Pros and cons of Cavs trading Nuggets for Aaron Gordon

This summer the Cleveland Cavaliers will be canvassing the league for a two-way wing or forward that they can plug in at small forward. They have young stars locked in at point guard, power forward and center, and a plethora of options at the 2, but to raise their ceiling they need to find a player at the 3 who can improve on what Lauri Markkanen brought last season.

The rumors about which players the Cavs might be pursuing are as plentiful and varied as it gets. We have covered a number of them, from Jerami Grant to Gordon Hayward, Harrison Barnes to OG Anunoby. One player who has entered the rumor mill is Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon.

The Cavs are looking aroud the league for a two-way forward to add to the mix via trade. What are the pros and cons of a rumored pursuit of Aaron Gordon?

Per Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype, Gordon is one potential forward that the Cavs may have interest in. The former Orlando Magic player was traded to Denver at the 2020-21 Trade Deadline and has played the last season-plus in Denver. He has left behind hopes of developing into a dominant on-ball scorer and has instead settled into a role as a defense-first off-ball player who focuses on cuts and spot-up shooting on offense.

The Nuggets gave up a fair amount in the deal to add Gordon, and promptly signed him to a lucrative contract extension prior to last season. Yet this Nuggets organization is one that has rather aggressively sought to avoid the luxury tax; if that is the mandate for new general manager Calvin Booth, moving Gordon for a less expensive player would be one way to do that. It’s not particularly likely, but it’s on the table as the Nuggets try to sort things out financially.

From the Cavs’ perspective, why might they do this trade? Are there any reasons why they would not? Let’s break it down.