Every season the draft brings a fresh infusion of talent to the NBA. In theory this is an even, steady process. In practice, hindsight and historical perspective show that there are borders and boundaries — talent doesn’t just arrive in the NBA, it arrives in generational waves. Sometimes we can’t see these aesthetic dividing lines for decades, sometimes you simply can’t miss them.
The present day NBA appears to be on the cusp of welcoming a remarkable new generation to its forefront — players who are not just incredible but incredibly unique. Players who will not just excel but transform the roles and responsibilities of basketball players as we understand them. Over the course of this week, The Step Back will be examining many of the players who could figure prominently in The Next Generation. Not every player we turn our attention to is destined to be a star, but all could play a role in defining the future of the NBA. Read the whole series here.
The Next Generation: Aaron Gordon
There’s this one episode of Looney Tunes that’s an absolute classic. Elmer Fudd is out hunting for rabbits and when he finds one it’s Bugs Bunny. Not wanting to be shot and turned into a stew, Bugs tries to get Fudd off the trail by telling him it is in fact duck season. So Fudd changes course and starts attempting to hunt Daffy Duck. Cutting out a lot of details, the episode ends up with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck both trying to prove that it’s not their hunting time. They do this by putting up signs saying “Duck season” and “Rabbit season. Eventually the two are left arguing ripping off sign after sign.That final scene, when the two are ripping off signs in an attempt to prove their case to a distraught Elmer Fudd, is just like the Aaron Gordon positional debate.
Is he a small forward? Is he a power forward? Can he eventually become a small forward? Bugs is Rob Hennigan, Daffy is Alex Martins, and Frank Vogel is Elmer Fudd, unsure of what position his best young player really is.
In one way, there isn’t really a wrong answer for what Gordon can be. There is potential for Gordon to eventually develop skills that would allow the Magic would be able to play him as more of a tweener instead of exclusively at power forward. As a defender he’s already better at guarding on the perimeter and on ball than he is down in the post. Despite his insane athleticism, Gordon is not a shot blocker nor has he shown any signs of turning into one. By putting him on the perimeter he is going to naturally be at his best position as a defender.
Read More: Next Generation — Joel Embiid is not the present, he’s the future
In Gordon’s stint at small forward this season there have been flashes of what he could become. He’s turning the ball over less than ever, despite an increase in usage and ball handling responsibilities. At one point, Gordon was one of the anchors of a great Orlando defense. He even had a few giant scoring outbursts. When teams went small against him he frequently was able to bully his way to the rim and create layups. When Orlando tried to run a very traditional lineup it made sense to experiment with Gordon at power forward.
However, in today’s positional revolution there is no need for Gordon to become a shot blocking four. All of his positives at the small forward position can be carried over into power forward where he has previously shown success. Offensively, his numbers this season are down across the board with only a slight uptick in scoring. He can’t shoot from 3-point range and that severely limits what he’s able to do with the ball in his hands. Teams always go under screens when he handles in the pick- and-roll with long two’s being the usual result. He might not be the best power forward, but his current skills translate best to that position. Any potential skills he develops later on will merely add on to what he can already do.
It’s that potential of Gordon’s that creates so much intrigue in him as a player. He’s incredibly talented and yet so very raw. Give Gordon a head of steam to the basket with a clear lane and he’ll thrown down a highlight dunk. Put one defender in his way and Gordon stops in his tracks. He has no post skills whatsoever and has no idea how to take advantage of smaller defenders on the block. Yet he knows how to use his athleticism to take advantage of weaker defenders. Those are the inconsistencies that Gordon comes with.
There’s nothing Gordon excells at yet, but the flashes are so high Orlando can’t help but put time in. If Gordon can consistently be the player that he shows in the flashes then Orlando has a star waiting to emerge on their roster. That’s how great he looks when everything is going. Of course, there’s a lot of players like that in the NBA. Talented guys who show flashes, but can’t ever reach those heights consistently.
Which is really what having youth on a roster is all about. If every young player came into the NBA as a completely prepared package there would be no excitement to them. The potential breakout season is exciting, and when it does happen there’s few moments more enjoyable for a fan. For Magic fans, Gordon is the one piece of enjoyment they have in a miserable run of basketball. The franchise has no clear direction and are likely heading for a major regime change. For the most part, the Magic haven’t been exciting over the last few years. But Gordon has given the fans something.
He’s a highlight machine that makes games worth seeing. He can throw down a reverse alley-oop, in the middle of a fastbreak, and make it look easy. He showed out in the greatest dunk contest in NBA history, and sat down in mid-air.
Gordon might never reach his potential as an NBA player, but he’ll always be a fun moment in a rough section of the franchise for Magic fans. If that ends up being his final role as an NBA player then that’s perfectly okay. Not every young player in this new generation is going to dominate the NBA. As the truly great ones take over the league and become the new faces of the NBA, there will be others that are just fun to have around. Role players that hit huge shots in a playoff game. Number two or three stars next to the veteran that spent their entire career chasing their first ring. Obscure members of the 50 point club. Players that shine brightly but fade off far too soon. A highlight dunk we’ll remember forever. Each member of the new generation is writing their own story.
Aaron Gordon is just getting started with his. He has infinite potential to be a face of the league, but there’s no certainty he’ll reach it. One thing that is for certain however is we know it’s going to be fun.