Why Warriors could trade for Magic's Aaron Gordon with No. 1 draft pick

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If the Warriors end up winning the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft Lottery (whenever it ends up being held), general manager Bob Myers will face an intriguing decision.

Utilize it on one of this year’s top prospects, like Georgia’s Anthony Edwards or Memphis big man James Wiseman? Or use it to acquire a more developed player who can step into the starting lineup and make an instant impact?

If Myers and Golden State's front office elect to trade the pick, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley thinks an ideal fit could be Bay Area native Aaron Gordon.

Gordon grew up in San Jose and played high school ball at powerhouse Archbishop Mitty, before eventually being drafted No. 4 overall by the Orlando Magic in 2014.

The 6-foot-8 forward’s athleticism jumps off the screen, as his high-flying dunks have been setting crowds in a frenzy since his prep days in the South Bay. He has refined his game during his six NBA seasons, and was averaging 14.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists before the NBA’s indefinite suspension.

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As Buckley notes, the Warriors first would need to acquire a separate player with the Andre Iguodala trade exception and then use that player in this deal to make the numbers align for the salary cap. But if Golden State could package that player and the No. 1 overall pick, getting back a guy like Gordon and Orlando’s first-round pick -- which still falls in the lottery -- would be a win for the Warriors.

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Gordon’s defensive versatility and lack of a need for touches on the offensive end easily would allow him to slide into a Warriors rotation that will have plenty of shots accounted for between Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green. Plus still being able to bring in a young player with a high ceiling simply would allow Golden State to draft the best player available and not force them into playing time.

Jeff Van Gundy told KNBR on Tuesday that he believes it would be prudent for the Warriors to consider shopping the team's lottery pick for a win-now player.

There are some pretty impressive prospects in this year's draft class, so it wouldn't be a surprise if Myers elects to hold onto the top pick should the balls go their way. But as far as potential trade chips the Warriors could poach for the No. 1 pick, you could do a lot worse than Gordon.

This deal obviously involves quite a few hypotheticals, but all we’ve got during these quarantine times is speculation.

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