Khem Birch can help Orlando Magic strike a better deal
By Dan Bennett
There have long been questions over Aaron Gordon’s future and this trade deadline is no different.
Next season is the last of Gordon’s current deal before he enters free agency and reports suggest there is plenty of interest in the Magic forward.
According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Golden State Warriors have previously expressed an interest in Gordon dating back to the previous NBA draft.
A trade with the Warriors would be in the Magic’s interest. The team has a lot of young, exciting talent as well as some tradeable pieces and salaries to make a deal happen.
Kelly Oubre is on an expiring contract and his $14.4-million-per-year deal is close to Gordon’s $18.1 million to make salaries match. He makes sense as the basis of a deal in which Orlando does not take on long-term salary commitments.
But Birch’s role is important here. The Warriors still have high hopes of making a postseason run with Stephen Curry playing some of the best basketball of his career and Khem Birch can too provide a boost to their chances of doing so.
Golden State averages the eighth fewest rebounds per game in the league at 42.9. They are also the second-worst team when it comes to offensive rebounds per game at just 7.9.
This is an area where Steve Kerr’s team are being held back and Birch can help address that. Despite James Wiseman’s promise as a rookie, the center position remains the team’s weakest position and Birch’s ability to grab rebounds on both ends of the court could make all the difference.
He could also be a nice incentive for the Warriors to part with one of its talented youngsters, like Eric Paschall. The forward has performed above expectations since coming into the league after being picked 41st in the 2019 draft.
His minutes might have been reduced so far this year, but he is still averaging a respectable 9.5 points per game. He still has a lot of development to do on the defensive end and with his perimeter shooting but has certainly shown an ability to score in the NBA.