Orlando Magic head coach Frank Vogel has flat out said that he plans to use Aaron Gordon how he used Paul George in Indiana. Gordon and George are different players, George being the more polished of the two, but Vogel clearly has plans to test Gordon’s ceiling and capabilities as an all-around player.
Talking with Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders, Gordon says he expects to be taking on a bigger scoring role under Vogel:
Kennedy: You have a new head coach in Frank Vogel. How do you feel you fit in with Coach’s Vogel’s style and what have you guys discussed in terms of what role you’ll play?
Gordon: “I think he wants me to do a whole lot of everything, from defending to distributing to scoring. We’re going to need to score the ball this year and I’m looking to take on a bigger scoring role. Defensively, I want to guard the best player on the other team every night. These are things that I want, but they are also things I want from my teammates. I want them to say, ‘No, I want to guard the best player.’ And we have those type of players. Serge, Bismack, Jeff [Green], EP [Elfrid Payton] are guys who would love to do that. They all want that challenge and I love playing with guys like that. It’s always team-first with me and I’m going to do whatever I can to help my team win.”
With Victor Oladipo gone to Oklahoma City, the fact is, there will be more shot opportunities for Gordon and others. Now is the time for Gordon, much like his often-comparable Blake Griffin, to prove his ability outside of just athleticism and playing above the rim. From what we’ve seen, he certainly has the tacit skills to expand his game further. Shooting and creating for himself off the dribble are probably the main areas where Gordon needs to improve as a scorer and to come close to the pedestal of Paul George created by his new coach.
