Chicago Bulls: There’s potential for splash trade deadline deals
By Ryan Heckman
Could the Chicago Bulls surprise and scoop up Aaron Gordon?
One of the biggest names likely to move prior to the trade deadline is the Orlando Magic’s Aaron Gordon. The young, athletic forward has proven he is more than just a dunker — sound familiar, Chicago fans?
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Gordon is averaging a healthy 14.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and a career-high 4.3 assists per game. He’s elevated his game this season, for sure. The biggest aspect of his game to improve, too, is his three-point shooting. Gordon’s long distance shooting has improved by almost a full nine percent since last season alone, as he’s shooting it at a 39.3 percent clip.
At this point, Gordon wants out of Orlando and the Magic are willing to talk. However, the latest word suggests the Magic want two first-round picks included in a deal, per The Ringer.
For a player of Gordon’s stature, I’m not so sure a team would be willing to give up two firsts. Gordon is still only 25 years old, but a pair of firsts for a guy not even putting up 15 points per game seems like a huge asking price.
This year, Gordon is getting paid about $18 million and next year it goes down to $16 million, which is not a bad cap hit. However, between the cost and the fact that he could also decide to head elsewhere after next season, Gordon feels like a long shot.
The other thing standing in the way for Chicago is the fact that he and Patrick Williams play the same position. If the Bulls and Magic were to talk about a trade, Orlando would likely want Williams in a deal — and that’s not happening at this point.