Rockets

Rockets Seek First-Round Pick As Part Of Return For Eric Gordon

January 17, 2022

The Rockets are open to trading shooting guard Eric Gordon, but they will be seeking a first-round draft pick as part of the return, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Gordon, 33, is 6-foot-3 and is viewed as someone who could serve as a scoring sparkplug off the bench for a contender or team looking to make a playoff push. Houston, however, is undergoing a youth movement and rebuild.

Per Scotto, a number of rival teams are already keeping a close eye on Gordon as the Feb. 10 trade deadline approaches. But finding a salary match could be problematic.

“Gordon is on the books for $18.2 million this season, is owed $19.57 million next season, and has a non-guaranteed $20.92 million salary for the 2023-24 season, according to our Rockets salary page,” Scotto wrote.

Gordon is averaging 14.9 points on a career-best 51 percent shooting. While being in a less-than-ideal situation for a veteran, Gordon has been a positive influence on the court and in the locker room, by all accounts.

Scotto addressed more Gordon chatter on a recent edition of the HoopsHype podcast.

As an aside, the Rockets have also been looking to move point guard John Wall, who has been sitting out the season per an agreement with the team. But Wall has drawn extremely minimal interest to this point.