The Orlando Magic do not appear likely to reach extension agreements with Aaron Gordon and Elfrid Payton before Monday’s deadline.
The Orlando Magic are not likely to reach extension agreements with restricted free agents-to-be Aaron Gordon and Elfrid Payton before Monday’s deadline, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reports.
Calvin Andrews, Gordon’s agent, told Robbins on Thursday he did not anticipate the team coming to an extension agreement before Monday’s deadline. There is no word from Payton’s camp on if there is any progress on extension talks.
The two fourth-year players are coming to the end of their rookie contracts and are eligible to be restricted free agents this summer. Several rookies in the 2014 Draft class came to extension agreements recently — most notably Andrew Wiggins (five years, $148 million), Joel Embiid (also five years, $148 million) and Gary Harris (four years, $84 million). But it has been slow going for this draft class.
For Gordon and Payton specifically, the Magic’s young duo has not yet established themselves as consistent contributors. Not ones where the Magic would be ready to put a dollar amount on them at this point in time.
Add in the Magic’s new management coming in and trying to get a sense of their new players and it always made it unlikely the Magic would come to an agreement with these players. During media day and before the season, president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and general manager John Hammond both said they wanted to take this season (or at least the early part of the season) to evaluate their roster.
Again, that made it seem like an extension was unlikely considering Gordon and Payton’s inconsistency in their young careers. A preseason was not going to be enough time to draw too many conclusions. And they certainly still have shown flashes and have the potential to grow this year.
Orlando Magic
During media day, both players deferred talking about the extensions. They both acknowledged that it was something their agents were handling. But they both said they were keeping their focus on the court. Gordon even referred to thinking about his contract as injecting “impure thoughts” into his game. He wanted to focus on playing and leave the negotiating to his agent.
Gordon, when asked about extension talks after practice Thursday, said he is keeping it out of mind.
"“I’m aware of it,” Gordon told Orlando Magic Daily after practice Thursday. “I’m aware this is restricted free agency. But it is never why I play the game. I trust Jeff Weltman and John Hammond to make the right decision. I’m going to continue to play my game, continue to help my team get wins and improve as a basketball player. They have seen how hard I work. They see how far my game has come. My game is only going to continue to improve. There is no ceiling for me.”"
Not coming to an extension agreement before Monday’s deadline does not mean the Magic are preparing to move on from Gordon or Payton. It still seems fairly likely the Magic would be willing to bring both players back depending on how this season goes and the direction the team wants to go. Orlando would have the right to match any offer the two received next summer. And it is looking like very few teams will have cap room.
That does not mean they will not be in demand.
Gordon may have only averaged 12.7 points per game last year, but he came on strong after the All-Star Break once the team moved him back to power forward. Gordon averaged 16.4 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game. Those numbers seemed more in line with Gordon’s growth.
He has thrived in the preseason too. Gordon has shown a new side to his game and continuing that growth from the end of the season.
Payton too has shown that growth. After struggling last year in averaging 12.8 points and 6.5 assists per game, he recovered to average 13.5 points and 8.4 assists per game after the All-Star Break.
Payton has had an up-and-down career, bouncing in and out of the starting lineup. It always seemed uncertain the Magic would offer him an extension in the first place.
Next: FanSided NBA: Orlando Magic looking within for improvement
It seems certain now the Magic are not going to wrap up these two players before Monday’s deadline. They both appear set to become restricted free agents next summer.