Role will matter
Gordon’s role has everything to do with what his numbers will eventually be, of course, both in terms of how many minutes he receives and what his role is within the offense. If Gordon can step out and hit the triple, he adds versatility and becomes more viable as a small forward.
If he focuses on the glass and becomes a rebounding machine (very possible), he can start at the 4-spot and begin to solve the Magic’s rebounding deficiencies.
Gordon’s future is very much in his own hands, and Skiles will undoubtedly help guide Gordon in the direction which seems to best befit his talents.
It is not even easy to simply assume a middle ground between last year’s disaster and the overwhelming awesomeness of his summer.
A reasonable improvement would be for Gordon to step up to averaging 10-12 points per game, but he could be as high as 15. He could be as low as repeating last year’s five. Rather than continue to dance around the matter, we are going to project Gordon to average 10 points per game.
It is assuming he sees an average of about 20-25 minutes per game, mostly off the bench. If Gordon starts, the high-end figure of 15 is real and within reach. There is just so much uncertainty.
Next: Rebounding and Passing Projections