New Orleans, Phoenix seen as trade suitors for Houston’s Eric Gordon

Add the New Orleans Pelicans, who are currently only two games back of the final play-in spot for the Western Conference playoffs, as a potential trade suitor for veteran Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon.

On Wednesday, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report wrote that the Pelicans “have become repeatedly linked” to Gordon on the trade market. New Orleans has the majority of its future first-round draft capital available to trade, other than a protected pick potentially headed to Charlotte in 2022. That said, Houston general manager Rafael Stone is reportedly more interested in pick assets from future years, anyway.

The Pelicans have a $10-million expiring contract in Tomas Satoransky, who is barely playing. That could make him a useful chip when it comes to matching salaries for Gordon in a potential trade.

Confirming previous reports, Fischer says Cleveland remains interested in Gordon, as well. But to this point, they “seem to prefer sending two second-round picks” rather than the first-rounder that Houston is believed to be seeking. Thus, unless the Cavaliers bid more aggressively by the Feb. 10 trade deadline, the Pelicans may have a better shot.

Another potential suitor, per Fischer, is Phoenix. He writes:

Phoenix has maintained its efforts to move Dario Saric, and it appears the Suns are searching for an upgrade to their wing rotation. Eric Gordon has been linked by league personnel as a possible target, as he and Chris Paul shared a successful stint in Houston.

Saric, who is currently injured, makes $8.5 million this season and could help from the perspective of matching salaries. Unlike Satoransky, Saric is on the salary books for one additional season in 2022-23 — but since the Rockets aren’t lose to having cap room in the 2022 offseason as presently constructed, that may not be seen as much of a problem.

The Suns do have their 2022 first-round draft pick headed to Oklahoma City, which also takes their 2023 pick out of play at the trade deadline due to the Stepien rule. However, Phoenix draft assets from 2024 and beyond would theoretically be attainable in a Gordon trade, and that lines up better with Stone’s desired pick timetable, anyway.

Gordon is currently averaging 14.3 points and 3.1 assists in 29.7 minutes per game, and he’s having one of the best shooting seasons of his distinguished career at 49.2% overall and 42.9% on 3-pointers. The 33-year-old played five seasons in New Orleans earlier in his career, from 2011-12 through 2015-16, before signing with the Rockets in July 2016.