Orlando Magic Receive: LaMarcus Aldridge ($24.0M 2020-21 Salary)
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Aaron Gordon ($18.1M), ORL 2021 2nd Round Pick, ORL 2022 1st Round Pick (Top 10 Protected)
The Orlando Magic made the playoffs at 33-40 last season, but that will not be the case this upcoming season. The Eastern Conference will be a much better conference than it was this past year and with the Magic not making any big offseason moves, they will likely take a step back this year if they do not make a big trade at the trade deadline.
Not to mention, the Orlando Magic have been actively shopping Aaron Gordon this offseason and will be without big man Johnathan Isaac for the entire 2020-21 NBA season after suffering an ACL injury in August. Not only does adding LaMarcus Aldridge give the Magic a great frontcourt, but keep them as a playoff team in the Eastern Conference.
Nikola Vucevic has emerged as one of the better centers in the NBA and with the addition of Aldridge, the Magic would have two great big men who can play from the perimeter or in the low-post. Those two guys are excellent shooters and are extremely dangerous if left open outside of the paint.
Aaron Gordon has been decent over the years, but it is hard to see where he fits in with the Magic’s long-term plans, especially with Chuma Okeke finally healthy and ready to play his first season in the league. Gordon’s production has been declining over the years, which may lead to his eventual trade.
For the Spurs, getting a young, extremely athletic and versatile power-forward in Aaron Gordon would be beneficial for them because of the athletic talent they have on their roster. Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Lonnie Walker and Keldon Johnson are all young, athletic players of the future for the San Antonio Spurs and with a player like Aaron Gordon, they could be a great, up-tempo team for years to come.
Not to mention, getting two draft picks over the next two drafts helps the Spurs in their efforts to continue to build a young core around the young pieces they already have. This trade is a win-win for both parties and while Spurs fans would be sad to see Aldridge go, it would be beneficial for the future of the franchise.
