The Houston Rockets are riding high after drafting Christian Wood with the No. 26 pick, according to NBA trade rumors.
Last night, the Houston Rockets traded Christian Wood to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the No. 26 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. The Rockets currently have the Nos. 3, 17, and 26 picks in the first round, so I may be on their radar.
According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Rockets are looking to receive another first-round pick in exchange for Eric Gordon.
Who would give up a first-round pick to the Rockets in exchange for Eric Gordon?
Despite injuries, Gordon had a good season with the Rockets. He averaged 13.4 points, 2.7 assists, and 2.0 rebounds per game while shooting 41.4 percent from beyond the arc.He may have lost the extraordinary athleticism that once made him a fringe star, but as a veteran floor-spacer who can handle some secondary creation and at least know where to be on defense, he still has enough value.
Even so, it’s difficult to see the Rockets acquiring another first-round pick for him. The Spurs and Grizzlies are two teams in the back half of the first round that would likely prefer a rookie with upside to a veteran, win-now piece, while the Warriors, Heat, and Bucks aren’t likely to be able (or interested) in eating the two years at just under $20 million per season left on his current contract.
The Philadelphia 76ers could possibly make things work with Danny Green (who they’re shopping), a payroll filler, and the No. 23 pick, but it’s unclear whether that would be an upgrade.
For fans of chaos, the ideal scenario would be for someone to offer a late first for Gordon, and then the Rockets to trade back from No. 3 to someone like the Spurs (No. 9 and No. 20) who could offer multiple picks, effectively turning the Rockets’ three current first-round picks into five.
