Eric Gordon Still Holds Value To Rockets As Trade Deadline Looms
HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets opted not to trade Eric Gordon due to his veteran leadership last February.
Twelve months later, his presence still holds value in Houston. But a source told Inside the Rockets there is a "strong possibility" Gordon will be traded ahead of the deadline on Feb. 9.
Gordon can provide a lift to teams hoping to boost their championship odds. But even for the Rockets, who stand with the league's worst record at 12-38, Gordon still has an important role within the franchise.
"I told them today that we won [Saturday's game] due to our hustle and that we had a veteran who brought us home," assistant coach John Lucas II said. "We had a veteran at the end."
Gordon led the Rockets to a 117-114 victory over the Detroit Pistons Saturday night. He scored a game-high 24 points on 8-of-17 shooting inside Little Caesars Arena. But the last eight minutes of the game illustrated Gordon's value.
The Rockets trailed the Pistons 94-90 when Gordon connected on his lone 3-point field goal to bring Houston within a point. Gordon scored nine of his 11 fourth-quarter points in the final 8 minutes and 22 seconds.
The Rockets have lost 17 games by single digits, and over half were due to the lack of experience in late-game execution.
Jabari Smith Jr. said Gordon did a great job talking to the team to keep their confidence high. He revealed that Gordon's message was to slow down to help the Rockets contain their composure in a close game.
For Lucas, Gordon's play down the stretch taught the Rockets' young corps how to win. He described Gordon's triple as "timely."
"Veterans are big about winning, and we are learning how to win," Lucas said. "Each time we have an opportunity to win, we don't want to let those get away. E.G. felt like he had the game in his hands and made a big difference. He did not shoot the threes well. But he hit the right three. And that is what veterans do."
Gordon remains a highly sought-after target for several teams ahead of the trade deadline.
The latest rumor surrounding Gordon came from The Stein Line, who reported that the Milwaukee Bucks are trying to land the 34-year-old sharpshooter in a deal that includes four second-round picks.
You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24
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