Interesting analysis

"Justise Winslow, Aaron Gordon, and role optimization" -- Cole Zwicker

"Aaron Gordon playing out of position

Orlando has been one of the most disappointing teams in the league this year with their conglomeration of mismatched pieces, and no one has paid the piper (development wise) more than Aaron Gordon. Through four games, per NBA.com, Orlando’s highest minute lineup is Payton/Fournier/Gordon/Ibaka/Vucevic, and Orlando’s second highest minutes lineup is Payton/Fournier/Gordon/Vucevic/Biyombo. What is the commonality? Gordon is playing almost all his minutes out of position at the 3 spot, and his development is suffering.

Gordon is a big space player, meaning he excels operating in large spaces attacking closeouts. This renders him a plus fit at the 4 position, where he is arguably the most athletic power forward in the league, one who can blow by slower-footed opponents on closeouts and explode vertically attacking the basket. It’s not an accident that his most productive minutes of the season came in the second game against Detroit playing the 4 being defended by Jon Leuer.

Gordon is not a wing as he lacks the small space tight handle to create against superior athletes. Players such as Dion Waiters in the first game of the season have really pressed up and gotten into his body, and Gordon can’t counter that skill-wise. The Magic are touting Gordon as a 3 because of front-court personnel constraints in trying to give newly signed Bismack Biyombo and Jeff Green more minutes. Gordon has the ideal skill-set of a two-way playmaking 4, and has made tremendous strides in his shot mechanics and footwork.

The fear is his development upside is being curbed by the politics of a desperate franchise."