So between the Gordon thread and the Brown trade speculation, it had me thinking - doesn't swapping these two make sense for both clubs' needs?
Rationale - Gordon is a classic tweener who has no true position. He's definitely a forward, but he doesn't really fit either spot perfectly. That being said, from what I've seen of him, he's much more of a 4 than he is a 3, and he seems to have been more productive there, too.
But now that Orlando has Ibaka, who they're planning on locking up long-term at the 4 spot next to Vucevic, which is actually a pretty decent fit I think, it's going to force Gordon to play the 3 spot, which he will more than likely struggle mightily with offensively.
Enter Brown. When comparing the two as prospects, it's strange how close these two are. They're both super athletic players who excel in transition, and they have very similar ceilings. Where Gordon was a little better defensively, though, I think Brown was a little better offensively and with his handle.
But the advantage that Brown has over Gordon is that he is definitely a 3, though he should eventually be serviceable at both the 2 and 4 spots. With them making the commitment to Ibaka and Gordon not really being a 3, I think a swap of those two could work out really well for both sides.
For Orlando, they get a similar high-ceiling prospect in Brown that is a true 3 and won't be playing out of position. Further, they signed Green this summer, so they bring along slowly off the bench this year while they're competing for a playoff spot.
For us, Gordon would be a phenomenal fit for us at the 4 spot. Not only is he versatile defensively, but he also provides enough spacing from the 4 spot to give IT all the room he needs in the lane. We would be absolutely elite defensively, and Gordon would give us further lineup flexibility and a high-ceiling guy to further build around.
What do you think?