Does this trade make sense for the Houston Rockets?

While Gordon has been one of the Houston Rockets’ best scorers this season, this team is in no position to contend for anything other than the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. 

They are nowhere close to being a playoff threat yet, which is why leveraging Eric Gordon now and just taking on Eric Bledsoe for the year is a move that makes sense. 

Maybe they would just buy him out of his contract now and settle with getting two second-round picks for Gordon, but overall, trading the veteran wing while he still has value is something that needs to be done. 

Houston does not want to be tied down to the $58.7M Gordon is set to make through the 2023-24 season, even though the final year of his contract is non-guaranteed, and while they would prefer to probably add a young talent and/or a first-round pick, getting two second-round picks is better than nothing. 

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This is very clearly a trade that favors the LA Clippers more than the Rockets, but Houston gets draft compensation and they get the ability to clear up cap space sooner.

This cap space could end up being super important for them not only so they can continue to add high-level talents around their core, but so the Rockets can have a chance to re-sign Christian Wood next season after his contract expires. 

With Eric Gordon under contract next year, most likely with John Wall as well, the Houston Rockets are limited to how much they can offer Christian Wood. By getting out of Gordon’s contract now and settling with waiving Eric Bledsoe in the offseason, they would have plenty of room to give Wood any contract he would want.