Orlando Magic: Is it time to cut losses and move on from Aaron Gordon?

Is it time for the Orlando Magic to move on from Aaron Gordon?

Over the last two seasons, the Orlando Magic have been a playoff team in the Eastern Conference. On the surface, after missing the postseason six-straight seasons before that, you’d come to believe that the last two seasons have been good for the franchise.

While that may be the case, the ending for the Magic over the last two seasons have left a bit of a bad taste in their mouths. Not because making the playoffs as a bottom two-seed in each of the last two seasons is a disappointment, per se, but because when the Magic have lost in the playoffs, the gulf between them and the rest of the Eastern Conference contenders have been so big.

Because of that gulf, the Magic are in limbo. They aren’t bad enough to find a player at the top of the NBA Draft lottery, and aren’t good enough – and, most importantly, don’t have the young, promising players that will get them to a contending spot – to be considered the future of the sport.

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Heading into an offseason in which the Magic have to make future decisions on Evan Fournier (who can opt out of his contract this offseason to test free agency) and DJ Augustin, it’ll be interesting to see which way Orlando moves.

Will they continue to build around this core, which includes Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, and Markelle Fultz, or will this team pivot towards a bigger rebuild? Considering that Jonathan Isaac is set to miss the 2021 season, it makes this team’s situation all the more difficult.

One player that the Magic need to decide one way or another on is Aaron Gordon. He’s currently labeled as one of the team’s core players, but hasn’t exactly have the jump in development that Orlando hoped he would by this point in his career.

In fact, you could actually make the case that Gordon took a bit of a step back during the 2019-20 NBA season. He missed the playoffs due to injury and left much to be desired overall. Entering his seventh season in 2021, the Magic have to figure out whether or not he will be considered a key part of this team’s build moving forward.

He only has two years remaining on his contract (expires after the 2022 season) and if Orlando doesn’t feel Gordon is going to blossom into the start that they believed he could be when they drafted him, perhaps trading him when he has two years remaining on his contract rather than one will result in the bigger return.

Because he fourth overall by the Magic, perhaps he’ll never be able to live up to expectations from the franchise and fan base. Gordon is coming off a season in which he averaged 14 points, eight rebounds, and four assists on 44 percent shooting from the field. While that may be seen as a bit of a step back from Orlando, that may not be the same on another team.

Perhaps a trade will be the best course of action for both the Orlando Magic and Aaron Gordon, and that’s OK. Orlando is probably never going to compete in the East with Gordon as one of its top 2 players.

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Trading him this offseason could give Orlando additional pieces to move forward in their build, retooling, or full rebuild. And a change of scenery (and expectations) could probably do Aaron Gordon good too. It could be a win-win for both parties.

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