Trade Talks For Rockets Eric Gordon Becoming 'More Frequent'
Following the trade of big man Christian Wood last week, the Houston Rockets are seemingly far from finished on the trade front.
Discussions surrounding wing Kenyon Martin Jr. have already begun to take place in the Houston front office, with Martin requesting a trade on Monday.
Now, two-way guard Eric Gordon could be next on the list, with reports surfacing that trade talks are becoming 'more frequent' leading into this week's draft.
The Rockets would require a first-round pick or a younger player who could help them now to move off Gordon. The conversations surrounding Gordon are a bit more frequent now than they were around last year’s trade deadline, but that’s expected with the draft this week.
Gordon, 33, is coming off a 2021-22 season with averages of 13.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. While his scoring average was the lowest since 2014, he was highly efficient as an initiator of the offense and playing off the ball.
If the Rockets are indeed seeking to trade Gordon, doing so sooner rather than later would be a wise move. He is set to earn just under $19.6 million in 2022-23 and has a $20.9 million non-guaranteed final-year salary in 2023-24. Houston could command real value in trade talks.
Fischer's report, however, is a direct contradiction of a report from Kelly Iko of The Athletic, who reported that the Rockets want to keep Gordon, in hopes that his veteran presence in the starting lineup can help their young team continue to develop defensively.
“The Rockets want to be a better defensive team, and right now, all signs are pointing to veteran Eric Gordon reclaiming his spot in the starting lineup once he returns.”
The Rockets appear unlikely to be much for players in free agency, meaning most of their moves will likely occur using the 2022 NBA Draft. Currently, the consensus projection for Houston is to select Paolo Banchero with the No. 3 overall pick.
Banchero projects as being a four in the NBA and that would leave the Rockets still needing a veteran at the three spot. Ultimately, that would be the case whether they ended up with Jabari Smith Jr. or Chet Holmgren, too.
The Rockets also have No. 17, and the newly acquired No. 26 pick as well.
With Jalen Green surely set to shoulder more of the offensive load in his sophomore campaign, Gordon's off-ball strengths will become all the more valuable. Especially if they were to work Banchero into their half-court attack.
In recent years, teams pairing up high potential prospects with cohesive veteran talents have helped the overall success of a franchise.
You can follow Matt Galatzan on Twitter @MattGalatzan
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