This except we're not the worst team in basketball. At some point we just started the tankathon but Pacers, Magic, Thunder and Pistons are all worse than the Rockets. I go back and forth a bit because taking 2 or 3 flyers late in the draft might be better than the 7. Which would you rather have? Eason, TyTy and Baldwin? Or just Dyson Daniels? Sochan doesn't fit here with his limited offensive upside. Rockets basically need a better Tate and a backup for KPJ if they don't offer him an extension. Eason and TyTy is my dream draft scenario.
But the 2/3 flyers only work if they have minutes to improve. If the players are okay going to Euroleague for a few season or staying in the G-League, it make sense. Otherwise it just seems like too many developmental guys at one.
Our chance to move up in this draft by trading Gordon appears to be slim and we are unlikely to get future 1st right now. Our best bet is to trade Gordon next year for 2023 first from potential contender at trade deadline in the upcoming season.
It’s so odd to me EG doesn’t warrant a first - he can help contending teams immediately and is the type of vet that fits seamlessly (los maintenance). what am I missing here?
Gordon is 33 and making way too much money. He literally has no value greater than a mid second round pick. Anyone on this biard thinking he fetches us a late first round pick is not thinking sanely. Wood got us 26 so Gordon gets us 45-55 range.
His contract isn't even that bad. Next year its fully non guaranteed so any team that trades for him has an amazing trade piece to package to any team who wants to get under the luxury tax. Because they can just waive Gordon.
He does warrant a first We late 1st offers for him last year allegedly. Perhaps he wants to stay and the FO sees the value in keeping him around? Or they want a better pick...
Two things you have to consider when looking at what teams might deal for EG. First is need but second and maybe more important is that teams ability to send out matching salary, To acquire EG the minimum outgoing amount for a team over the cap is $15,654,688. I think you can count Philly out. After Harden, Embiid & Harris who all make greater than $30m, the next two contracts are Danny Green $10m and Korkmaz $4.6 - they just don't have the ability to make the money work. The Knicks have a bunch of contracts that could make the math work ..... but they are all 2-3 years long, Something the Rockets wouldn't want and that's IF the Knicks would offer those players to begin with. Minnesota has two contracts in the price range in PatBev & Beasley but they are multi-year, I could see them dealing PatBev .... and filler. Really we're in a funny place for trades in the league right now. There aren't a whole lot of mid tier contracts out there to match / move. Teams are following the Morey approach of paying stars and everyone else gets the leftovers. It makes trading players on these mid tier contracts more difficult than it should be. Just look at all the garbage the Rockets had to take back to get rid of Wood's $14,317,459 .... It took 4 contracts to make the money match.
The thing with Gordan is that he is only good for contenders and they all typically pick late in the first
Portland would want him; the Knicks would want him. Doubtful Charlotte, New Orleans or Washington wants him. but even if it’s just teams like Boston and 76ers, late first round draft picks still have value.
Something like this is probably our best case scenario where we move up few spots by trading EG if the player we value high is available to draft by moving up. I would actually prefer this than getting another late 1st this year or waiting until trade deadline to get late 1st next year.
Hmmm, Philly has a pick this year when we don’t need one, and they don’t own theirs next year. What gives?
Brian Windhorst on ESPN2: “Couple teams I’ve heard interested (Eric Gordon) is the Philadelphia 76ers and the Phoenix Suns” “Philadelphia also in the mix for PJ Tucker”
