NBA Rumors: ‘Multiple’ Teams Interested In Acquiring Aaron Gordon From Magic, Per Shams Charania
A new report suggests that a number of rival organizations are interested in trading for Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon amid the team’s continued struggles in the Eastern Conference.
As cited by NBC Sports, Shams Charania of subscriber-only publication The Athletic reported on Friday that the Magic, who improved to a 5-7 record after their 111-109 win over the San Antonio Spurs that night, are “working to turn the corner” early in the 2019-20 campaign. As such, the team reportedly doesn’t have any plans to ship Gordon to another team, though as Charania stressed, there are “multiple” teams that are keeping a close eye on the 24-year-old forward in case an opportunity for a midseason trade arises. Gordon is currently in the second year of the four-year, $76 million contract he signed with Orlando in the summer of 2018.
At the time of NBC Sports‘ report, the Magic were ranked second-to-last in the entire NBA in points per possession and were having a particularly hard time scoring from outside with their league-worst 28.5 percent shooting from three-point range. Despite his lack of outside shooting, Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan was recently linked to Orlando as a potential midseason acquisition, with CBS Sports‘ Brad Botkin suggesting Gordon as a possible trade piece. However, NBC Sports explained that the Magic might have to offer more to San Antonio in order to land DeRozan, who will earn $27.7 million this season.
Aaron Gordon with the Euro and dunk
(via @OrlandoMagic)pic.twitter.com/f2dXdsg55D
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) November 16, 2019
In relation to the idea that the Magic could trade Gordon to the Spurs for DeRozan, Forbes contributor Sean Deveney wrote something similar on Friday, pointing out that Orlando likely won’t trade Gordon for someone who might opt for free agency in the summer of 2020. He did, however, hint that the Magic could plausibly move Gordon before the trade deadline due to concerns regarding his less than ideal fit alongside third-year big man Jonathan Isaac.
Given that DeRozan is not known as a long-distance shooter, Deveney suggested that the Magic could consider a trade for Golden State Warriors guard D’Angelo Russell, though he didn’t clarify whether Gordon should be included in such a deal.
DeRozan and Russell aren’t the only players who have been mentioned as possible acquisitions if the Magic choose to trade Gordon. As previously documented by The Inquisitr, Bleacher Report recently suggested a trade that would send the former University of Arizona star to the Brooklyn Nets, with Orlando receiving a future first-round pick and two current players — sharp-shooting wingman Joe Harris and backup point guard Spencer Dinwiddie.
