It seems as though the Houston Rockets may finally be willing to part with veteran guard Eric Gordon. The Rockets have held onto Gordon despite the fact that they've been in the midst of a rebuild since trading James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets in January 2021, but the team is now more willing to trade Gordon than at any other point since that Harden trade, according to The Athletic.
At 33, Gordon is averaging a career low in points (11.6) and rebounds (1.9) per game this season, but as a career 37 percent shooter from long range he could still serve as a solid floor-spacer in a reduced role for a contending team. With the Rockets a couple of years away from true contention in the Western Conference, it is Gordon's desire to be traded to a contender while he can still contribute.
From The Athletic:
The Rockets have turned down offers for Gordon at every possible juncture - the draft, offseason and trade deadline - but a resolution to this saga may finally be had this season. Team and league sources tell The Athletic the Rockets are more inclined to moving the 33-year-old than at any point over the past two seasons.
The Rockets have come close to moving Gordon a few times in the past, but there are a few layers to this sudden paradigm shift. From an age perspective, Gordon is clearly on a different timeline than the rest of the roster.
Gordon is making over $19 million this season, but he has a non-guaranteed team option for next season, meaning that a team could trade for his services this season without making a long-term commitment to the aging veteran. In terms of compensation, the Rockets are interested in acquiring a young player or a future first-round pick in exchange for Gordon, per The Athletic. With two first-round picks in the upcoming 2023 NBA Draft, the team isn't as interested in adding another first-round pick in that draft, as the roster is already comprised of a plethora of very young players.
It remains to be seen just how much a team will be willing to give up for Gordon at this point in his career, but there will certainly no shortage of interest. The Philadelphia 76ers were one team that had interest in Gordon over the offseason, and they were far from alone. Expect Houston to be on the receiving end of a whole lot of calls regarding Gordon leading up to the trade deadline in February.
