RealGM

via RealGM Wiretap:
https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/248811/Magic-Exploring-Trade-Market-On-Aaron-Gordon

The Orlando Magic have begun to explore the trade market on Aaron Gordon.

Gordon will be a restricted free agent this offseason.

Jeff Weltman and John Hammond were hired last offseason to run the Orlando front office and it is unclear which players they inherited remain part of their plans.

Gordon is averaging 18.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

I'm not sure what the Orlando Magic would want for him, but he's only 22, a year older than Myles Turner, and seems to be on an upward trend each year despite the Magic continuing to perform pretty poorly. That horrible team performance is a red flag of course, but I've watched more Orlando Magic over the last few years than probably any other team besides the Pacers (have been hoping to see Frank Vogel turn that team around). I have a few idea about what their problems might be, but Gordon doesn't stand out as being the main issue to me. Still, it's something to think about.

Power Forward is a position the Pacers are gonna have to make a decision on at some point. Thad Young's future with the team is uncertain despite how likeable of a role player I find him to be. He's a few years older than our core, and no knowing what type of money he is going to want in free agency. There's also the idea of playing Turner and Sabonis together in the starting lineup, but with the league going smaller and smaller each year it seems, there seems some hesitation on the part of our coaching staff to make that our go-to look.

Is this an idea to look at? What would you be willing to give up for him?

I said this in the other thread but getting Aaron Gordon would be huge for this team.

Anything outside of Domas, Myles, and Dipo has to be on the table for a guy of his caliber, I think.

Is he a case of the "best player on a bad team" syndrome? You know what I mean? How a player can look better than he is, simply because he has lesser talent around him?

If he is (or will be) the real deal, he will probably have a high price tag when his contract expires.

I really don't know, I'm just asking those who know more about him to chime in.

That’s the other thing, he’s gonna get a max this summer.

That’s the whole reason the Magic are even looking into this, IMO.

Jake0890 wrote:That’s the other thing, he’s gonna get a max this summer.

That’s the whole reason the Magic are even looking into this, IMO.

For reference, a MAX deal for Aaron Gordon would be 4-year, $106.5mil for a team other than Orlando. The Magic, of course, have his Bird Rights and would be able to add a 5th year and more money. (According to hoopshype http://hoopshype.com/2017/11/14/the-orlando-magics-aaron-gordon-predicament/?utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=5a0c1e3404d3016cb7b59437&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter)

If the price of doing business with the Magic is taking back a bad contract and having the risk that Gordon leaves, the Pacers absolutely could not give up Vic, Myles, or Domas. The risk that he'd walk is too great to give up any of those guys.

If the price is an expiring and a pick, I'd be incredibly interested. In an ideal world, TJ Leaf+2018 1st+AlJeff would get it done, and Gordon could start at SF. The plausibility of any of those things is questionable at best.

If Orlando wants to sign & trade him this off-season, I think it's a conversation to have. At that point, even considering a trade of Myles or Domas, but preferably neither. And it'd have to be for less than that Max deal. I like the guy, he's had a great season and continued to improve. He's an athletic freak that has a solid offensive game.

Even if he is the "best player on a bad team" that people warn about, he wouldn't be here. He's clearly behind Vic, and overall, I don't think much different in talent level from Myles. Gordon's clearly having the better season, but should Myles stay healthy and reach the heights everyone anticipated, I don't see a drastic advantage either way. If he were able to play at his current level while filling the SF position, I'd be thrilled with Vic/Gordon/Domas/Myles. That's a crazy talented and young core.

All said and done, I don't think this one gets close to happening. Too many IFs and unknowns.

I think they'll ask for Turner, which makes it a no for me. Don't really think we have anything else that would interest them.

pizza guy wrote:

Jake0890 wrote:That’s the other thing, he’s gonna get a max this summer.

That’s the whole reason the Magic are even looking into this, IMO.

For reference, a MAX deal for Aaron Gordon would be 4-year, $106.5mil for a team other than Orlando. The Magic, of course, have his Bird Rights and would be able to add a 5th year and more money. (According to hoopshype http://hoopshype.com/2017/11/14/the-orlando-magics-aaron-gordon-predicament/?utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=5a0c1e3404d3016cb7b59437&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter)

If the price of doing business with the Magic is taking back a bad contract and having the risk that Gordon leaves, the Pacers absolutely could not give up Vic, Myles, or Domas. The risk that he'd walk is too great to give up any of those guys.

If the price is an expiring and a pick, I'd be incredibly interested. In an ideal world, TJ Leaf+2018 1st+AlJeff would get it done, and Gordon could start at SF. The plausibility of any of those things is questionable at best.

If Orlando wants to sign & trade him this off-season, I think it's a conversation to have. At that point, even considering a trade of Myles or Domas, but preferably neither. And it'd have to be for less than that Max deal. I like the guy, he's had a great season and continued to improve. He's an athletic freak that has a solid offensive game.

Even if he is the "best player on a bad team" that people warn about, he wouldn't be here. He's clearly behind Vic, and overall, I don't think much different in talent level from Myles. Gordon's clearly having the better season, but should Myles stay healthy and reach the heights everyone anticipated, I don't see a drastic advantage either way. If he were able to play at his current level while filling the SF position, I'd be thrilled with Vic/Gordon/Domas/Myles. That's a crazy talented and young core.

All said and done, I don't think this one gets close to happening. Too many IFs and unknowns.

If we were to acquire him he couldn't walk. He is a restricted free agent. The Pacers would have the ability to match any offer. Now, they may not want to pay that. But, if you are trading for him you are basically agreeing to match any offer IMO.

I watched when they tried to turn Aaron Gordon into a 3 last year. It doesn't work.

If AG is attainable, I am for it. Maybe tak Elfrid Payton as well, since they are both apparently very close to Vic.

Since there seems to be a trade market for DC right now, perhaps trade him first for an asset, maybe a 1st rd pick.

Pacers could then package that 1st with their own 1st and Leaf plus expirings and deal with Magic that way. Maybe something like:

Nuggets give: Darrel Arthur + '18 1st
Pacers give: Darren Collison

Nuggets get DC and dump a bit of bad contract.

And then:

Magic give: Aaron Gordon, Elfrid Payton, Bismack Biyombo
Pacers give: Al Jefferson, Bojan Bogdanovich, TJ Leaf, Nuggets '18 1st, Pacers '18 1st

Basically 3 mid 1st for AG, plus Magic get to dump Biyombo's contract and they don't have to worry about whether to re-sign Elfrid.

And 3rd deal will probably have to be done to find a SF, ideally trading Thad. Maybe Thad for Jae Crowder.

Pacers lineup:
Elfrid / CoJo
Vic / Lance
Crowder / GR3
AG / Domas
Myles / Biyombo

Something like that

I want no part of Elfrid Payton. We're better off starting Domas as point guard.

I would start Joseph over EP any day of the week. IDK if Nate would, but I would.

Miller4ever wrote:I want no part of Elfrid Payton. We're better off starting Domas as point guard.

Jake0890 wrote:That’s the other thing, he’s gonna get a max this summer.

That’s the whole reason the Magic are even looking into this, IMO.

I would not give them what would be seen as fair value because he has to be resigned. While I think the Pacers would have he cap to resign him it decreases his value to not have him under contract.

I'd consider something like TJ Leaf and Bogie plus 2018 #1 pick for Gordon and Hezonja, Pacer could also take one of their bad contracts like DJ Augustin. They'd be selling Gordon at about 1/2 price but getting out of DJ's deal would help them long term.

Jake0890 wrote:That’s the other thing, he’s gonna get a max this summer.

That’s the whole reason the Magic are even looking into this, IMO.

It might make more sense to wait and offer him $22 million rather than send out assets to get him.

or a 2019 pick contingent on resigning him ... but can he play 3?

Sent from my phone.

We could give GRIII, Leaf+ 2 first rounders... I dont think it will be enough for Magic...

Vorda wrote:We could give GRIII, Leaf+ 2 first rounders... I dont think it will be enough for Magic...

And thats a heck of a haul. Considering we would not exactly have much financial resources left to sign players, and have little currency to go acquire any other need we may have like PG and SF as im sure they don't plan on having Bojan for the long term.

basketballwacko2 wrote:

Jake0890 wrote:That’s the other thing, he’s gonna get a max this summer.

That’s the whole reason the Magic are even looking into this, IMO.

It might make more sense to wait and offer him $22 million rather than send out assets to get him.

He’s gonna be a restricted free agent, which is why you can’t. If they don’t trade him, they’re not gonna lose him for nothing, so they’re gonna match any offer they get in the offseason

Player most frequently AG is compared to is Blake Griffin.

Imagine if Pacers manage to acquire AG, and somehow re-sign Thad Young to a relatively cheap long term deal. We'd be looking at a front court consisting of Myles-Thad starting, with Domas-AG coming off the bench, or some combination thereof. That's heck of a front court. At that point Pacers just need a serviceable player at SF and PG

Grang33r wrote:

Vorda wrote:We could give GRIII, Leaf+ 2 first rounders... I dont think it will be enough for Magic...

And thats a heck of a haul. Considering we would not exactly have much financial resources left to sign players, and have little currency to go acquire any other need we may have like PG and SF as im sure they don't plan on having Bojan for the long term.

We can allways sign someone like DC on short term deal, and at SF Hezonja will be available for small price... 6-8 millions would be enough for him...