Karalis: Aaron Gordon Should Be Celtics 'No. 1' Trade Target

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Barnes' contract is about 4 million more, which may not seem like a ton, but could be the difference in another rotation player.

Fournier is absolutely terrible on defense. He's fine, but doesn't get me excited.

I've been on the Aaron Gordon train for a while. If you watch him play, he plays a lot bigger than he is. There are small swings (like Grant Williams), but Aaron Gordon just looks way bigger out there. I think he would be a really good small ball 5 in stints here or there, but his natural position has always been the 4. His defense one-on-one would be a big help to the Celtic rotation. I also think his offense would fit Brad's system at a high level.

could you expand on this please. i like him but gordon's shooting stats last year include:

30.8% from three point land.
50% FTs

Sure. It's an opinion about Gordon's game. I don't think Gordon has consistently been given a chance to attack closeouts in the Magic offense. They've never had enough shooting to have open lanes and he's consistently been on ball. I think if he played off of other scorers (the Js) and attacked closeouts, he'd be pretty efficient attacking the rim.

CBS has historically been pretty good at working guys with low efficiency into a high level team offense. He did it with guys like Crowder, Turner, and Smart (and maybe Brown if you consider his college efficiency). I think he could do it with Gordon.

I also see him as a small-ball 5. The Cs use their bigs as distributers and passers a lot. I think Gordon's has pretty high level court vision, but he's always played out of position, against clogged defenses, and with meh teammates. If you put him in a situation where he could make quick reads and distribute the ball, I think his passing would shine.

Gordon might also be setting picks and then rolling to the basket - he’s got plenty of vertical pop. They could run a few plays for him, too, when he gets a downscreen on the weakside and can roll into the middle. When he gets the ball a step ahead of his defender he should be able to head to the basket or make the right pass to punish a rotation. He’ll probably collect 2-3 cheap baskets a game as an offensive rebounder.

But if I’m honest I mostly want to see him on defense. Brown, Tatum, and Gordon is a heck of a trio of wing defenders. Add smart and Thompson and that is a league-leading unit or very close to it.

I wish he was a bit more Blake Griffin/John Collins as a finisher. He's always tantalized, but has never really been a great finisher on lob or dump-offs. I think in more space, he could get better, but he's pretty average in that area right now.

I agree on Gordon's defense. That switchiness is what gets me most excited.

[NKY fan]

Rather have Gordon than TimeLord

Timelord today is playing for his option being picked up... I can imagine how nervous he is.

[boscel33]

Believed to be the #1 target by John Karalis. 

He’s a good guy, knows a ton about the Celtics, etc., but this is roughly the same as Jeff Clark’s opinion on who our #1 target is.  It’s interesting, perhaps, but also meaningless.

I’d rather target Fournier or Barnes, although Gordon helps as a defender and facilitator.

Jeff who?  Hehehehe

Seriously, there are a lot of people out there talking top trade targets for the C's.  Some options I see, I love i.e., Gordon.  Others, not so much i.e., Griffin.  I think I like Murray from the Spurs as my #1 though.