Getty Eric Gordon reacts to a call during a game between the Houston Rockets and the Miami Heat.
Whenever things happen to be playing out in a less-than-satisfactory manner for the Miami Heat, the team’s leadership — head coach Erik Spoelstra, Jimmy Butler, Udonis Haslem when we hear from him — defaults to reinforcing defensive concepts as the key to getting back on track.
And why wouldn’t they? If anything is intrinsic to the vaunted #HeatCulture, it’s a commitment to excellence on the defensive side. In truth, though, the Heat’s biggest problems in 2022-23 are on the offensive end.
The numbers paint a particularly depressing picture of the team’s ability to score the basketball. Last season, the Heat ranked 12th league-wide in offensive efficiency during the regular season, scoring 113.0 points per 100 possessions. In 2022-23, though, the team has dropped all the way down to 26th overall with an O-rating of 110.0.
In an effort to help flip the script offensively, Heat president Pat Riley and his brain trust have reportedly weighed the merits of trading for a certain veteran sharpshooter/scorer from the Houston Rockets who continues to garner trade interest from around the Association.
Amico: Heat Among the Teams Interested in Rockets SG Eric Gordon Ahead of Trade Deadline
Rockets Notes: Eric Gordon, Jae’Sean Tate, Trade Rumors – Hoops Wire
NBA insider Sam Amico dropped a new batch of trade intel on Wednesday, and among the new information that was relayed was a tidbit about the Heat being among the group of teams considering a move for Rockets guard Eric Gordon.
In addition to the LA Clippers and the Phoenix Suns — teams that were recently linked to Gordon by The Athletic — Amico reported that the baller has “also drawn at least exploratory interest from the Celtics, Raptors and Heat.”
Gordon has been a fixture in trade rumors dating back to the Rockets’ move to pull the plug on their James Harden iteration. Despite all the smoke surrounding his name, though, the 34-year-old has remained in Space City, and his bloated contract has almost certainly been a factor in the non-movement.
Even now, as a 15th-year pro, he’s set to bank almost $20 million in salary this season. However, that contract is no longer the problem it once was as his $20.9 million salary for 2023-24 is non-guaranteed. And it’s not hard to see him having a significant on-court impact ina new setting, his advancing years notwithstanding.
Through 46 appearances this season (all starts), Gordon is putting up 13.2 points and 2.9 assists while posting an effective field-goal percentage of 52.9. One can envision the latter number rising, too, once he’s surrounded by better, more experienced teammates.
The Built-In Gordon Trade
As it happens, the Heat have a contract that is just close enough to Gordon’s for a trade to be workable under the CBA. That deal, of course, belongs to Duncan Robinson, who’s pulling down a shade under $17 million in 2022-23.
Given the money and number of years remaining on Robinson’s contract, though — he’s guaranteed through the 2024-25 campaign, with a player option for 2025-26 — Miami would almost certainly have to cough up some draft compensation in order to get a deal done. And picks aren’t exactly something the Heat have in abundance.
If they can get off of Robinson’s contract, though, it may just be worth taking another small hit there.