Portland must balance ambition with roster depth. Instead of chasing superstars, acquiring a versatile, championship-proven winner like Aaron Gordon could provide the elite two-way impact needed for a title.
There’s been no shortage of trade headlines around the Portland Trail Blazers since their season ended, with players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis being potential trade targets for Portland this summer.
But the reality of the situation is that those types of players are rarely actually moved, and when they are, they generally require a major haul. If you’re a team that has started to build some depth and accumulate young pieces that can help build out a quality roster with a long-term window, a lot of that can go away when you trade for a legitimate superstar.
That’s something the Blazers are going to be cautious about, but there’s always a middle ground. There are always players who could be traded for with more modest packages and still be equally as impactful as some of these superstar players if they’re put in the right role.
The perfect example of that is Aaron Gordon.
With the Denver Nuggets reportedly setting up to make some potentially significant roster moves this offseason, Gordon is a player that could be in the mix for a team like the Blazers if they want to be aggressive.
Now, it goes without saying that Gordon is no longer a young player by any stretch. He’s also been hurt in big moments over the past two seasons, but he’s the kind of player who simply makes you better.
Since Gordon has been with the Denver Nuggets, they’ve been one of the best teams in the league when he’s on the floor. Take away the counting stats. He’s a winner. When he’s on the court, the team he plays for is generally very hard to beat and usually wins those minutes.
On top of that, he’s an elite two-way player. He’s a versatile defender who can shut down bigger, stronger players, but also move his feet and be disruptive on the perimeter. He’s a dead-eye three-point shooter as well.
As the Blazers consider all of their options this offseason in terms of who to make trades for and what players might be the best fit, Gordon could be just as impactful of a player in Portland as anyone. As the Blazers look to make a push toward building a championship roster, Gordon should be part of that conversation.
Aaron Gordon isn’t a superstar, but he has that level of impact.