Guard Ben Gordon, who played in only 19 games last season but averaged more than 20 points per game twice earlier in his career, has agreed to a two-year, $9 million contract with the Orlando Magic.
The deal cannot become official until July 10 because of the NBA's moratorium on free-agent signings. Initial reports had both years of the deals being guaranteed. That was later changed to indicate the Magic would have the option on Gordon's second year, like they currently have with forward Jason Maxiell.
Coupled with the Magic's claiming of Willie Green off waivers Monday, the addition of the 31-year-old Gordon addresses the lack of veterans on the their roster following the trading of Arron Afflalo and the waiving of Jameer Nelson. But unless he has a career resurgence, Gordon won't come close to averaging the 18.2 points per game Afflalo did in the last of his two seasons with the Magic.
Gordon averaged 5.2 points in 14.7 minutes per game with the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Charlotte Hornets) before they waived him March 2. As a rookie with the Chicago Bulls in 2004-05, he was the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 15.1 points for a team which finished with a 47-35 record and made the playoffs for the first time since its run of six championships in eight years during the 1990s.
Gordon posted a career-high 21.4-point scoring average for the Bulls in 2006-07 and averaged 20.7 points two years later. In both seasons, he did not miss a game.
Where he will fit in with a group of guards including Victor Oladipo, Evan Fournier and rookies Elfrid Payton and Devyn Marble remains to be seen. Oladipo averaged 13.8 points and was second only to Nelson in assists after the Magic took him with the second overall pick a year ago, while Fournier was acquired from the Denver Nuggets for Afflalo.
Gordon was the third pick in the 2004 draft, the same one in which the Magic chose Dwight Howard first ahead of Gordon's college teammate at Connecticut, Emeka Okafor.
You can follow Ken Hornack on Twitter @HornackFSFla or email him at khornack32176@gmail.com.
