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By John DentonNov. 16, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Orlando Magic rookie Aaron Gordon, the No. 4 pick in last June’s NBA Draft, fractured a bone in his left foot on Saturday night and will be out indefinitely, GM Rob Hennigan announced on Sunday.
Gordon, a valuable reserve this season for the Magic because of his athleticism and versatility, fractured the fifth metatarsal late in the Magic’s 98-83 loss to the Washington Wizards on Saturday night. The 6-foot-9, 220-pound rookie had his foot X-rayed following Saturday’s game and it revealed the fracture. He left the Verizon Center late Saturday night wearing a protective walking boot.
Gordon, the youngest player in the NBA this season at 19 years old, will be further evaluated as to the best course of action for treatment upon the team’s return to Orlando. The Magic (4-7) are scheduled to fly to suburban Detroit on Sunday and face the Pistons (3-7) on Monday night.
The Magic are already without Kyle O’Quinn (sprained ankle) and Devyn Marble (sprained rotator cuff) and veteran point guard Luke Ridnour (personal matter) left the team on Saturday to be with family in Orlando. Maurice Harkless, who has played 14.8 minutes in the six games he’s appeared in, is likely to see more time as the backup small forward in place of the injured Gordon.
Gordon has appeared in all 11 games this season, coming off the bench in each one. He’s averaged 5.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.55 blocks a game. His finest game as a pro came on Nov. 6 when he scored 17 points – six of them in overtime – and grabbed six rebounds in Orlando’s defeat of Minnesota. He also played a key role in flipping the momentum in Friday’s defeat of Milwaukee by scoring eight points, grabbing three rebounds and handing out three assists.
Known for his off-the-charts athleticism and rare combination of size and speed, Gordon worked tirelessly over the summer to better his shooting. And through the first 11 games of his career, he had made 58.1 percent of his shots from the floor, four of eight 3-pointers and 10 of 15 free throws.
He played well in Saturday’s first half in Washington, converting a thunderous dunk off a feed from fellow rookie Elfrid Payton and connecting on two spinning hook shots in the lane. In 14 minutes of action on Saturday, he finished with six points and three rebounds.