Yes I still see Eric Gordon taking 26 footers. I believe he played well in the first preseason game but played poorly, imo, the final two preseason games. To be honest that’s against vanilla defense and the Rockets running double screens along the 3-point line (above the break) to free up the ball handler. Problem is the Rockets have too many mouths to feed. Many of us are in agreement that Eric Gordon’s best numbers are when he shared less time with Harden and Westbrook last season. So sub Westbrook for John Wall and add Cousins and C Wood needing their touches. Tate and Nwaba will get a few along with more touches by House this season to allow progress. So it will be hard to build up the trade value for Eric Gordon as he gets less touches.....as we saw while playing with Westbrook/Harden and D’Antoni forcing him in the starting lineup because he is getting paid starter money. Silas is starting with who can slash to the basket better, rebound and set screens from the 3 spot. Not better facilitator or spot shooter. Eric will have to earn it......not just given to him. For this I like Silas.
Wow, he really regressed so soon after his rookie year. Hard work keeps one going. Ben can become a multiple year all-star if he puts more consistent effort in his jump shot. His form isn't broken.
Signing Isaac to that huge extension is sign of AG on the outs, sooner rather than later. Not to mention the contract that Okeke received at the start of season and Magic touting him as the long desired stretch 4 that can also defend 1-5. And Magic are very high on Gary Clark as well. Aminu is expected to be back few weeks into the season as well. That makes the Magic 5 deep at the 4 spot. 4 deep if not counting Isaac. Magic are desperate for more scoring and 3 spacing from guard position.
EGo running the 2nd unit as ball handler will increase his touches IMO. MDA used him as more of a stationary shooter, Silas wants to use him as playmaker.
Yes no doubt. But when Westbrook was missing games we saw Eric Gordon in that role. People are under the impression that the Rockets were playing 5-men out from day one of last season. Capela wasn’t traded until the deadline. So PnR was there until what, the last 25 games? Eric looked bad to me driving, kicking the ball out of bounds or just turning it over out right. When missing the layup standing there telling the refs he was hit on the head or hand. Im just tired of seeing Eric Gordon. I’ve seen plenty of Eric Gordon dunks as facilitator; but I’ve seen far more blocked layups too. I did take note of House and Tate handling the ball in preseason. Look for them to get some good amount of plays facilitating and acting as point forwards in that second unit action. Best thing for Eric Gordon right now.....Harden sitting out after arthroscopic cleaning out his knee. Not saying that would be good for the Rockets. Just saying Gordon would get a better feel for the game like he did against Utah last season.
Tired of EGo too and want him traded, preferably for AG but would consider Larry Nance Jr. or John Collins. However, Silas is using EGo very differently than D'Antoni did. Except for that one game vs. Jazz when EGo put up 50 as primary ballhandler.
Hou: Simmons, Lavine, Turner, Thy, Melton, Korkmaz, Bradley, Young, Felicio Chi: Wall, Maxes, Clemons, Ferguson Ind: Gordon, Boogie, Scott Phi: Harden, Mclemore, House, Tucker, Nwaba, Brown, Bruno Melton/Mudiay? Lavine/Thy Simmons/Korkmaz Wood/Young Turner/Bradley Harden/Napier? Curry/Mclemore Green/House Harris/Tucker Embiid/Howard
Eric Gordon Year...........pts.........FG%........3P%........PER..........USG%...........mins............age................ 17/18........18.0........42.8%......35.9%......15.2...........24.7................31.2.............29................. 19/20........14.4........36.9%......31.7%......10.3...........22.5................28.2.............31................. Here is an article pushing Cousins in the post. It states in 2016 Cousins averaged 9.3 post up attempts per game. https://www.thedreamshake.com/2020/...-impact-the-houston-rockets-from-the-low-post So everyone is going to get 50 touches per game when we average about 90 possessions a game? I don’t think so. Only so many pieces of the pie and Cousins and Woods are going to eat their share. I find it hard to believe a 32 year old Eric Gordon getting 30 minutes and a high enough USG% to match that 17/18 numbers. It’s tough enough to ask another team to swallow his $16.8M contract this season.....but $18.2M the following season and $19.6M the next (22/23). With Harden and Wall over lapping the time EG is on the court, other teams see the 6’3” Eric Gordon as a SG or SF. That’s not fooling anyone. No one thinks EG can be a full time PG making in excess of $17M in years 33 or 34. Not when teams can go cheap in backup SG like Nwaba or Sterling Brown making less than $5M. __________________________ Let’s get down to the nuts and bolts. Rockets have seen the market now for Harden, Eric Gordon Tucker and House. Rockets are supposedly above the LT currently by about $5M. Tilman probably knows he can trade Tucker at the trade deadline to get under the high water mark. B/R contributor posted the number of players making $40M+.....$30M+.....$20M+......etc. Only 5 players making $40M in the league. I can’t see any major contender gutting their team at the deadline for Harden. Maybe an 8th seed; but that would be a build for next year (not win it all this year). So Rockets probably won’t trade Harden until next off season. Preferably before draft / free agency. The need to trade Eric Gordon or Wall is no longer there......but still available. Rockets can be from the core of Wall / Cousins / Wood / Eric Gordon / House......plus whatever they get from Harden / Tucker trades. Rockets May be stuck with that ugly Eric Gordon contract. That Washington 1st has everyone believing it is actually two 2nd round picks. So it probably takes the Rockets true first and more to move him.
One deadline deal I could see... PJ into someones TPE for a 1st EGo, Clemons and 2 1st for Aaron Gordon Demar Derozan (one of Hardens best friends) signed after a buyout Wall / McLemore Harden / Derozan House / Nwaba Gordon / Tate Wood / Cousins
Well, I'm impressed at the amount of players you've included. Has there ever been a 24 player trade? lol
IF we as a team and Wall individually start out hot and the Clippers struggle... Wall, House and 3 1st round picks for Kawhi and Lou Will. Gordon / Brown - Lou Will Harden / McLemore Leonard / Nwaba Tucker / Tate Wood / Cousins
Give up FRP to move him. The solution is not to keep him. The solution is to keep Harden and improve roster around him even if it means using up all the FRP available.
