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Orlando Magic: All-decade most liked starting 5

By Luke Duffy

NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 30: Jameer Nelson #14 of the New Orleans Pelicans passes the ball around Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic at the Smoothie King Center on October 30, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 30: Jameer Nelson #14 of the New Orleans Pelicans passes the ball around Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic at the Smoothie King Center on October 30, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

Power forward – Aaron Gordon

A really tough position to call. Some fans would have liked to have seen Hedo Turkoglu in this spot, and there’s no doubt be was the kind of player who was ahead of his time and was a big help to those contending Orlando Magic teams. But his time with the team is split in two as a result of leaving for the Toronto Raptors (and having a 25 game pit stop with the Phoenix Suns too).

You could make the case for Rashard Lewis as well, and even Tobias Harris. In the end though, fans have been through a lot with Aaron Gordon, even if it feels like we are still yet to see his best consistently. He was their best player to come out of their prolonged rebuild (Victor Oladipo was cut loose too soon), and has grown in front of our eyes.

Those All-Star Dunk Contest losses only brought Gordon and fans closer as they rallied behind the injustice of him never winning that trophy, despite clearly being the winner on at least one occasion. The on-court play has been mostly good too, even if the power forward position isn’t really his preferred spot.

https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1231319049944125440

Previous head coach Frank Vogel tried to fit him in here, and while we’re doing the same now, the league has evolved to become position-less. Offensively Gordon is more like a small forward, but on the defensive end he is often tasked with guarding all manner of bigs, so we’ll get away with keeping him here.

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Somehow Gordon is still only 24, and at that age is already the Orlando Magic’s best two-way player. The encouraging 34.9 percent he shot from deep last season has been replaced with 30.1 percent this year, but there was still time for Gordon to improve upon that, and other, numbers.

He was there when the organization was at its lowest point, and since then has only tried to become of a leader, even if his consistency hasn’t always been there. Gordon figures to be a key player for them this decade as well, with the six seasons he’s already had and how he has carried himself during this time, despite persistent trade rumors, making him the right choice here.

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