Report: Trail Blazers Show Interest In Aaron Gordon Ahead of Trade Deadline
Neil Olshey has eyes to add a surefire rotation player by season’s end. Blake Griffin has already spurned the Trail Blazers, and LaMarcus Aldridge - even if he’s eventually bought out - might still be a long shot to return to Rip City.
They aren’t the only veteran frontcourt players Portland’s been chasing, though. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Blazers have shown interest in Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon.
The Magic have been open to listening to calls on Gordon, sources said, and Minnesota and Portland are among the teams showing interest.
The Blazers have been linked to Gordon for years, annually popping up in reports about teams engaged in trade talks for the 27-year-old.
Gordon just returned to the lineup after missing six weeks due to a severely sprained left ankle. He's averaging 13.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game while shouldering a slightly heavier playmaking load than in years past due to his team's rash of injuries. Crucially, Gordon is also shooting a career-best 36.5 percent from beyond the arc, an especially encouraging sign given his rate of three-point attempts has never been higher.
His ability to guard multiple positions, keep defenses honest from three-point range and make simple passing reads ensures Gordon could make a positive impact for pretty much any team in basketball. That rare, valuable package of attributes is what's long made him a target for Portland, perpetually lacking enough quality two-way play on the wing.
Also contributing to interest in Gordon league-wide is a descending contract that pays him $18.1 million this season and $16.4 million next season before he becomes a free agent. Not only would having Gordon's Bird Rights be a boon for the Blazers, but it would be relatively easy for them to come up with the matching salary needed to fulfill trade rules.
Whether Portland has enough assets to come up with a viable package for Gordon, though, is another question altogether, one largely dependent on particulars of a potential bidding war. If the Magic are really making Gordon available, the Minnesota Timberwolves surely won't be the only other team to inquire before the March 25 deadline passes.
Would Zach Collins, Rodney Hood and a lottery-protected 2023 first-round pick be enough for Orlando to move Gordon? Or would the Magic insist on Nassir Little or Anfernee Simons, instead? It seems we're bound to find out in coming days.
(Shams Charania, The Athletic)