Aaron Gordon fully cleared in recovery from jaw fracture
The Orlando Magic won't have to send a harshly-worded letter to Drew Gordon after all.
Aaron Gordon, who fractured his jaw "horsing around" with older brother Drew in July, has been fully cleared in his recovery, a team official told the Orlando Sentinel. The team will still monitor Gordon during contact situations, but the injury is decidedly behind him.
The 20-year-old Gordon is entering an important sophomore season, one in which he should develop a more clear role within the Magic's young core. The No. 4 pick in 2014 impressed as a rookie but was limited to just 47 games, and while the talent is palpable, it's not yet obvious what type of player he's going to be.
That's not a criticism, because Gordon does several things well that should make him a malleable building piece. An effective and versatile defender, the 6-foot-9 Gordon shot 27.9 percent from outside of 16 feet in a small sample, an encouraging sign that his range may eventually extend to the 3-point line.
He also averaged 21.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in three Orlando Summer League games, showing enormous strides from his rookie campaign.