Orlando Magic power forward Aaron Gordon is currently playing his best season since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft. In 48 games this season, he’s averaging 18.2 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 34.5 percent from beyond the arc. With the Magic still in the middle of a rebuilding process, there are speculations that Gordon might want to leave Orlando and join a title contender.
Orestis Rantis of King James Gospel sees Aaron Gordon as one of the realistic trade targets of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the upcoming offseason. Gordon could form a formidable frontcourt with LeBron James and Kevin Love. The Cavaliers are in dire need of another superstar since Kyrie Irving was traded to the Boston Celtics.
Gordon will undeniably be a reliable contributor on both ends of the floor and could further improve his game playing alongside the best player in the planet. In order to make the deal possible, Rantis suggested that Cleveland will be needing to give up the Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first-round pick to the Magic.
“By offering the 2018 Brooklyn 1st round pick, the Cleveland Cavaliers could easily persuade the Magic into giving away Aaron Gordon, as in exchange they would acquire a top 5 pick in what is a very talented draft class, featuring Deandre Ayton and Luka Doncic. Orlando’s own 1st round pick is bound to be top 5, but it is hard to resist picking twice this early in the NBA Draft.”
The Nets’ pick is valuable for Cleveland since they can use it to speed up the rebuilding process if ever LeBron James leaves in free agency. With how Brooklyn performs this season, there is a higher possibility that the pick the Cavaliers acquired in the Kyrie Irving trade will be a top-5 pick. The 2018 NBA draft will be loaded with talented players, including DeAndre Ayton, Trae Young, and Luca Doncic.
However, everyone knows Aaron Gordon is the type of player the Cavaliers could build around. He’s only 22 and has shown his potential to become a superstar in the league. He could help the Cavaliers remain competitive in the Eastern Conference together with other young players like Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr.
Still, it remains questionable if the Cavaliers will be willing to trade the Nets’ pick knowing Gordon’s status after this season. Per Spotrac , the 22-year-old power forward will become a restricted free agent this summer and expected to be targeted by several NBA teams with salary cap space like the Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, and the Indiana Pacers. The Cavaliers will likely consider looking for other superstars who could become available on the trade market this summer.
