There’s reportedly a ‘little smoke’ to the Warriors, Aaron Gordon rumors

The Golden State Warriors have been sitting idle since the NBA was forced to shut down on March 11 due to the pandemic. It looks like the Dubs will not be participating in the a second NBA bubble for the eight teams not playing in Orlando, Florida, so the focus shifts to the offseason.

General manager Bob Myers will be a busy man. The Warriors are guaranteed a top-five pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, they also have a $17.2 million trade exception, and the mid-level exception to work with to improve the roster around Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.

The trade exception is a bargaining chip that Myers has to make the most of. Four out of the five starting spots are locked in for the 2020-21 season. Golden State has a hole at center and will need to improve its bench if it wants to be considered a contender.

One player that Myers could target is Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon. The 24-year-old has been linked to the Warriors over the past few months, and The Athletic’s Anthony Slater says the rumors have some legs:

“There’s been a little smoke on the Warriors and Gordon front. He’s about to finish his sixth season in Orlando and it’s starting to feel as if that partnership has become stale.”

Gordon is averaging 14.4 points per game in 2019-20, but he only hits 31.1% of his 3-point attempts and his effective field goal percentage ranks 271st in the NBA. The good news is that he won’t have the pressure to deliver on the offensive end, and could be an effective weapon the pick-and-roll, and transition game.

On the other end of the floor, Gordon 2.2 defensive win share ranks 48th in the NBA, per basketball reference. He has the athleticism, size, and quickness to fit into the Warriors switch-heavy system.

If the Dubs are unable to find a reliable option at center, head coach Steve Kerr could trot out a lineup of Curry, Thompson, Green, Andrew Wiggins, and Gordon in crunch time. Not too bad at all.

Gordon is due just over $18 million next season, so the Warriors would have to add some salary filler to make the trade work. The question is what would Orlando want in return? Golden State could offer its 2020 first-round selection or the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 2021 top-three-protected-pick.

What would you be willing to offer for Gordon, and do you think he would be a good with the Warriors next season?

On to some links:

The Warriors will be able to sign a veteran using the MLE this offseason. Fansided’s Nathan Bieghle gives his choice of one player from each Central Division team Golden State could target.

Who are your sleeper contenders in the NBA bubble? Dubs’ forward Draymond Green says keep an eye on these two squads as the NBA playoffs approach. (NBC Bay Area)

Green is never shy about sharing his opinion on various topics. He spoke out about why he wouldn’t have been thrilled with participating in a second bubble for the non-playoff teams. (Bleacher Report)

Who would you rank as the 30 best players in Warriors’ history? Check out this list on Fansided.