Orlando Magic fans have been waiting for Aaron Gordon to develop into a star since 2014. The No. 4 pick of the 2014 NBA Draft had been improving every year and showed a lot of promise in the last two seasons. This season, however, has been a bit of a nightmare for Gordon.
This season, the 6-foot-8 power forward is averaging 13.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game — decent numbers but far below what many expected for Gordon. Worst of all, Gordon's efficiency has plummeted and the high-flyer is shooting just 41 percent from the field and 27.1 percent beyond the arc.
At 18-21, the Orlando Magic, currently hold the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and are just good enough to compete for a playoff spot. However, they are nowhere close to being strong enough to actually compete for a championship. It may be time for Orlando to give up on the Aaron Gordon project. If that's the case, the Golden State Warriors should absolutely try and target Gordon before the trade deadline.
It's apparent how bad this season has gone for the Warriors. The team is a putrid 9-31, Draymond Green is struggling and both Klay Thompson and Steph Curry are likely out for the season. In a season where the Warriors have faced significant adversity, it might be a smart move to help stockpile talent for when Golden State's star guards eventually return.
Gordon has tried to expand his game in recent years but as a career 31.6 percent three-point shooter, the 24-year-old should probably just stick to his strengths. With elite-level athleticism, Gordon can run the floor with the best of them. Despite being a bit undersized, Gordon uses his athleticism to create mismatches inside and around the paint.
Paired with the sharpshooting prowess of Curry and Thompson, a Gordon trade could give the Warriors an exciting inside-out game for the foreseeable future. It's unclear what the Warriors would actually have to give up to acquire Gordon from Orlando but with the season he's currently having, his trade value has certainly taken a bit of a dip.
Moving on from Gordon would allow the Magic to focus on young talents such as Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz and would give Gordon himself a much-needed change of scenery.
Gordon obviously won't be the star in Golden State when Curry and Thompson return but maybe that's okay. Steve Kerr is a top-level coach in the NBA, the Warriors have playoff experience as well as veteran talent that could help Gordon unlock his true potential.
Most importantly, Aaron Gordon is still just 24-years-old. And despite being in the league for six years now, he has yet to scratch the surface of the player he could become. Sometimes all a player needs is a fresh start and Golden State could give that to the Magic forward.
Follow Us
Subscribe