With the No. 25 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic just selected PLAYER HERE, solidifying the final details of the painful Aaron Gordon trade they made a few years ago. Though the rookie may have some potential, losing Gordon for the package they got back was not worth it, especially with how well he’s performed since leaving Orlando.
Gordon was an essential part of the Denver Nuggets’ 2023 title run, and since then, there is an argument to be made that he’s been their second-best player at times. He was one of the clutchest players in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, despite the Nuggets getting bounced by the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder, and his defense has been a crucial piece of the puzzle in Denver.
At this point, Orlando probably wishes they had gotten more.
The No. 25 pick in the Aaron Gordon trade
The first-rounder Orlando just used was the only pick they got back in the deal for Gordon—that alone feels like a loss for the Magic. It was slated to convey two years after the Nuggets had to give their first to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a separate deal (and was top-five protected from 2025 to 2027, but conveyed this year).
In addition, the Magic also got Gary Harris and RJ Hampton in the trade. Harris was a solid rotation piece for the Magic for a few years, but they just declined his team option as part of the Desmond Bane trade. As for Hampton, he got waived by the Magic in February of 2023 and wasn’t on an NBA roster this past season.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets got Gordon and Gary Clark Jr. in the deal. And, for as well as Clark played in his two games for Denver, Gordon’s contributions have been life-changing for the organization.
Without him, they may not have won a championship in 2023, and now, he’s locked in with the franchise on a new contract that extends through the 2028-29 season (with a player option in the final year).
The Magic have recovered since then
Gordon was on the Magic in an era where they were firmly stuck in the middle. Alongside Nikola Vucevic, Mario Hezonja, Evan Fournier, and others, things just didn’t work out during that time period.
However, they tanked at the right time, made the right deals, and now have a core of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs, all of whom were drafted by the organization. Throw in Bane starting next season, and hopes are high for the Magic.