NBA Trade Rumors: Spurs, Magic Could Explore DeMar DeRozan-For-Aaron Gordon Deal, Per ‘Bleacher Report’
As the San Antonio Spurs continue to struggle in the 2019-20 NBA season, rumors have started to circulate around All-Star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan and his future with the team. With the Spurs currently at the bottom half of the deep Western Conference, most people believe that San Antonio is better off trading him and rebuilding their roster. One of the NBA teams who could express a strong interest in acquiring DeRozan before the February trade deadline is the Orlando Magic.
In his recent article, Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report created a list of players that every NBA team should target before this season’s trade deadline. For the Magic, Bailey believes that DeRozan should be their top trade target.
“DeRozan may not do a ton to move the needle in terms of efficiency, but he would provide volume and could possibly pull defensive attention away from Evan Fournier and Nikola Vucevic. He also might hurt Orlando’s top-10 defense, but there might be enough talent on that end with Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac to cover for DeRozan’s shortcomings.”
The potential arrival of DeRozan in Orlando would give the Magic a much-needed boost on the offensive end of the floor. Though he’s currently taking most of the blame for the Spurs’ recent struggle, he remains a very reliable scoring option in the 2019-20 NBA season. In 25 games, the 30-year-old shooting guard is averaging 21.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.0 steal while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc. DeRozan won’t make the Magic an instant title contender, but adding him to the core of Vucevic, Isaac, Fultz, and Fournier would make Orlando a more competitive team in the Eastern Conference.
In the proposed trade deal by Bleacher Report, the Magic would send a trade package including Aaron Gordon, Chuma Okeke, and Wes Iwundu to the Spurs in exchange for DeRozan and Chimezie Metu. If the trade becomes a reality, it may not only be beneficial for the Magic but also for the Spurs.
As Bailey noted, it is Gordon, not DeRozan, who is the best player in the deal. Though he’s noticeably facing some struggles on the offensive end of the floor, he would immediately address the Spurs’ need of a stopper. Being in a new environment and playing under one of the best coaches in league history in Gregg Popovich could help him return to the path toward becoming an All-Star. With his ability to knock down shots from beyond the arc, Gordon won’t have a hard time making himself fit alongside LaMarcus Aldridge in the Spurs’ frontcourt. Also, at 24, Gordon perfectly fits the timeline of the Spurs’ younger players, such as Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker, and Derrick White.
