5 NBA players who should be playing a different position

5. Aaron Gordon

Aaron Gordon was drafted in the 2014 NBA Draft as a tweener. He was a bundle of athleticism that did not really have any set definable NBA skills. His jumper was a mess and he did not have a post game.

What he did have was the thing that has made him famous — his incredible athleticism.

Gordon’s breakout performance at the NBA Slam Dunk Contest last year put him on the NBA map and led to a rush of confidence to finish the season strong. He continued some of that momentum this year as he continues to average about 11 points per game.

But things are undoubtedly different for Gordon this year. Despite his offense taking a step forward on a raw basis, he is not shooting the ball as well and has had to do something he had not done in his first two years.

With the Magic’s strange offseason acquiring Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo, the team announced they would move Aaron Gordon to small forward. It is not that Gordon had not played small forward before — about 40 percent of his minutes came at small forward last year, according to Basketball-Reference — it is that he never played it exclusively.

Gordon has played more than 90 percent of his minutes at small forward. And that is something of a problem because of his poor 3-point shooting — less than 30 percent — and bad outside shot in general.

The Magic tried at one point to run him in pick-and-rolls. That was a disaster — 0.55 points per possession in 1.5 plays as the pick-and-roll ball-handler, according to NBA.com. He is not a great spot-up shooter either. Gordon does not do many of the things a small forward needs to do.

About the only solace for the Magic and for Gordon is that he is proving himself to be a potentially elite perimeter defender. The question is whether that positive on defense on the perimeter will outweigh his poor offense and offensive development.

Thee is still time for the 21-year-old forward, fortunately.