The Orlando Magic will have a crucial decision on their hands after executing the first phase of the Aaron Gordon project last season by trading Serge Ibaka to the Toronto Raptors for Terrence Ross. In an attempt to clean up a target board mess prior to the trade deadline, the Magic struck gold with Air Gordon, who before this breakout season was only known for his air-defying dunks.
Before putting up a career-high 18.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game this season, the 22-year-old had averaged a feeble 9.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game through his three-year career, while shooting 46 percent from the floor and a whisker under 70 percent from the stripe, remaining far from a stretch four with a lousy 28.9 percent on 2.2 three-point attempts per game.
While the reservations to extend Gordon's rookie deal were evident for this front office, their patience has reaped some fruits, as Gordon's incredible offseason has led him to shoot an efficient 53.7 percent from the floor and make 28 of the 54 three-pointers he's taken this season.
For those who warn fool's gold — it isn't just the short sample size that suggests the Arizona product's evolution, but a major improvement on his footwork and a more capable usage of his athletic abilities to find scoring opportunities on the floor.
Gordon can become a restricted free agent next summer, likely yielding a four-year, $106.5 million max offer from other teams if he continues his torrid pace, according to Frank Urbina of HoopsHype — but the Magic would be able to exceed their salary cap by offering him a five-year deal that increases by 8 percent for each year of his contract, since they own his Bird rights.
The Magic could net a slam dunk of a deal by locking Gordon down for five seasons, getting him at a likely cheaper price than what he can cost through the following summer. Even if Gordon chose to re-sign with the Magic at the end of his restricted free agency, Orlando would risk to lose him a la Gordon Hayward and put their franchise in danger by losing one of their own at his physical prime.
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