Not everyone was very high on the Orlando Magic coming into the NBA season, but even the most skeptical of people couldn’t have predicted things going this poorly. The team has been ravaged by injuries, which has resulted in them being second to last in the Eastern Conference heading into the second half of the season.
Orlando has been steadfast in its plans to hold onto All-Star center, Nikola Vucevic. However, there have been rumblings about other players on the roster, such as Aaron Gordon.
Gordon is battling through another injury-plagued, low-production season. He has played in only 19 games thus far this season as he rehabs a severe ankle sprain. A change of scenery could be best for both sides, as Orlando looks to be going nowhere fast this season and there is still some optimism surrounding Gordon, who is only 25-years old.
Plenty of teams would like to acquire Gordon, thinking they could help unlock his potential he has been unable to realize in Orlando. One of the teams that should make a push for him to upgrade their thin roster is the Washington Wizards.
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Would Orlando trade one of their better assets to a team battling it out with them in the Eastern Conference? While the Magic may be hesitant, the Wizards should push for the trade to help upgrade the roster around Bradley Beal.
If Washingon and Beal are serious and they are not looking to part ways, there needs to be an infusion of talent around him. In this hypothetical trade, the Wizards land Gordon while Orlando receives Thomas Bryant, Troy Brown Jr., Jerome Robinson and a 2021 first-round draft pick that is top-10 protected.
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Washington would add some much-needed talent and versatility to their roster, as Gordon would fit in well with their fast-paced offense. If he has really turned a corner shooting-wise, as he is making a career-high 36.9 percent of his 3-pointers this season, they would open things up even more.
For Orlando, they would be hoping for Washington’s pick conveying over this season. Bryant is recovering from ACL surgery, but in Brown and Robinson, they get a look at two first-round picks from 2018 that have yet to receive consistent playing time to showcase their skills. Given the Magic’s lack of depth on the wing, they could both get minutes in Orlando.
It is fair to question if this enough of a return package for the Magic. While things haven’t blossomed in Orlando as they had hoped, they are not going to just give Aaron Gordon away for the sake of making a move.
