Houston Rockets Receive: G Kemba Walker, F Kevin Knox II, G Quentin Grimes
New York Knicks Receive: G Eric Gordon, HOU 2024 2nd Round Pick, HOU 2025 2nd Round Pick
Trading Eric Gordon is not something that is going to be easy for the Houston Rockets to do this season, even though he has been playing really well. Being under contract through the 2023-24 season and set to make $58.7M, Gordon’s contract is not too favorable to any team in the league given his age.
However, the final year of his contract is non-guaranteed, so theoretically, whoever winds up trading for Gordon could waive him after next season with no penalty.
Being under the tax line for this season and having room to bring in another big contract, the New York Knicks could find a way to make a trade for Eric Gordon work. They would have to wind up trading Kemba Walker, Nerlens Noel or Alec Burks to make the money work, along with Kevin Knox and possibly another young talent, but the Rockets’ wing still has a lot to bring to the table.
Eric Gordon joined the Rockets in 2016 and since then, he has been an integral part of their success. Alongside James Harden, Gordon helped the Rockets make the playoffs four straight seasons, including a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2018, where they fell one game short of reaching the NBA Finals.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: This Lakers-Rockets Trade Sends Eric Gordon To Los Angeles
Since joining the Houston Rockets, Gordon has averaged 16.4 points, 2.9 assists and has shot 37% from three-point range. Along with being a tough perimeter defender, Eric Gordon is everything the Knicks need and should want ahead of the trade deadline.
Giving up Kevin Knox would not be a big deal at all for the Knicks, but they could wind up having second-thoughts about trading first-round pick Quentin Grimes and even former All-Star Kemba Walker.
With Derrick Rose out indefinitely due to ankle surgery, Walker is very important to this Knicks’ rotation and the rookie Quentin Grimes has started to find his footing in the league.
Both players are two key backcourt talents on the Knicks’ roster right now, which is why they could be hesitant to make this deal.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: This Lakers-Rockets Trade Sends Eric Gordon To Los Angeles
In the end though, winning now is all that matters for the New York Knicks and this could be too good of an opportunity to pass up. Eric Gordon has proven to be a winner everywhere he has been in this league and his playoff experiences could be vital to helping this team make it back to the playoffs.
