2017 Orlando Magic Preview: Eye on the Playoffs

5. The Big Question: Can Aaron Gordon scale down to the 3?

The whole key to the Orlando Magic’s gambit to rebuild and retool is based on one gamble working out.

And that is Aaron Gordon.

Perhaps the Magic’s four-year-long rebuild always depended on Gordon. After all, he came along after two years of tanking with the Magic hoping to win the Draft Lottery that featured Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker and Joel Embiid. Gordon was something of a consolation prize, but still a talented player the Magic wanted.

Two years into his career, Gordon has not quite defined his talent or his position. He has shown flashes of refined play. And he is certainly plenty athletic — he proved that at the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest. But that was as much a flash in the pan as anything else.

This is still a player who averaged a little more than 12 points per game after the All-Star Break.

And he did that largely at power forward. He has played most of his career at power forward. The plan currently is to shift him to the perimeter.

Gordon certainly could be a better defensive player on the perimeter. But Gordon still struggles as a jump shooter and driver. Gordon has simply never had to do these things in his short career.

Now, all of a sudden, Frank Vogel has said he wants to use him like Paul George in pick and rolls and on the ball. Gordon simply has not had to do these things before.

With so little offense in the starting lineup and so much at stake, that seems like a big ask and a big ask for the Magic and for Gordon.

And yet so much of the season is riding on this decision working out. So much is riding on Gordon developing into something.

Next: Orlando Magic begin to improve and grow after injuries

Otherwise it will be another draft for the Magic that does not work out in a long rebuild. And likely mean the end for this era of Magic basketball (not to mention an uncertain future beyond).