Orlando Magic Daily
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Aaron Gordon keeps dunking, making a difference

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Feb 13, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon reacts after a successful dunk during the dunk contest during the NBA All Star Saturday Night at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon reacts after a successful dunk during the dunk contest during the NBA All Star Saturday Night at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aaron Gordon will have an important offseason of development. All the public has seen is some dynamic dunking and his community involvement.

The Orlando Magic’s roster moves have put a bigger focus on Aaron Gordon than ever before. He likely will slot in as the starting small forward and face some major questions as he steps up in role entering an extension year for him.

The roster moves have made Gordon even more of a central focus.

Judging by how quickly he improved from the end of last season to the beginning of Summer League before a jaw injury essentially ended his summer, Gordon could certainly be capable of taking a major step up. He may have already done so.

That hard work is not likely to see the light of day any time soon. Not when there are so many highlights and dunks to be enamored with. Gordon’s play time on the basketball court is hopefully as productive as his work time.

Gordon still knows how to set the Internet ablaze with mind-blowing dunks.

Like when he completed the half-court challenge, making a half-court shot and then dunking the rebound in one motion.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHDoN3RDbkr/?taken-by=a00g_&hl=en

Gordon has been doing a lot of his work in California. He posts photos occasionally on Instagram. He has played in a few pro-ams in California and held his a camp for kids in the San Jose area.

Gordon joined the Magic’s recruiting team in Southern California for at least a few of the free agents the Magic pursued this offseason. He clearly remains an important part of the team and the vision they see. What role he plays is still yet to be determined.

The one thing we know he can still do is dunk. Again, he set the Internet on fire with his athleticism.

The most important thing he has done was return to his hometown and hold a camp at his high school, Archbishop Mitty. Those videos made the rounds as he dropped a camper with a vicious crossover.

https://twitter.com/OrlandoMagic/status/751229775218241536

Nearly 70 kids ages 7-16 attended the camp Thursday and another 100 are expected for Friday’s camp This kind of giving back is what helps make Gordon special and will make him the face of the franchise this season, if his game can match.

"“This is so big to give back,” Gordon told Darren Sabedra of the San Jose Mercury News. “To be able to return to my hometown and put on a clinic to share my love of basketball with everybody, it’s amazing.“I hope to see some of these kids in the pros. I really do. I hope basketball can take them as far as it’s taken me.”"

It is great to see Gordon so involved with his home community. He will host another camp in August for high schoolers too.

And his summer workout swill take him to Las Vegas in a few weeks to train with the U.S. Select Team ahead of the Olympics.

Next: Orlando Magic complete transformation with signings

The pressure is on Aaron Gordon to improve this offseason ahead of a critical year in his career and the Magic’s rebuild. So far, it is still unclear exactly what this improvement might be as he works behind the scenes and displays only that dynamic athleticism that has made him a national name.