Orlando Magic Mid-Season Player Grades
B. <p><strong>Offensive Rating:</strong> 71.8<br /> <strong>Defensive Rating:</strong> 81.6</p>. F. Orlando Magic. AARON GORDON
On a defensive basis, Aaron Gordon should start for the Orlando Magic. He is the team’s premier perimeter defender and one of the best defensive playmakers on the roster, if not the best.
It is eliminating his silly errors and keeping his head in the game that are most imperative at this point.
When Aaron Gordon is on point both offensively and defensively, we have seen him single-handedly take over games. Players like Gordon with strong coast-to-coast capabilities can impose their will on a game, and at the best of his ball-handling he looks much like point-forward Blake Griffin.
The Magic did use a No. 4 overall pick to obtain his services, so maybe it is time they press that issue and start the youngster. He has tantalized the team with his potential for two seasons now, but Gordon is tired of hearing the talk of potential. He should be tired of hearing it, because he has all the talents to become a starting NBA forward.
Gordon did not rank overly high in his offensive scores here at OMD, but mostly that is because we are really all still waiting on him to put it altogether.
A lot of his discontinuity stems from the lack of playing time, however, making the “Play Gordon” button something of a circular loop: Gordon needs to be comfortable to get more playing time, but to get more comfort he needs more playing time.
That really leaves us with a simple conclusion: Keep increasing his minutes in the second half. Eventually start him. Make the future now.
Next: Vic the Quick