AG needs to step up

[OrlandoSaban]

I’m not big on all of the contract stuff and money and all of that. But if I remember correctly, isn’t he the highest player on the team? Shouldn’t he constantly be in the 20-30 points per game and not the 10-20 points per game category?

Right now, he is the most disappointing player to me.

Every time he shoots, I just know it’s not going in. Even with free throws. It’s pathetic to know that this dude makes more money in a single season than I will make my entire lifetime.

[j-ragg]

He'll be better in his contract year like everyone else on this team.

But really, everyone is bummed he's having a down year on offense (except couple people). Hopefully it comes back around. Pretty much all of his efficiency stats are way down from last year.

It’s pathetic to know that this dude makes more money in a single season than I will make my entire lifetime.

You can probably say this about some of the worst players in the league.

[OrlandoSaban]

He’s great on defense.. he just doesn’t make a lot of buckets. Very frustrating

[subbed sub]

I’m not big on all of the contract stuff and money and all of that. But if I remember correctly, isn’t he the highest player on the team? Shouldn’t he constantly be in the 20-30 points per game and not the 10-20 points per game category?

Right now, he is the most disappointing player to me.

Every time he shoots, I just know it’s not going in. Even with free throws. It’s pathetic to know that this dude makes more money in a single season than I will make my entire lifetime.

Not sure. He's not a scorer, he's a complimentary piece to play with a scorer - one that we don't have.

[Max Power]

Watching AG has been frustrating for many years in terms of his inconsistent offensive performances. 25 one night, 5 the next has been the mantra of his entire career. His defense keeps him in the league. The head scratcher is that he’s got the talent! Those nights where he’s all world and drops in 38 prove it. I think just like Fournier the last two years, he fell in love with jump shots and he’s gotta get his buckets in the paint. He’s got the strength. Fournier figured it out and his game is balanced now. AG needs to do the same.

[fendilim]

His offense has always been questionable when he tries to play out of his strength. He had a good year last year because he was playing to his strength on offense.

I'd rather see the elite defensive player he was touted to be coming out of college.

[zaymon]

He’s great on defense.. he just doesn’t make a lot of buckets. Very frustrating

He is not great on defense. He is lost on rotations consistenly. As i wrote in the game thread he mostly cost us the game tonight on defense.






He is good man defender becouse he is big and athletic, but the moment he must make a decision (on offense or defense) he is terrible. I dont see any special talent here, just athletic player with bad decision making who occasionaly gets hot from deep. These kind of players are the reason teams lose. I hope we trade him, propably in the offseason if he somehow raises his value. I am almost certain he will be out of the starting lineup next year if he continous to play like that.

[pepe1991]

He is member of one of most overhyped and defacto most disappointing draft class in history.

1# pick Wiggins- false hype
2# pick Jabari Parker- nothing but bench scorer ( injuried played big role but he never showed ability to be impact player)
3# Embiid ,after crazy "rookie" season he also kind a fizzled out
4# Gordon , role player
5# Exum, bench player
6# Smart, rotation player
7# Randle , empty stats on bad teams
8# Stauskas out of nba
9# Vonleh, bench player
10# Payton, rotation player on bad teams
11# McDermott bench player
12# Saric, declined at age of 24
13# Lavine, kind a e like Randle
14# TJ Warren , similar ballpark of a player like Gordon


Capela, Bogdanovic, Jokić, Nurkić, Garry Harris, Joe Harris were all non- lottery picks and in retrospective better than vast majority of lottery players.
Best example of hype going wrong.

It's not objective to expect from 6th year player, who has been career 12,5ppg, 53% TS player to "step up". Almost every single nba player becomes what he is for rest of his prime by the 4th year, before rookie extension starts. Ofc there are some outliners, but they are outliners. Gordon is solid player that has too big leash and who tried to develop part of his game that never suited him.Blame goes partly on him and partly on Magic for it. Time after time you see him take pullup jumpers and passing on spot up shots. Makes no sense for anybody but him ( and former or current, or both training stuffs) why he does things like that all the time. Just like his post up game has zero practical usage in Clifford's system so question stands- why he spent whole summer working on it?

Most annoying part about Gordon is that Ibaka for full lenght of his extension ended up being better payer than Gordon on his ( assuming nothing changes any time soon, in mean time last 10 or so games Ibaka is 20-10 guy again)

[Bergmaniac]

He is not a good offensive player and never has been, I don't know why you'd expect him to "constantly be in the 20-30 points per game" - he's never done that before or even been close to it. You can't be a star scorer in this league with mediocre handles and a questionable jumpshot unless you are great at posting up, which he obviously isn't.

[rcklsscognition]

Nowhere to step when you're at the top of the ladder.

[VFX]

He does nothing exceptionally well.

He’s also on a team where he doesn’t really utilize his athleticism to his advantage, which is the only thing he has that is elite.

[fateis007]

I love AG man, he seems like such a hard worker.

But I feel like he has hit a wall. He just hasn't excelled much. He just doesn't have the attributes a great scorer has (getting to the line, blowing past defenders, creating space, post game, consistent shooting) and to compound things he loves to dribble the air out of the ball.

He has been given the keys to a huge part of the offense this year and just hasn't delivered. He could be a solid 3rd or 4th option, but he's being paid like a 1-2.

The sad thing is I think we will make a trade, and he might end up like Oladipo. (doubt it tho) , so we better get a solid return for him.

[Rainwater]

The guy has always been over hyped, reality has finally hit. He is a side piece.

[fateis007]

Oh man, I just looked at his stats and it's worse then I thought. 20 mill a year with a 13 PER.

[Skybox]

When I get served up a Dominique Wilkins highlight film on YouTube, all I think about is how AG should study him...so many putbacks! He was similar body size and athleticism but Nique was always around the offensive glass...clever spins, baseline cuts, lobs, or just flat out jumping over guys several times a game...if only AG could embrace the Rodman in his game over the Harden (that isn't). I really like AG and how it works out but part of me knows he'll kill on another team as clear third banana. As Oladipo described his time in ORL, still a power struggle to determine who is the "star", so guys are selfish, forcing it, trying to make things happen...AG would be so much better in a more reactive, limited, efficient role with other more skilled guys leading the offense. If we could get a REAL threat like CJ or Beal that would open things up for AG (but he'd probably be shipped out).

[yoyojw17]

When I get served up a Dominique Wilkins highlight film on YouTube, all I think about is how AG should study him...so many putbacks! He was similar body size and athleticism but Nique was always around the offensive glass...clever spins, baseline cuts, lobs, or just flat out jumping over guys several times a game...if only AG could embrace the Rodman in his game over the Harden (that isn't). I really like AG and how it works out but part of me knows he'll kill on another team as clear third banana. As Oladipo described his time in ORL, still a power struggle to determine who is the "star", so guys are selfish, forcing it, trying to make things happen...AG would be so much better in a more reactive, limited, efficient role with other more skilled guys leading the offense. If we could get a REAL threat like CJ or Beal that would open things up for AG (but he'd probably be shipped out).

I keep saying the same thing. if he was to settle in that role.... he would be worth every penny. but his ego or maybe just his extreme desire to do what he can for the team that makes him overshoot the mark that makes him such an inefficient player. It's like he doesn't realize that all the other thing he can do are useful to the team.... other than attempt to make a covered 3 point shot. Hope this changes if they are slowly transitioning to fultz being a higher usage player... which i hope is the case. we shall see.

[Skybox]

Isaac is considered "untouchable" and DPOY material but, at the same time, AG is considered a very good defender and he avgs. more PPG, RPG, and double the APG (in what is considered a bad year for AG). Neither one has great shooting % or 3pt%...yet people talk about AG as a scrub. Proper perspective, IMO, is not that he's bad, but he's frustrating because he's got so much potential. I'm, I guess, a homer but the trade value he's given on the general trade boards is stunning to me. I only propose AG trades because (due to JI) he may be the most expandable and have the greatest trade value...another example of a guy whose value will really be visible after he's gone...I just hope, if he gets moved, it's for an appropriate fitting equivalent player (or better in a pkg)...not addition by subtraction BS

[fendilim]

Isaac is considered "untouchable" and DPOY material but, at the same time, AG is considered a very good defender and he avgs. more PPG, RPG, and double the APG (in what is considered a bad year for AG). Neither one has great shooting % or 3pt%...yet people talk about AG as a scrub. Proper perspective, IMO, is not that he's bad, but he's frustrating because he's got so much potential. I'm, I guess, a homer but the trade value he's given on the general trade boards is stunning to me. I only propose AG trades because (due to JI) he may be the most expandable and have the greatest trade value...another example of a guy whose value will really be visible after he's gone...I just hope, if he gets moved, it's for an appropriate fitting equivalent player (or better in a pkg)...not addition by subtraction BS

Ag isnt a scrub if he played to his strength tho... tHats the problem. We saw that last year and post trade deadline the year we traded Tobias.

[VFX]

A system built around Vucevic at 26% usage, and a team bottom 5 in pace, will never be beneficial for AG’s game. I’d say it’s time to move on.

His TS% is 9th on the team between Fultz and MCW.
His EF% is 10th between DJ and MCW.

Those statistics highlight why he can’t and wont be as effective for Orlando.

[Rainwater]

Isaac is considered "untouchable" and DPOY material but, at the same time, AG is considered a very good defender and he avgs. more PPG, RPG, and double the APG (in what is considered a bad year for AG). Neither one has great shooting % or 3pt%...yet people talk about AG as a scrub. Proper perspective, IMO, is not that he's bad, but he's frustrating because he's got so much potential. I'm, I guess, a homer but the trade value he's given on the general trade boards is stunning to me. I only propose AG trades because (due to JI) he may be the most expandable and have the greatest trade value...another example of a guy whose value will really be visible after he's gone...I just hope, if he gets moved, it's for an appropriate fitting equivalent player (or better in a pkg)...not addition by subtraction BS

JI is in year 2 will while AG is 6,7 years in. People are tired of waiting for his "break out year". At some point he is what he is.