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Is Aaron Gordon a suitable replacement for Jerami Grant?

By Quenton S. Albertie

Jan 15, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon (00) celebrates during the second half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 15, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon (00) celebrates during the second half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 2, 2019; Orlando, FL, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Jerami Grant (9) drives to the hoop past Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (1) during the second quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 2, 2019; Orlando, FL, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Jerami Grant (9) drives to the hoop past Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (1) during the second quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Why Orlando makes the trade

The first thing to understand is that Orlando has seven free agents this offseason (four of whom are restricted) and two players who have player options for the 2020-21 season (Ennis and Evan Fournier). In the 2021 offseason, they’ll have four more free agents to be worried about, including Isaac and a reinvigorated Markelle Fultz. In addition, there’ll be a team option on Mo Bamba’s contract that offseason.

With so much potential upheaval, only Gordon, Nikola Vucevic, Terrence Ross and Al-Farouq Aminu’s contracts are guaranteed to be on the books in the 2021-22 season. The unknown is what Denver has to use to persuade the Magic to let go of Gordon.

Rather than hanging onto a player whose development has been inconsistent (and Nuggets fans should know all about that because of Gary Harris), Denver offers to take Gordon off their hands for a player who’s steadily developing in Grant.

Instead of holding onto a player in Ennis who doesn’t fit into the long-term picture — and frankly, there really isn’t a long-term picture when looking at the contract situation — they can swap him out with Craig, who they can have on the cheap after the Nuggets approve his qualifying offer.

For their troubles, Orlando will get Denver’s first-round pick this year, which will help them replace one of their potential free agent losses with a player who’s possibly younger, better and cheaper.

What’s more, in the event that the Nuggets perform worse than them in the preceding seasons, the Mafic also get the right to swap first-round picks with Denver in the 2022 and 2023 NBA Draft. These drafts that should have players like Emoni Bates, Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, Dior Johnson and Victor Wembanyana, guys that project to be worthwhile selections.

All that should be a fair price for Gordon, without the Nuggets having to give up too much.

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