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The Philadelphia 76ers have done their fair share of scouting on the Rockets roster. There are numerous ties between the organizations including Daryl Morey spending 14 years in the front office, James Harden having nine All-Star seasons in Houston, and several rotational players being added to the Sixers roster. However, there had been another member of the Rockets roster linked to the Sixers throughout the offseason and continuing into the start of this year as Eric Gordon has yet to be moved. Morey will have a chance to watch the veteran in person and a picture that surfaced of the Sixers’ President of Basketball Operations with Rockets General Manager Rafael Stone has further fanned the flames of these whispers.
Gordon’s Likelihood of Being Traded
The Rockets are in the midst of a rebuild and have the second-youngest roster with an average age of 23.2 years old– trailing only the Thunder. Gordon is an outlier in this as he is 33 years old and a 14-year NBA veteran.
The small forward has been linked to trade talks dating back to before this season. Gordon is in the third season of his four-year deal in which he is due $19.6 million this season and $20.9 million next year. This notable cap hit is the biggest hurdle that the Sixers (as well as every other NBA team) have to clear. Gordon’s on-court body language on the 6-17 Rocket also suggests the veteran might be open to being moved.
It was reported by Marc Stein of the Stein Line Substack that Houston has been seeking a first-round pick for the career 37% three-point shooter. This also is a problem for the Sixers who cannot offer a first-round pick until the 2029 season.
Gordon’s Fit on Sixers
Similar to the mindset of bringing in players like P.J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr, Gordon is a player that has proven to be maximized next to James Harden. He played a key role in the prime years in Houston and has played there since the 2016-17 season. He has averaged 7.9 three-point attempts per game during his time with the Rockets and this rate would lead the Sixers as Tyrese Maxey currently leads the team with 6.8 three-pointers per game.
The Sixers continue to hold onto their open roster spot in search of this final piece. While Gordon would be a positive addition, he may not be the missing piece Morey has in mind. This summer it was reported by Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer that the Sixers were close to pulling off a three-team trade with the Rockets and Trail Blazers built around Matisse Thybulle that would have landed Gordon. Portland, prior to bringing in their slew of wing defenders, was “willing to make a straight-up deal for Thybulle,” but this did not manifest itself.
There are sure to be plenty of rumors continuing to swirl and it should not be a surprise if Gordon’s name pops up in connection to the Sixers again. For the time being, the focus will be on Harden making his return to the court and committing to getting on the same page as the rest of the roster. As much talk as there has been surrounding the supporting pieces, the team will not reach its ceiling until this is the case and there has not been enough on-court time to figure things out thus far this season.
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