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Gordon Confident He Can Play Both Forward Positions

Josh Cohen
Digital News Manager

By John Denton
July 13, 2015

ORLANDO – An Orlando Magic team that signed Channing Frye to a free-agent deal in 2014 and pursued other big men this summer could ultimately have their answer at the power forward position already on the roster.

One of the most telling things to emerge from last week’s Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League was the all-around development of Aaron Gordon, the Magic’s Swiss Army knife of a forward. At 6-foot-9, 225 pounds, Gordon is confident that he can thrive at either the small forward or power forward positions.

In the NBA’s new version of ``Small Ball,’’ where shooting and athleticism are at premiums even at frontcourt positions, Gordon sees no reason why he can’t be a strong option at power forward next season for the Magic.
``I’m strong enough and I’m big enough that I can match up with (power forwards),’’ Gordon said with conviction. ``And offensively they have to guard me, too. So that’s going to be a problem for them.’’

Gordon, who is still two months away from his 20th birthday, just wants more playing time in what will be his second NBA season. And the Magic will likely have to find more ways to get the 2014 No. 4 pick on the floor more considering the magnitude of his improvement since the end of last season.

Orlando has somewhat of a logjam on the wings with the likes of Victor Oladipo, restricted free agent Tobias Harris, Evan Fournier, 2015 No. 5 pick Mario Hezonja, free-agent signee C.J. Watson and Gordon. If Gordon can truly play at the power forward position and hold his own defensively and on the boards, it would inject some much-needed athleticism and shot-blocking into the Magic’s frontline alongside of center Nikola Vucevic.

That decision will ultimately be up to new Magic head coach Scott Skiles, someone who values defense and hustle over anything else. Skiles has gotten to build a relationship with Gordon in the weeks since his May 29 hiring because the forward has practically lived at the team’s headquarters this offseason while working to improve his skills. Also, Skiles came away from the Summer League quite impressed with Gordon’s game and said big things are ahead for a player who is ``about all the right things.’’

``I think ultimately Aaron is going to be able to guard four positions, so I think the answer is yes,’’ Skiles said when asked if he thought Gordon could play the power forward position long term for the Magic. ``He’s a willing defender, he likes to use his body and he likes to be physical. So, yeah, I think he’s going to be a guy who can guard those (power forwards) often. And late in games, he can guard (power forwards and small forwards) and switch onto (point guards). I think he’s going to be that type of defender for us.’’

Gordon is under consideration for more minutes next season following the dramatic improvement that he displayed in the Orlando Pro Summer League. Following several months of work, Gordon showed off a variety of offensive weapons – a reliable 3-point shot, a mid-range jumper and a variety of looks off pull-up dribbles – to go along with his off-the-charts athleticism.

How dramatic was the growth for Gordon? In the 2014 Summer League, he never scored more than 12 points in five games and his numbers (7.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 35 percent shooting) spoke to the limitations in his offensive game. Last week, Gordon led all players in scoring (21.7 points) and rebounding (11.7). Most importantly, he shot 50 percent from both the floor and the 3-point line.

Granted, Gordon’s production wasn’t against top-level NBA players, but he did batter foes both from the power forward and small forward positions. Gordon thought he was ready for the NBA when he left the University of Arizona after one season, but he found out how much he needed growth in his game. Now, Gordon said, he has weapons against NBA-level defenses.

``I’ve always had a lot in my arsenal, but I never was efficient enough to use it,’’ Gordon admitted. ``Now, I’m starting to simplify my game and all of the stuff in my (tool) bag is starting to come out.’’

Gordon’s rookie season – one where he was the second-youngest player in the NBA – was mostly marred by a fractured bone in his left foot that cost him nearly three months of action. He bounced back after the injury to finish the season strong and he averaged 5.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in 17 minutes in the 47 games where he saw action.

Not long after the season ended, Gordon got back in the gym – be it in Orlando at the Magic headquarters or in Santa Barbra, Calif., near his native San Jose home. For weeks, he’s worked with shooting coach Dave Love and has played one-on-one and two-on-two games against teammates Elfrid Payton and Devyn Marble.

Skiles’ coaching influence can already be seen in Gordon’s growth. Skiles, who once starred as a Magic point guard from 1989-94, talked extensively with Gordon about when he needs to use his jaw-dropping athleticism and when he needs to pull back. Skiles said the game is starting to slow down for Gordon in terms of him being patient and understanding where his shots will come from. But he’s far from being a finished product, Skiles insisted.

``He’s worked a lot on his shot and it’s gotten better, but he wants to do well so badly that sometimes he speeds up and gets a little out of control,’’ Skiles said. ``He’s worked on that and he’s really slowed down. He (slowed down) early in (summer league) games and got in a nice rhythm, but as the games went on he sped up again. It’s something that he’s still working on. He’s still a good defender and a good rebounder and does so many positive things. It’s just a matter of playing this game for awhile and you sort of relax as a pro. He’s getting there and it’s exciting to see.’’

Whether or not the second-year forward will earn the trust of the Magic’s new coaching staff to play power forward remains to be seen. Gordon proved himself to be a strong defender last season, but that was primarily against small forwards. He smothered Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins and Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton in late-season victories last season.

Bigger, physical power forwards in the Eastern Conference such as Pau Gasol, Chris Bosh, Al Horford, Kevin Love, Nene and Greg Monroe could cause Gordon problems on the glass and in the low post, but he thinks his combination of quickness, strength and basketball smarts will help him make up for what he lacks in length.

Of course there are other examples of smaller power forwards, such as New York’s Carmelo Anthony, Golden State’s Draymond Green and Brooklyn’s Thaddeus Young, who have thrived at the position. Coaches and executives hate player comparisons, as does Gordon, but he admitted that some of those players have created a blueprint for how he can potentially thrive at the power forward slot.

``I hate comparisons, but a guy like (Draymond Green) is a utility guy who can do a lot pushing the ball up the floor, knocking down the three, he’s an energy guy and he plays D,’’ Gordon said. ``So I can understand when people have the comparisons, but I hate comparisons because he’s not me and I’m not him.

``I just want to be a complete basketball player at the highest level and to the highest point of my potential,’’ Gordon added. ``I needed this (growth) in my game to spread the defense and to be a complete player.’’