The Orlando Magic are listening on trade offers for athletic forward Aaron Gordon, as reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic. Charania reports the Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers as trade suitors, while Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report has more details on suitors and a pair of deals that fell through earlier this season.
Fischer reports the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, and Golden State Warriors as other teams with notable interest, with the Rockets especially intrigued by a deal as they remake their roster. Some members of the New Orleans Pelicans’ front office also reportedly like Gordon, though it’s unclear how much interest there is in a deal.
As for the trades that almost happened, an agreement between the Magic and Timberwolves was apparently about to be finalized in early February. The deal involved swapping Gordon for veteran point guard Ricky Rubio and draft capital. This was derailed when Gordon went down with an ankle sprain that kept him sidelined until recently, but Minnesota is still interested.
Before the blockbuster James Harden trade, the Brooklyn Nets reportedly presented a trade package that would have swapped Gordon for either Caris LeVert or Spencer Dinwiddie. This deal did not materialize as Orlando was looking for more valuable draft capital than Brooklyn could give.
The Magic’s demands for the spectacular dunker are not prohibitive and involve draft picks and young prospects. At 6-foot-8 and 235 pounds, Gordon can defend multiple positions and finish strong at the rim. His shooting has been a bit erratic throughout his career, though, and his fit in Orlando has never been the strongest thanks to the presence of so many big men.
Gordon is reportedly welcoming a fresh start, and it sure feels like a trade is inevitable. While the Rockets would love to get something done, there are other teams working to make a move.
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