It looks like LeBron James was the domino that needed to fall for the rest of the NBA to get in on the action of the summer.
Hours after it was announced that James would leave the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Los Angeles Lakers, the Orlando Magic reportedly agreed to sign their own big-time free agent in Aaron Gordon.
Via Twitter:
Orlando RFA Aaron Gordon has agreed to a four-year, $84 million deal to re-sign with the Magic, league sources tell Yahoo.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2018
Gordon’s deal is a 4-year, $84 million contract with no opt-outs. The contract will run through Gordon’s age 26 season.
This seems like a relatively safe bet for Gordon, who was also linked to the Indiana Pacers as a restricted free agent candidate. The Magic selected Gordon fourth overall in the 2014 NBA Draft, and it’s a smart move to retain their own budding star in the face of the current NBA landscape.
The deal makes Gordon Orlando’s highest paid player by a few million, just ahead of Bismack Biyombo and Evan Fournier.
What Gordon’s signing means for the Magic is another thing. Orlando won just 25 games last season, and although James is now no longer atop the Eastern Conference, it’s not as though Orlando will be contending soon.
They have at several contracts on their books that don’t look good in hindsight, including that of Biyombo. Nikola Vucevic has been rumored to be on the trade block, so there is still lots of roster tinkering to be done in Central Florida before the Magic are contending for a playoff spot
