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Orlando Magic Rumors: Aaron Gordon hopes to wrap things up with Orlando Magic quickly

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ORLANDO, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball against the Utah Jazz on November 18, 2017 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball against the Utah Jazz on November 18, 2017 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Aaron Gordon is waiting to complete his free agency. he told a reporter earlier this week that he hopes to wrap things up with the Orladno Magic quickly.

The Orlando Magic’s offseason centers around one player — Aaron Gordon.

Gordon’s cap hold has taken up essentially all of the team’s available cap room and financial flexibility. Signing Gordon to a new contract will put the Magic over the cap. It leaves Orlando with just the $8.6 million mid-level exception to use in free agency, virtually.

The Gordon decision will be a big one too though.

Orlando has made it fairly clear the team intends to keep Gordon in a Magic uniform. President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman has made that clear in several public appearances that they hope to keep Aaron Gordon with the team for a long time.

It may simply come down to whether the price is right in initial negotiations. Or just how much Gordon can get in restricted free agency. All indications are the Magic will match just about any offer he might receive and Gordon will remain with the Magic for the foreseeable future.

What does Gordon think? Gordon seems to hope he and the Magic will come to an agreement quickly. That would suggest Gordon is eager to stay in Orlando.

He told Ian Begley of ESPN.com at the premiere of “Uncle Drew,” which Gordon stars in, that he hopes to stay in Orlando:

"Gordon, 22, said on Tuesday that he’d prefer to finalize the deal with Orlando quickly rather than talking to other teams. “Hopefully we just get it wrapped up with Orlando. That would be fantastic,” said Gordon, who averaged 17.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 58 games last season."

Gordon has remained fairly confident about his abilities and his worth since entering free agency. He said at exit interviews that he believed he was a max player. It was a statement of confidence as much as anything else. As any player should, he is going to look to cash in as much as he can.

It is yet to be seen whether any team in this tight market will give Gordon that max offer sheet and dare the Magic to match.

But Gordon here seems more hopeful that the Magic will make him a strong offer off the bat so he can sign and avoid the whole mess of offer sheets and waiting to see if the Magic match. For sure, from the Magic’s perspective, they might prefer to do the same instead of risking alienating Gordon by low balling him only to match an offer he really likes.

This is all part of the dance of restricted free agency. And among the many considerations the Magic will make as they get closer and closer to the decision date.

Orlando should get the first crack at negotiating with Gordon and making an initial offer when the clock strikes midnight on July 1.

The team very well could treat him the same way Rob Hennigan treated Tobias Harris. There the team made an initial low offer and told Harris to go set his market. He returned an offer sheet that he did not sign and the Magic topped the offer, signing him to a four-year, $64-million. Of course, the Magic traded him within the first season of signing that contract.

And Gordon expects to make significantly more — $18 million is the low end for potential Gordon contracts and it is more likely to be greater than $20 million per year.

At the very least, Gordon’s statements suggest that he wants to stay in Orlando. And the Magic have made things at least publicly clear they want to keep Gordon. It would seem then fairly likely the Magic will retain Gordon this summer.

The question and the only mystery in this relationship will be money. Just how much is Gordon worth? And how much as the Magic willing to pay?

That will be the question they have left to answer as negotiations pick up.

Next: What a sign-and-trade means

Orlando will have to handle Gordon first. Most likely before addressing the other issues they want to address in free agency. He is that big of a piece to the puzzle.