Ever since the blockbuster James Harden trade in January 2021 sent the Rockets into a franchise rebuild, veteran guard Eric Gordon has been something of an odd roster fit in Houston.
Yet, for several reasons, general manager Rafael Stone opted to hang onto Gordon during all of the various transaction windows over the remainder of the 2020-21 and 2021-22 NBA seasons.
But in 2022-23, with Gordon turning 34 years old on Christmas and in perhaps the final year of his existing contract, the circumstances could finally be different. Kelly Iko of The Athletic explains:
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. …
While he’s long been admired by the front office and coaching staff, Gordon has made no secret of his desire to return to winning, contending ways and he’s made his preference for a move to a contender known during the offseason.
A 6-foot-4 wing with versatile defensive capabilities, Gordon is averaging 11.8 points in 29.6 minutes per game this season.
As of Dec. 15, the NBA is officially open for business.
It’s early, but here’s what I’m hearing about the Houston Rockets and the trade market, including names like Eric Gordon, K.J. Martin and more. https://t.co/dViOgKngEV
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) December 19, 2022
For the Rockets, getting some sort of asset value in return for Gordon — even if it’s less than what they think he truly deserves — might be a greater priority now given his contractual status, since Gordon could conceivably leave for no compensation in 2023 free agency. That may also expand his potential trade market, since other teams wouldn’t be on the hook for as many years of his salary, relative to years past.
There’s also the reality that Houston added a pair of rookie forwards to its rotation mix this season in Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason. While finding minutes hasn’t been a problem to this point, that’s likely to change in the near future when Jae’Sean Tate finally returns from his ankle injury. That roster crunch is different than the past two seasons, when Smith and Eason weren’t yet part of the equation.
Finally, there’s also the matter of Gordon, himself. While the Rockets have long valued his locker-room presence, it stands to reason that the value of those intangible factors could be diminished if Gordon truly wants to go elsewhere, as Iko’s reporting indicates.
Thus, from both the team and player’s perspectives, a split looks to be more likely as the February 2023 trade deadline nears.
