According to reports, unrestricted free agent shooting guard Eric Gordon has agreed to a contract with the Houston Rockets which will pay him $53 million over 4 years. The contract cannot officially be signed until the end of the NBA’s moratorium period on July 7th.
Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical broke the news on Saturday evening:
Sources: Eric Gordon's deal with the Rockets: Four years, $53M
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2016
Report: Eric Gordon Agrees to Contract with Houston Rockets
Gordon’s contract will take him through the end of the 2019-20 season. No player or team options in the deal have been reported yet, if any exist.
Gordon averaged 15.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists last season for the New Orleans Pelicans. Once again, Gordon was hit with the injury big. He has played very well when healthy, but he has been unable to play a full season. Gordon only played in 45 games this year. One of Gordon’s biggest strengths is his three-point shooting. He shoots a solid 38.3% from three-point range.
Gordon’s three-point shooting will be needed for the Rockets. With Mike D’Antoni taking over as head coach, his “7 seconds or less” offense really focuses on the three ball. What the Rockets are looking to do is surround James Harden with shooters. That is exactly what Gordon brings to the table.
Looking forward, Gordon will probably be the sixth man for the Rockets. With his three-point shooting being one of his strengths, he will have a big role on the offensive end. Houston will need Gordon to stay healthy and step up as a key offensive weapon in order to contend for a playoff spot in the 2016-2017 season.
Gordon is going into his ninth year in the league, during which he’ll be 28 years old. He was selected seventh overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2008 NBA Draft. He spent three seasons there before spending the last five seasons with the Pelicans.
Check out the LWOS 2016 NBA Free Agency Tracker for all of your NBA free agency coverage, and be sure to follow @LastWordHoops on Twitter to stay up-to-date with the latest NBA news.
