NBA Trade Breakdown: Arron Afflalo for Evan Fournier

With a few hours left before the 2014 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic completed a trade sending Arron Afflalo back to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Evan Fournier and a 2014 second round pick.


Arron Afflalo (28 years old, 16.0 PER, 57 TS% on 23 USG%, 17 AST%, 2,552 minutes)
2015: 7.50
2016: 7.50 (Player Option, likely declined)

Afflalo has quietly become a top 10 SG since leaving Denver, and is a quality upgrade over Randy Foye and Fournier.  With large question marks surrounding the offensive capabilities of Danilo Gallinari and Javale McGee's as they return from injuries, Afflalo offers some offensive stability while also qualifying as the team's top perimeter defender.

Nuggets Depth Chart
PG: Ty Lawson, Nate Robinson, Aaron Brooks (FA)
SG: Arron Afflalo, Randy Foye
SF: Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Quincy Miller
PF: Kenneth Faried, Darrell Arthur, Anthony Randolph, Jan Vesely (FA)
C: JaVale McGee, J.J. Hickson, Timofey Mozgov


Evan Fournier (21 years old, 10.3 PER, 53 TS% on 20 USG%, 12 AST%, 1,503 minutes)
2015: 1.48
2016: 2.28 (Team Option, likely exercised in 14-15 Training Camp)

While Afflalo is a quality player and reasonably priced, the writing has been on the wall since the 2013 draft when the Magic drafted Victor Oladipo 2nd overall.

Fournier slipped in his sophomore season after showing promise as a rookie (13.8 PER), but youth and time are on his side.  He should get ample opportunity on a Magic team with considerably less depth that has experimented with Oladipo at PG and regularly uses E'Twaun Moore there as well.

The trade also saves Orlando about 6 million dollars, so there's that.  If they plan on using any cap space this summer, there's more cash to burn now.

56th Pick of 2014 draft (Current Draft Express projection: Dwight Powell

Rob Hennigan has shown to be a good drafter, and found Kyle O'Quinn with the 49th pick in 2013, so a pick this late should not be discounted in a deep draft.

Magic Depth Chart
PG: Jameer Nelson, E'Twaun Moore, Ronnie Price (NGC)
SG: Victor Oladipo, Evan Fournier, Doron Lamb (NGC)
SF: Maurice Harkless, Tobias Harris
PF: Andrew Nicholson, Tobias Harris
C: Nikola Vucevic, Kyle O'Quinn (NGC), Jason Maxiell (NGC)