4. Aaron Gordon (2 years, $34.5 million)
Last Year: 3
There are a lot of questions about the plan Jeff Weltman was trying to execute. Building from the middle is a risky proposition and requires a team to continually improve to cash in the chips necessary to take the step into championship contention. And without a Lottery ticket, it is even harder to find the elite prospects that truly shift franchises.
Orlando, to get to title contention, would likely need an all-in move at some point to push themselves to the next level.
The player that would inevitably be part of that all-in move was Aaron Gordon. The hope was always for him to develop into an All-Star or borderline All-Star they could include in a trade for a bigger player. The Magic were always on the periphery of these deals — like this offseason’s sweepstakes for Russell Westbrook.
But they were not in a position to pull the trigger. And they quickly found out that Gordon was not reaching that star potential.
Gordon’s stagnation is the biggest impediment to the team’s growth. At this point, the Magic have run out of time. They are planning to build with Jonathan Isaac as their main forward. And the question is and should be will Gordon help the Magic get the most of Isaac.
Nugg Love
That is a fair question. And maybe it can work with Gordon’s improvement as a 3-point shooter this year — a career-best 40.2-percent from deep — it could work.
But the team has also seen a lot of his inconsistency this year too. And Gordon still often freelances into a one-on-one style that frustrates observers and plays to his biggest weaknesses.
That is why Gordon finds himself on the block and is likely to be traded. Gordon too has probably seen the writing on the wall. And after just two playoff appearances in seven years, he appears ready to move on and get a fresh start somewhere else too.
A trade is imminent one way or another. The Magic will not get to cash in that Gordon chip to get the star that ties anything together. Instead, Orlando is hoping for some draft capital and a rotation player as they sell Gordon at this year’s deadline.