The Denver Nuggets have gained a whole new fanbase in Orlando. In one of the biggest moves of this year's NBA trade deadline, the Nuggets acquired human pogo stick Aaron Gordon from the Orlando Magic in an effort to keep up with a constantly escalating arms race in the Western Conference.
Gordon, who has spent his entire career rocking the royal blue and pinstripes, issued a heartfelt goodbye on Instagram to his first, and only professional city to this point.
“It’s hard to put into words how much it’s meant to me to play for the Magic and be a part of the Orlando community. From the moment I was drafted at 18 years old, Orlando has shown me nothing but love.”
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Gordon was selected fourth overall by the Magic in 2014 and immediately made a name for himself on sheer athleticism. He is highly regarded as one of the greatest competitors in NBA Slam Dunk Contest history and his 2016 performance is particularly lauded, despite his narrow, heartbreaking loss to Zach LaVine.
Gordon, who got traded for Gary Harris and RJ Hampton, is a threat to stuff the stat sheet on any given night. Plus, his position on the Magic as a supersized small forward has resulted in almost year-to-year improvement in his three-point shooting. In the years following Dwight Howard's messy departure, Gordon and the Magic's other recently-departed star Nikola Vucevic provided Orlando with a pair of legitimate, homegrown stars.
While getting shipped to the Nuggets marked a farewell, Gordon said he couldn't be grateful enough for the Magic.
“I’m beyond thankful to Coach Clifford and appreciate the entire organization for 7 seasons. This game has given me everything and I’ll continue to give it my everything in return.”
Magic fans know what he has given the game, and will be glued to their TV's pulling for every bit of Aaron Gordon's success. Stay tuned on that front, as there will be plenty of highlights to come for him in Mile High City.
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