Aaron Gordon Has Formally Requested Trade From Orlando Magic

Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon has formally requested a trade. According to a report from The Athletic, Gordon’s representatives have asked Magic president of basketball operations, Jeff Weltman, to deal their client.

Report: Aaron Gordon requests trade from Magic https://t.co/bM83cWdJdS

— Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) March 22, 2021

The six-year forward reportedly wants to play for a contending team and have a bigger role on a team. He’s played with an Orlando team that has barely made the playoffs and has been eliminated in the first round in the previous two seasons. Gordon has had his share of injuries during his career but is relatively healthy and has several teams interested in acquiring his services.

Gordon is averaging 14.8 points and 6.8 rebounds for Orlando this season and he is a plus defender at the small forward and power forward positions. He is making $18.1M this season and is due to earn $16.4M before he enters free agency at the prime age of 27. Teams that trade for Gordon are likely looking to re-sign him to become part of a team’s long-term vision.

Gordon’s Many Pursuers

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reports that the Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Portland Trail Blazers have all had talks with the Magic regarding Gordon. Among the teams, the Rockets and Celtics are said to be the leading candidates to land the athletic forward.

The Rockets are said to be the team that has engaged the Magic in serious talks. Shams Charania of The Athletic said last week that the Rockets have offered two first round picks for Gordon after the Magic asked for a first round pick and a quality young player.

Boston is the other team strongly linked to Gordon. Armed with a $28.5M trade exception, the Celtics are currently shopping for upgrades and Gordon’s age fits with the timeline of their All-stars Jayston Tatum and Jaylen Brown. While the Celtics also have other trade targets, they are one of the few teams in the league that have the assets and cap space to complete a trade with the Magic.

Unlikely to Make the Playoffs

The Magic are currently 14-28 on the season and they are at the bottom of the Southeast division with the Washington Wizards recently passing them.  Orlando is second from the bottom in the Eastern Conference and is 5.5 games behind 10th place, which would give them a chance at a play-in tournament for the playoffs.

Online sportsbook BetOnline currently has them with the next to last odds to win their division at +1800. The best NBA betting sites aren’t also expecting them to make the playoffs. FiveThirtyEight gives them less than 1% chance of making the postseason and they also have the 4th toughest schedule among all NBA teams. According to Tankathon.com, Orlando’s remaining 30 opponents have a winning percentage of .521.

Gordon has been the subject of trade rumors during the past two seasons, however, he’s always ended up stating in Orlando. But unlike in previous seasons, this is the first time that “a deal really feels possible” per ESPN’s Zach Lowe. With Orlando unlikely going to make the playoffs, the possibility of rebuilding the team is high, making Gordon an ideal trade asset.