Orlando Magic’s Jacque Vaughn praises Aaron Gordon
Since trading Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers two years ago, the Orlando Magic have undergone a massive rebuilding project that took another turn this offseason.
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The Magic traded guard Arron Afflalo to the Denver Nuggets for swingman Evan Fournier and the rights to the 56th-overall pick, which they used on guard Roy Devyn Marble. They selected former Arizona Wildcats’ forward Aaron Gordon with the fourth-overall selection and traded the rights to the 12th-overall selection, Croatian forward Dario Saric and a future pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for the rights to the 10th-overall pick, former Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns’ point guard Elfrid Payton. Theysigned veteran guard Ben Gordon, Phoenix Suns’ big man Channing Frye and claimed Los Angeles Clippers’ guard Willie Green off of waivers. They also chose to waive point guard Jameer Nelson, among several other players.
Gordon, as the number four pick, is thought to be a major part of the future of the team. Magic head coach Jacque Vaughn, who is currently in Spain watching Fournier play for France in the FIBA World Cup, is excited about Gordon.
“He’s a great addition to the culture that we have,” Vaughn told Raul Barrigon of Hoops Hype. “We’re really about having unselfish guys. He’s a defensive-minded guy, who has a great athletic ability. He’ll grow on the offensive end of the floor. He’s a guy who will come to work every day and that’s what we’re looking for.”
Gordon is very raw but is a very talented athlete as well.
Gordon measured in at 6’8.75″ and 220 lbs. with a wingspan of 6’11.75″ at the NBA’s Scouting Combine. He averaged 12.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 49.5% from the field, 35.6% from beyond the arc and 42.2% from the free throw line for the Wildcats last season. Jonathan Givony of Draft Express ranked Gordon as the ninth-best prospect in the daft.
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