The trade deadline has passed, but there are still NBA rumors circulating. One of them involves Orlando Magic star, Aaron Gordon. This summer, Gordon will become a restricted free agent, which means teams can sign him, though Orlando can match any offer sheet to make him stay. Despite the advantage the Magic have, a recent report suggested that it is possible for Gordon to leave and join a contender in the Eastern Conference.
Aaron Gordon to Indiana?
In an article by Sean Deveney of the Sporting News, he wrote that "front-office executives" believe the Indiana Pacers "will be a player on the restricted free-agent market" in the offseason.
Deveney mentioned that the potential top targets for the Pacers are Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic and the Boston Celtics' Marcus Smart.
Paul Kasabian of Bleacher Report thinks that Gordon would be a "tremendous fit in Indiana." According to Kasabian, Gordon will complete a young trio (together with Victor Oladipo and Myles Turner) that the Pacers can build around. The 22-year-old will also provide much-needed scoring. Gordon is proving this season that he is capable of being a go-to guy on offense as he is averaging a career-best 18.4 points per game. At the moment, Aaron Gordon to Indiana is just among the numerous NBA rumors spreading.
It is unknown what Gordon plans to do when he becomes a restricted free agent.
However, there is a chance that the former Arizona Wildcat wants to leave the Orlando Magic and have a fresh start. The organization has not achieved much success in the past three seasons that he was with them, and in the present season, the team is poised to miss the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year. The Magic are second to the last in the East with their 18-39 record.
Championship caliber
Another prominent name that Sean Deveney included in his report as a potential target for the Indiana Pacers was Patrick McCaw. McCaw is a backup guard for the reigning NBA champions, the Golden State warriors. The 22-year-old is starting to get dragged into NBA rumors because like Aaron Gordon, he is set to be a restricted free agent in the summer.
Right now, it is uncertain if the Warriors plan to keep McCaw, who has been a part of their championship run in the 2016-17 season. This season, McCaw continues to be a member of the Warriors' second unit. In 51 games (six starts), he has averaged 3.7 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, in 15.6 minutes per outing.
Unfortunately, he is out due to a fracture in his left wrist. If the NBA rumors turn out to be true and the Pacers are interested in him, what they would get is a young guard who already has championship experience, which is instrumental for any team aiming to contend.
