The Phoenix Suns’ perfect trade offer for Orlando’s Aaron Gordon

The Justification

For the Phoenix Suns, the justification is very simple: they get a young, highly-athletic power forward who’s game, connection to the fanbase, and contract would fit perfectly  with this franchise.

Aaron Gordon has never played with a star player like Devin Booker and would have very little true pressure placed on him game-in-and-game-out, and has never played with a point guard like Ricky Rubio becoming the very  welcome recipient of multiple lob-passes each game.

Outside of a first round pick, James Jones isn’t losing any of his young core, and with Gordon’s cap-friendly contract, it will make re-signing Kelly Oubre pretty easy (presuming that will be the intention in the summer of 2021), while still having cap space to work with to find additional pieces to add to the roster for depth.

Phoenix Suns

For the Orlando Magic, they are moving on from a player who has not only been at the center of multiple rumors over the past year or so, but who was also expected to be a centerpiece of a competitive playoff team, yet such optimism has failed to ever materialize.

Gordon has not only proven that he is not  a centerpiece per se, but the assumption for Phoenix would be that by playing with a star and a very good passing point guard, he may still develop into one yet.

Orlando is then granted cap space this offseason (while nothing special for a franchise who is not likely to be all that attractive to free agents, still additional flexibility nonetheless), as well as a protected first round pick, which if just lottery protected this season alone, would likely be sent this summer with Phoenix hopefully making a run to the playoffs.

The Magic too are showing ultimate faith in budding star Jonathan Issac, who is not only appearing to be on the verge of being the better of the two players already, but while out for an extended period with a severe left knee and bone sprain, the Magic too receive a replacement at power forward in Dario Saric, who might actually have significant re-signing attractiveness to them to play alongside Issac.

Saric too literally appears to be better suited in the Eastern Conference anyway so it would additionally work out well for both parties.