Gordon is a good athlete, there is no indications really he can beat out a vaunted Euro even in Porzingis’ first NBA season. And Cauley-Stein is getting very high billing too, with many comparing him to former Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler.
If those talents came to fruition, Gordon may find himself getting a lot of pine time. This is all to say drafting either of these two players would push Aaron Gordon from “forward” to “small forward” where his shooting struggles might make him difficult to play.
It is all highly speculative with the Magic neither having selected Porzingis nor Cauley-Stein — nor any proof positive that either would necessarily be the starter.
But Orlando is far from committed to Gordon as its “anything” of the future. Right now, he is just a bundle of potential without even a solid position.
All these statements are cushioned in speculation and relativity. Gordon may become a phenomenal player. The tools are certainly there and developing.
But he needs a 3-point shot, while Porzingis already has one. Gordon is slightly undersized. Porzingis is anything but (at least in terms of height and length).
Willie Cauley-Stein is likely to be the best defender of the trio, but these are all projections at this point, too. Gordon’s tweener nature may end up hurting him further than most suspected.
For the time being, we will remain optimistic on Gordon, but if the Magic do indeed go big this year, it is far from a good sign for Gordon’s development in Orlando.
It means he has more work to do as he proves himself in the NBA.