Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic Receive: Kemba Walker ($34.3M 2020-21 Salary), Javonte Green ($1.5M), OKC 2021 2nd Round Pick (via BOS), BOS 2021 2nd Round Pick
Boston Celtics Receive: Aaron Gordon ($18.1M), Terrence Ross ($13.5M), Al-Farouq Aminu ($9.7M), ORL 2023 1st Round Pick (Top 5 Protected)
This trade scenario would be very interesting for both teams and would say a lot about the direction of both franchises moving forward. From Boston’s side of things, acquiring Aaron Gordon and two veteran players means they are all in on winning the championship this upcoming season. Aaron Gordon is not a high volume shooter, but one of the most lethal players in the NBA when running the floor and has been a proven scorer over the years.
Much like the situation before with Kevin Love, acquiring Aaron Gordon allows Jayson Tatum to move back to the small-forward position where he is the most comfortable on the court, as well as a reliable rebounder who can give the Celtics numerous offensive rebound opportunities just from him alone. The Celtics have been one of the top rebounding teams over the years and adding another aggressive rebounder to this team could be the difference maker come playoff time.
Terrance Ross and Al-Farouq Aminu give the Celtics two veterans who can come off the bench and not only be threats to score, but help the Celtics a lot defensively in the second-unit. Boston has struggled in the past when going to their bench and they have not had a lot of veteran depth over the years. Aminu did not play much last season due to injury, but he has always been known as a tough defender and aggressive rebounder in the paint.
The Orlando Magic not only would be able to move two veteran contracts with this trade, but finally unload Aaron Gordon after he has been involved in trade talks for the third consecutive offseason. At some point, the Magic are going to move on from Gordon as he does not seem to be a part of their long-term plan, so why not finally move him in a package to acquire an All-Star player like Kemba Walker?
The Magic recently drafted Cole Anthony 15th overall in the draft and next to Kemba Walker, Anthony could really develop his game quickly and learn how to use his athleticism and ball-handling skills to succeed at the NBA level. Kemba and Anthony are similar in the sense that they both have flashy handles and are guards who like to beat their defenders one-on-one, driving past them in the lane before getting to the rim.
The draft picks in this trade package would most likely be the most highly discussed parts of the trade. Giving up two second-round picks to the Magic seems reasonable enough and it would be expected from Boston’s view that Orlando gives the Celtics a first-round pick if they are giving up Kemba. Overall, acquiring three solid defenders and bolstering their bench would not only give the Celtics plenty of depth off the bench, but help them continue to be one of the top rebounding teams in the league.
