Aaron Gordon impressed by Magic's front office, moves made

The Orlando Magic's front office was busy at last season's trade deadline and during the offseason, and Aaron Gordon is impressed with all of the movement.

Casual NBA fans probably only know Aaron Gordon for his theatrics in this past season's Slam Dunk contest. Even though he was eventual edged out by Zach LaVine, Gordon put on quite the show with perhaps the more impressive slate of dunks.

But there's much more to Aaron Gordon. He's not even 21 yet (his birthday is on September 16th), but Gordon is already taking strides to become a great NBA player. His point, rebound, and assist numbers nearly doubled in his second season despite only seeing a 6.9 minutes per game increase. And, his effort on the defensive end was extraordinary, especially combined with his extreme athleticism.

Gordon's role will continue to grow in year three under new head coach Frank Vogel. His defensive prowess should take off under the former Pacers coach, and there will likely be more opportunities for Gordon to get out and finish in transition.

In a recent interview with Basketball Insiders' Alex Kennedy, Gordon discussed the recent slate of moves made by Orlando's front office, including the additions of Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo. Aaron made it very clear: he's impressed by their new-look roster, and expectations have risen as a result.

Per Kennedy:

“It’s just exciting to me. I’ve always trusted Rob Hennigan and I’ve always trusted Scott Perry. To me, it validates my trust in them. They made moves that other people couldn’t have made. They were confident, aggressive moves. Now, it’s on us. We’re ready to play. We have the coach, the staff, the players, the organization. We have a foundation of players who have been there and been through the losing, and now it’s time to start winning.”

Optimism is abound in Orlando, and Gordon is 100% on board:

“We are a playoff team. I haven’t stepped foot in the gym with everyone yet, but just through our text messages and calls, that’s where everybody’s mindset is at. They’re ready, and I’m ready as well. Really, we have to play present. We need to take each game and play it like it’s our last. If we do that, we’re going to have a very successful season.”