On paper, Eric Gordon’s situation in Houston should be almost identical to John Wall’s. Both are outside players in their thirties with two years of hefty contracts remaining. Yes, the salary of the second is almost double that of the guard, but in a team whose salary obligations do not tighten, this loses relevance. However, while the franchise is immersed in an attempt to transfer Wall, to the point of declaring that he will not play with the team this season until they find a destination, it seems that the plans with Gordon are different.
The obvious rebuilding of the project the Rockets are going through indicates that these types of players don’t have much of a gap in a group whose priority is developing young talent. However, the management and direction of the team think that the continuation of Eric Gordon would be positive for the growth of the nucleus, and they have made it known as reported by Kelly Iko in The Athletic. The journalist assures that the sporting reasons for the petition lie in the fact that, unlike Wall, Gordon is a player who does not need prominence with the ball. Which they think conflicts with figures like Jalen Green or Kevin Porter Jr.
The other reasons are the obvious ones. Every extremely young group needs veterans to guide their first steps and ensure a somewhat less harsh entry into the league. Gordon could be an ideal fit for this company, but possibly his aspirations are far from that role. Out of respect for the institution, the player has made it clear that he will not call for the transfer vehemently, but that he will be looking out of the corner of his eye for other opportunities that allow him to compete at higher levels than they expect this season in the Texan team.
(Photo courtesy of Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images)
