Portland Trail Blazers: LaMarcus Aldridge or Aaron Gordon
Aaron Gordon
So, how can Aaron Gordon beat LA’s case? There are more reasons than one might think.
Numbers
Both men average 13.7 points per game and shoot close to the same percentage, but the other key numbers, such as rebounding and assists, are in Gordon’s favor. From a statistical standpoint, Gordon not only does what Aldridge does, but he does more of it. Playing with Lillard should only boost his stats across the board. The most important number, however, is ten, as in Gordon is ten years younger.
Money
Another thing in Gordon’s favor is his contract. Gordon won’t be a free agent until after 2022. He would come to Rip City with an $18M salary for this year and $16M for next year. Aldridge is a free agent after 2021 with a current salary of $24M. That’s an expensive short-term rental. Unless Aldridge gets bought out, Gordon is a much better value.
Athleticism
Gordon is also more athletic than Aldridge. AG can play the small forward or power forward spots. A thought Rip City fans had when the team drafted Nassir Little is that Little will be a high-flying wing player. A guy who can get out on the break and catch lobs from Dame or CJ. Gordon can do the same things while also stretching the floor.