Orlando Magic begin to answer questions about roles

Is Aaron Gordon a 3 or a 4?

No player probably faces more questions on the roster than Aaron Gordon.

His first two years in the league have been marked by his incredible athleticism, blunted by frustrating injuries. Just as he was getting going as a rookie, he fractured a bone in his foot and was put on the shelf for most of the season. His second year was stopped before it even began. A fractured jaw in the summer halted all the progress that turned heads at Summer League.

Gordon showed plenty of growth in his sophomore year still. It went beyond his stellar Slam Dunk contest performance. He was a better player overall and showed signs of a true lock down defender. He would certainly fit the identity Vogel is trying to build with the Magic now on defense.

The question is where.

Magic general manager Rob Hennigan has always liked to say his players do not have a set position. Gordon has always been a forward. It is very likely Gordon will see time at both forward positions.

“His versatility is what makes him valuable,” Hennigan said. “Aaron is comfortable playing either position. If you ask him, he would prefer to play the 3. We have all the confidence in the world in his ability to do that. We love the fact that he is able to swing between positions. As is Jeff, which gives us good versatility on the wing.”

Gordon has played both forward positions, but has spent most of his time at power forward. It was a roughly 60-40 split at power forward. His poor shooting prevented him from playing a ton of small forward, but if he can keep improving that it is very possible to seeing him play more on the perimeter.

He is still a young player with a lot of growing to do on the floor. He has put up solid numbers, but how the Magic use him is still very much a mystery. And there is no clear or easy answer.

The easy answer is that he will likely start at small forward. He is too talented and too important to leave out of the starting lineup. That will be a new challenge for him. Some place he claims he is comfortable, but a place he has not produced yet.

Gordon will bounce around, playing likely a 50/50 split between the two forward positions.

“I would say both,” Vogel said. “He’s going to probably with Serge starting at the 4, he would start at the 3. But the way the league plays, you have to have the ability to play a guy like Aaron at the 4. A guy as versatile as Aaron is, what position he plays is predicated on the player around him. If Serge Ibaka is not here, he’s a 4 for us. With Serge Ibaka here, he’s a 3 and we’re really long, which is really exciting.”

And in that way, perhaps Gordon is the perfect forward for the league. As long as he keeps improving.

Next: . . . And Serge Ibaka?