Aaron Gordon learning when to attack, when to share

Aaron Gordon has made some major strides this year offensively. But there is still another level to go as he learns how to get others involved.

In early January, Aaron Gordon remained a budding star. The Orlando Magic’s fast start was long gone, although perhaps they could still rescue the season with another hot run. But Gordon was the focus of all hope and dreams for the team.

He was scoring like a future All-Star with his shooting and playmaking. Gordon still forced things, but, at 22, who could complain quite yet? He was still growing into his role. Things would still come for him.

His matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks was a measuring stick of sorts. Antetokounmpo, like Gordon, was an athletic freak coming into the Draft who needed to mold his skills. Antetokounmpo developed into one of the best players in the NBA.

And on that January night against Gordon and the Magic, he proved it.

Antetokounmpo scored 26 points on 10-for-15 shooting, taking over in the second half to ensure his Bucks won 110-103. Gordon finished that with just 11 points on 4-for-18 shooting. He looked outmatched trying to keep pace with his counterpart, often forcing play. Orlando fell behind as Gordon tried to force more.

This has been a breakout season for Gordon, averaging a career-best 18.3 points per game and shooting a career-best 51.1 percent effective field goal percentage. His development as a 3-point shooter has helped transform his game.

But he still has a long way to go. This game showed that.

His ability to take that long journey was seen in his following game.

Orlando Magic

He struggled again to shoot against the Washington Wizards, making just 4 of 15 shots. But he had seven assists and 10 rebounds. It was a big part of the Magic keeping the game close against the Wizards that evening. But, again, an imperfect game.

Gordon in his effort to unlock all of his potential was still figuring out how to do everything the team would need him to do. He has been trying to learn when he will need to shoot and score and when to pass.

"“We’re in uncharted territory for him right now”, coach Frank Vogel said in January shortly after this two-game stretch. “A, he is improving each game this year. And he is in the first stretch in his career where he is the first option. This is the first stretch where he is kind of in new ground. This is a learning process for him and for all of us.”"

Gordon has always been a bundle of potential. The combination of injuries and the Magic’s mismanagement of his development and finding him the proper role have slowed down the realization of his abilities.

But, finally, Gordon has begun reaching a level of play everyone always envisioned for him when he was drafted fourth overall. The outlines of a future star are present. Although, they remain uncertain.

Gordon still has a lot of growth to go. And much of it will come in the lessons he may have learned in these two January games. He has to learn when to be a scorer and when to pass.

"“It comes with seeing the game better,” Gordon said after the All-Star Break. “You’ve got to be able to see the game, read it and make the right reads time and time again until it becomes second nature. Once that happens, the whole organization lifts the more we can get people doing that.”"

Undoubtedly, Gordon’s game has changed significantly this year. It is not merely in his ability to make 3-pointers or his increased scoring. It is how those points are coming.

Gordon is taking 5.3 drives per game this year, up from 3.5 per game last year. He scores only 2.9 points per game off those drives up from 2.0 per game last year. He is getting more of these opportunities, but not necessarily scoring more effectively off them.

According to NBA.com player tracking, Gordon has 1.8 possessions per game in isolations (compared to 0.9 per game last year). On those isolation possessions this year, Gordon has scored 0.76 points per possession. Last year, he scored 1.15 points per possession.

Again, increased usage has led to decreased efficiency. Some of that is to be expected, but perhaps not this much.

Stylistically everyone seems to notice the change in Gordon’s game. He is trying to make those isolation plays that it appears star players are going to make. And it has not been overly effective. Yet someone has to create for this team.

Zach Lowe of ESPN.com wrote in his 10 things this week:

"Gordon has always been most effective when he channels his inner Draymond Green: defend like hell across every position, set screens, pop 3s, and spray passes when defenses collapse on his rim runs. He doesn’t seem to have much interest in being that player."

Indeed, it seems like Gordon is at his best working off the ball rather than on the ball in these situations. Holding onto things too much dramatically decreases his efficiency and effectiveness.

He scores on 1.42 points per possession on cuts, 1.04 points per possession on spot-up shots (with a 53.7 percent effective field goal percentage) and 1.24 points per possession as the roll man in pick and rolls.

It would seem to suggest Gordon works best off the ball. When Vogel says Gordon’s best offensive games come within the flow of the offense, this is likely what he means. He works best when he is not trying to force play, overdribbling or freelancing. That is the stomach-churning play that has been both frustrating and a necessary growing pain for Gordon as he tries to expand his game.

There is still a bit more he can do. Lowe suggested seeing Gordon more work as the ball handler in pick and rolls. There, the results are inconclusive but not encouraging. He scores 0.78 points per possession on 1.7 possessions per game as the ball handler in pick and rolls. That is not his forte.

Regardless of how the Magic use him — and they have used him to the tune of a career-high 15.0 field goal attempts per game and a 24.4 percent usage rate. The Magic are certainly playing him like he is the team’s future star.

This is the challenge every young player wants.

"“It’s different,” Gordon said in January. “I haven’t gotten this look before. It’s fun, it’s challenging, it’s something I need to grow and learn quickly for my team. A big responsibility comes with that. I need to make sure I get my teammates involved and make people better around me. Making people better around you is the mark of a good player.”"

And that gets to the next point for Gordon — learning how to get others involved.

He has shown flashes of playmaking brilliance, like that game against the Wizards. Gordon is averaging a career-high 11.0 percent assist rate and 2.3 assists per game. No one is about to confuse Gordon for a passing savant.

Gordon averages only gets an assist on 5.5 percent of his passes and an assist or potential assist on 6.4 percent of his passes.

For comparison, Giannis Antetokounmpo averages an assist or potential assist on 9.7 percent of his passes, Paul George on 12.9 percent of his passes and Blake Griffin on 10.0 percent of his passes.

Tobias Harris posts an assist or potential assist on 5.2 percent of his passes and Harrison Barnes is at 5.9 percent of his passes. Gordon right now seems to be playing more similarly to those players than any of the stars listed above.

To be sure, growing his playmaking and ability to get others involved is part of the next step of Gordon’s evolution.

Next: Orlando Magic going young will bring growing pains

Right now, they are simply growing pains. Gordon is seemingly in love with his offense and trying to explore that. It has had its rough moments. Next comes the next phase in his offensive growth.