Orlando Magic: Exploring the value of Aaron Gordon – as a player and trade chip

Exploring the value of Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon

Aaron Gordon was the 4th overall pick for the Orlando Magic in the 2014 NBA Draft, and with nearly six professional seasons completed now, it still feels like he hasn’t actually broken out into the player many expected him to be yet.

Still, at age 24, there’s potential for Gordon to be an NBA late-bloomer for a contending team on a roster that would actually utilize Gordon’s talents properly.

With all due respect to the Magic, over the last decade, they’ve haven’t exactly been the best franchise in terms of player development. Even as a playoff contender, you can make the case that Gordon isn’t in an ideal situation for his growth as a player.

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At times, Gordon has been asked to be a shot-creating small forward, other times he’s been asked to be a stretch-four even though his 3-point shooting is inconsistent as he’s only a career 32 percent shooter from deep.

Even with all of this, Gordon has been valued by many other organizations as recently as this season for the potential many teams believes he still has. The Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly tried to acquire Gordon at this season’s trade deadline, meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors were reported to have an interest in Gordon at the deadline as well, and possibly still have interest this offseason.

So why is Gordon valued so much by other teams, and what could the Magic get in a potential Gordon trade? The answer lies in what Gordon’s true strength could be in the modern NBA.

Utilizing Aaron Gordon properly

When looking at Aaron Gordon’s strengths, the main problem with his fit in Orlando is that he truly is a small-ball 5 for this modern NBA. Gordon’s game resembles a lot of what the Warriors have in Draymond Green, what Boston does with their small center Daniel Thesis, and some of the best parts of vintage Blake Griffin but he isn’t be used that way in Orlando.

With Orlando’s roster built to be jumbo-sized with players like Jonathan Issac, Mo Bamba, and Nikola Vucevic, there’s no room for Orlando to be a small-ball center.

At Gordon’s best, he would be used in that role, setting screens, rim-running for easy lobs, and being able to step out for occasional 3-point looks. In that situation, Gordon would be much useful because his game would be much more simplified and allow him to play with synergy on another team with strong playmaking guards and wings.

In addition to the offensive production, Gordon’s defense and rebounding at the 5 would be a plus to many teams too. Looking at his rebound numbers, Gordon averages 6.4 rebounds per game even though he’s been asked to play much farther from the basket with other big men. If he joins a team to play more of the 5, he would probably be a strong enough rebound to pull down 8-10 boards per game.

On defense, Gordon’s size and strength make him very unique. He’s strong enough that he could hold his own with elite NBA centers in the paint, but he’s also quick enough to switch onto the perimeter and real contest guards and wings. A player that can defend virtually any position is a rare versatility that not many players have.

What could the Orlando Magic get for Aaron Gordon?

With the ability Gordon could have in a new role, it’s now easy to see why other teams are targeting him. With that, it becomes a wonder of what could the Magic seriously get back for Gordon?

Most teams are unlikely to pay a massive premium for a player that is still relatively unproven, but if the Warriors do in fact have the interest they claim to have in Gordon, the Magic would be wise to make the deal.

Grabbing from the Warriors what could potentially be the No. 1 pick could become extremely valuable for the Magic. Orlando has long been deprived of a lead-guard which has now become essential to a contending NBA team, with such a high pick Orlando could finally fill that hole with a top-prospect like LaMelo Ball or Killian Hayes.

For Golden State, this deal makes sense and isn’t quite the overpay that it seems. In other years, a pick with a good chance of becoming the No. 1 pick would be extremely valuable but due to a number of factors, the perception that this draft is weaker could make a deal between the two more plausible.

Rather than draft a player who would be a project on a team that’s ready to win-now, the Warriors would acquire a player to solidify their starting lineup as yet again one of the best in the league.

The last added factor would be for the Magic to actually use a potential Golden State offer to try to up the price on Gordon and create a bidding war. With teams like Minnesota, Golden State, and other potential suitors, it would be wise for the Orlando Magic to take advantage of a potentially robust market for Aaron Gordon.