11:22pm: The deal is official, according to a Magic press release (via Twitter).
3:05pm: The 2025 first-round pick headed to Orlando in the trade will be top-five protected, tweets Zach Lowe of ESPN. That protection will remain the same in 2026 and 2027 if it doesn’t convey immediately.
11:24am: The Nuggets and Magic have reached an agreement on a trade that will send forward Aaron Gordon to Denver, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links) also hears that the two sides are in agreement, reporting that Denver will send Gary Harris, R.J. Hampton, and a protected 2025 first-round pick to Orlando in the deal. The Nuggets will also acquire Gary Clark in the trade, tweets Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Gordon, who has been one of the most frequently discussed trade candidates this month, was said at the start of the week to be drawing serious interest from the Rockets. The Celtics overtook Houston as the frontrunner to acquire the 25-year-old on Tuesday, with the Nuggets reportedly emerging as the favorite as of Wednesday night.
It’s the second trade agreement of the day for the Nuggets, who also struck a deal with Cleveland to acquire JaVale McGee. The moves will shore up a Denver frontcourt that was hit hard last offseason by the free agent departures of Mason Plumlee, Jerami Grant, and Torrey Craig.
While McGee will take over as Nikola Jokic‘s backup at the five, Gordon can play either forward position, and should help provide the club with some of the defensive versatility that was lost when Grant and Craig left. It’s a safe bet that Gordon will be tasked with guarding bigger forwards like LeBron James or Kawhi Leonard during the postseason.
As for the Magic, the Gordon trade is the latest in a series of deals that signal the organization’s intention to reset its roster and retool around Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac. Orlando has also agreed to send Nikola Vucevic to Chicago and Evan Fournier to Boston.
According to earlier reports, the Celtics were offering Aaron Nesmith and a first-round pick as part of a package for Gordon. During conversations with the Timberwolves, the Magic wanted rookie Jaden McDaniels, but Minnesota was reluctant to part with him, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Instead, the Magic will get a package headlined by a future first-round pick and Hampton, who was selected with the 24th overall pick in the 2020 draft. The 20-year-old has logged mostly garbage-time minutes in his 25 NBA games so far, but is viewed as having considerable potential.
Orlando also gets Harris, who has been productive in the past but has an oversized contract, including a $19.6MM salary this season and a $20.9MM cap hit for 2021/22. He was included in the deal for salary-matching purposes.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Damn, the bus flip is on. Lol
The Magic,Nuggets only team making Trades its looks like so far today,
GSW worst front office, Kerr worst coach. F for this season, you don’t just “No Klay, oh well might as well not try” away an all-time great season by the best player ever…Lacobs are morons straight up, bring back Jerry West at any cost!
You need a Xanax… Warriors aren’t winning anything without Klay. I’m surprised they even traded for Oubre.
Because that has anything to do with this article…
It has to do with it, because Oubre-Gordon was mentioned all over the place.
“Best player ever” – Jordan is retired.
Marty can you go to your happy place and then come back here to post?
lol you OK? Kerr is fine, Klay will be back, young guys are showing signs. We’ll never be the same team, but it is what it is – will be a solid contender next year which is GREAT!
Getting Gordon would not have changed anything this season and really congests the rotation next year (awkward fit). If he was as good as it seems you think is, the Magic would be a decent team… they’re not.
This season has no clear frontrunner and GSW has beaten all the best teams – with an even remotely comptent front office they would steal a chip here based off how well Steph is playing. Nope, instead we get Wanamaker leading the league in 4th QTR minutes halfway through the season.
I knowwww next year will be better, but they had every chance to bulk up the team with short term deals and failed miserably. I hate this front office and I hate Kerr’s massive ego refusing to change from the triangle offense that doesn’t work with low IQ players.
My only complaint about Kerr is I wish he’d give the young guys more run, which it looks like he’s finally capitulating on. Without Klay, the team simply just isn’t good enough this year without sacrificing in the long term. We have beat some good teams, but we’ve blown out by the good teams more often.
It does suck to see the potential and this season go to waste, but Klay getting hurt (especially the timing) really screwed up their plans for the season. Sun will shine in GS again… just not this year LOL.
also – nicely done on somehow turning this into a warriors post
I read today that insiders are saying they will be giving the young players a lot of court time. Looks like they are just saying play out the season. Even if they are 100% healthy without Klay they are the 7th best team in the west.
They could get Oladipo instead? And what if the Magic wanted more. You Dumb
Oladipo price tag has come way down from what the Rockets want. A 1st rounder is the best they can hope for since better players are not going for his asking price.
Gordon doesn’t come close to making the warriors a championship team. How do they fit him without giving up all their future assets? Wiggins contract is keeping them from bringing in long term options. Orlando is not going to take back Wiggins in the deal. Be patient GSW can’t compete against the top 4 teams in the west. I don’t see them getting past the second round in the playoffs unless they get a team going through multiple injuries
GSW literally has wins against the top 4 teams in the west THIS SEASON. I was thinking Oubre-Gordon would have gone down.
You are really disrespecting Steph Curry and the greatness he brings to the NBA as a league – he needs ANYONE better than Wanamaker and Bazemore. This GSW team was carried by Steph all along, literally the front office, Kerr, KD, Dray, Klay – Steph has covered for everyone in that org. Disgusting the front office is refusing to make the team better. What an infuriating season, way worse than last year. Nothing but low IQ Wanaturnover and Blazemoreweed bricking shots and making bonehead plays on a loop – AND YOU WONDER WHY IM MAD
It would cost more than Oubre to get Gordon. They would probably need to give up Poole and a 1st round with it. I agree with you on Wannamaker he is a waste of bench space. Blazemore was brought in because that was all they could afford. Wiggins contract uses up to much space and handicaps the team ability to spend money. Nobody wants Wiggins unless you throw in a first rounder and a good young player. Bob Meyer blew it on the D’Lo signing. They are still paying for his bad move. As a NBA fan you should love what the Nuggets are doing they will be fun to watch.
Why would Orlando want Oubre?
@marty I constantly wonder why you’re mad
Worst part is Klay is not even guaranteed to stay healthy, and even with him, the team isn’t guaranteed to compete. The Front office is trash. Meyers just got lucky with KD
Meyers is not the best GM. It was the D’Lo trade that hurt GSW the most. Which now they have Wiggins 3 more years of being over paid. He better hop T-wolves don’t get a top 3 pick and can use the first rounder for another good young player.
Lol weren’t you saying that warriors were winning it all this year???
lmao dude, you are the biggest homer on earth, but Aaron Gordon to Denver sets you off this much? Why worry like this? After all, according to you, Lacob does not care about the luxury tax and is going to sign KD and Kawhi this offseason, right? Lmao
Not to endorse the freak Mccrae, or that Oubre is as good as Gordon, but I did advocate Gordon for GSW in the offseason.
I think the Oubre/Gordon switching talk took place in his head. Who would believe that? They’re going to want a first.
However old Marty is, he hasn’t learned there is a difference between his head and the world, and attaches Curry somehow… he thinks everyone dissing him is dissing Curry or short IQ.
Nevermind that. He’s mad at his team like a fan. The NBA did not know they were supposed to be all changing all the time for newer generations.
Well at least the Magic are trying to entertain us today. Kudos to them.
I Knew this trade was going to happen.
Does Denver view Gordon as the missing piece? I don’t view him as a big needle mover and liked them picking up Mcgee more cause he cost way less
Maybe not a singular missing piece, but they need a longer/taller wing defender and Gordon’s advanced metrics show really effective defense against Luka and others that Harris/Dozier/et al aren’t big/strong enough to cover effectively.
Harris has been hurt while the Nuggets took off on a hot streak, and really hasn’t been more than a one-dimensional player for nearly two years when healthy, which has also been rare. It’s too early to know what Hampton is, the first-rounder is a lottery ticket (depending on protections), and overall, it looks like the Nuggets have a reason to feel confident with their moves today plus the Jazz and Lakers having issues.
I would assume they’re thinking that they need someone who can guard LeBron or some of the other big name guys. They would have to use MPJ, Barton, Green, or Millsap with how they are currently constructed and all of those guys would be terrible against LeBron or Kawhi. So they give a late first 24-30 range, a young guy like Hampton that could be good (he hasn’t gotten much run yet), and an overpaid Harris off their books. Seems like a good trade for Denver.
I tend to agree, only I’m curious about how he’ll fit. He might thrive offensively because of the gravity that Jokic, Murray, and MPJ have. And he gives them size and athleticism that they definitely needed.
Losing Hampton will sting, but it getting off of Harris is definitely good.
Overall, it’s a minor win-now improvement. Makes sense considering Denver’s title odds are the highest they’ve ever been (which is to say, still not the odds-on favorite by any stretch).
not a huge fan of gordon but i think he makes sense in denver next to jokic, murray and mpj. like it for the nuggets
Has a team ever completed 3 trades in a span of 1 hour before?
That was an excellent trade by Denver. Orlando got squat. Harris is doubly overpaid, and Hampton has maybe played up to a 2nd’s value so far. Denver will probably win the west. A 1st that is 26-30 is not a very good return for Orlando. Maybe it is all there was
Hampton is all but certainly going to be a starter in this league in 2-3 years. And he may start in Orlando later this week, depending on other moves they make.
Jason agree with part 2, since they want A.Cole coming off the bench.
But Fultz & maybe MCW will return.
I don’t know about winning the west, but this move definitely helps. It is similar to their move to bring on J Grant. Only difference is Grant had a lot more time to gel with the team and imo Grant is better than Gordon. They also got Grant for just a 1st, but guess for them to be able to add in Harris’ bad contract they had to throw in Hampton too.
Grant and Gordon, apples and oranges. Grant is a better shot maker but Gordon is the better rebounder, passer and arguably, in some people’s minds, defender. Denver overpaid for both. Hoping Gordon is a good chemistry fit for the Nuggets.
Now I know why they call them the “Magic”. In less than four hours, they just made their top three players disappear. Presto.
This man is hilarious. Gordon doesn’t move the needle enough to be that upset about. Only notable thing he’s done in the league is finish runner up in the dunk contest.
I suppose this means Gary Harris is a must-add in fantasy now?
Aaron is happy now.
Amazing that a guy making $20mil is “included in the deal for salary-matching purposes.”
There was a time when a guy making that type of money…
Wrong target, but not a bad trade for Nuggets. Hampton was a late 1st, though with more upside than most, and with 2025 protected, they get rid of Harris and add Gordon. They’re better after the trade. Can never have too many finishers around Jokic. But I just don’t think Gordon is the combo F they claim he is; nor is MPJ. Trying to recreate the mixing and matching they did with Grant/MPJ makes some sense, but I think it would be easier and better to just get a real 3. Maybe none were available.
How is Dallas not interested in the of the Magic players.
Nuggets roster is better today than it was yesterday and they didn’t give up much future assets to get there. I haven’t seen enough of Aaron to comment; my question is can he defend the leagues’ ballhandling forwards one on one (decent defense) (Lebron/Kahwi/Luka, etc…). My other question about the Nuggets defense is: with almost no shotblocking, can one of these guys learn to defend the restricted circle like Shane Battier did for Miami by drawing charges? I’m happy the Nuggets improved; Jokic is the most entertaining player in the NBA right now (IMO) and I think it’d be great the more people who get to see him play. I also think Harden, Lebron, Lillard, Curry, and Luka are amazingly entertaining. I’ve never seen another player like Jokic…Joker’s got a lot of moves, but I like how he uses his belly to free up enough space to take his shot…he’s able to dribble into the paint, face up his defender, and just shoot in their face without even elevating…his belly and chest and unusual release point enable him to create enough space. I mean, it’s great to see Jokic hitting the Kareem hook from both hands, and his deep jumper off the wrong foot is similar to the Dirk…but his whole bellying up defenders feels very unique. Also, Jokic is great at tipping the ball in off offensive rebounds…he’s the only player I can think off that is great at controlled tips…he doesn’t grab the rebound and bring it down and go up for a new shot, and he doesn’t come flying in off the wing for a put back slam…but he’s got the best controlled tip I’ve ever seen. I feel like he gets one or two to go in every game.
McGee is good at contesting shots and staying in the paint. Gordon’s athleticism will translate well with Denver. If Gordon can improve rebounding and defending, these guys could make a run.
Denver got better, much better. They are a serious threat to the West now. Plus getting McGee makes them deep and keeps him away from other contenders. Like this a lot for Denver. This is strongest Nuggets team since a young Mello, Billups, Martin, Camby took Lakers to 6 games in 2009 WCF. Denver is going to be hard to beat. I make them favorites in the west now. Lakers better get Drummond or it’s over. Laker window could be closing sooner that we we think.
My man, thank you for all the love for the Nuggets. I still think, and it hurts to say, they are a notch or two below a healthy Lakers team, the red hot Jazz and maybe, despite last year, the Clippers. The Suns are much improved, Blazers got better and Dallas has beat up Denver. Spurs always dangerous. Nuggets could win one series, maybe. Not sure I see them winning two.
Lakers won last year with size and no defensive soft spots. Denver could take over the size role anyway. Odds are the Lakers will be missing 1 of 2.
Gordon is quality raw material that never developed. Nuggets/Malone will not let him do whatever he wants. Im sure they want him shooting going to the rim, which MPJ & Grant did not do as a strength. Gordon can be remade. Going to a fancy HS in S.Jose, older bro successful in NBA, #4 pick, he is unlikely to be humble, but is now a reject of whom is said “does not move the needle”. But he got lucky with a winning team not Houston with the oddballs, and a chance to be the 3.
Just be lively, connect with Jovic, drive thru contact.
Denver got what will help them, unlike say Miami ‘s collection. But they are still short on 2s & 3s.
This had better get Monte Morris in the lineup!