Orlando Magic: 2017-18 player grades for Aaron Gordon
By Luke Duffy
The Orlando Magic may have disappointed in 2017-18, but Aaron Gordon was one of the few individuals on this team who can hold his head up high.
Coming in to the 2017-18 season, if the Orlando Magic were going to have any chance of making an unexpected playoff push, Aaron Gordon had to be a leader for this team.
That he was mostly able to do so despite the team adding capable veterans like Jonathon Simmons and Marreese Speights says a lot about the direction Gordon is going in.
Even more encouraging was the fact Gordon posted career highs in points (17.6 per game), rebounds (7.9 per game), assists (2.3 per game) and 3-point shooting (33.6 percent). Add to that a Player Efficiency Rating of 16.5, another career high, and it is clear Gordon was one of the true bright spots for a struggling organization.
Gordon now enters this offseason as a restricted free agent, and when you consider this, it is easy to see why he improved in all the areas that he did. The man wants to get paid.
There’s little doubt that the Magic should keep him around long-term, although offering him a maximum contract may still present some measure of risk.
Really though, there was much to like about all that Gordon did in 2017-18, and at only 22 years of age there is still plenty of upside to his game. Here’s a look back on his season.