Houston Rockets kick ’em while they’re down: 4 trades for Eric Gordon

4. Indiana Pacers

The narrative here is Eric Gordon goes home. Home to where he was born and played in high school. Home to the state that he remained to play college basketball in for the Hoosiers. While this move, a trade for Victor Oladipo, may not make the Indiana Pacers an instant contender beyond what they have done the past few seasons; it solves a problem and brings in someone who would probably not mind playing there.

With recent reports that Oladipo was asking other teams if he could play with them while on-court with the Pacers, keeping him is not really a good option even though he becomes an unrestricted free agent after the 2020-21 season. Eric Gordon still has three years left on his deal, but he makes $4 million less and, if true, the whole “Are you my Mother?”  routine from Oladipo during live-action probably didn’t sit well with teammates or the organization.

Most of Oladipo’s dissatisfaction probably comes with Malcolm Brogdon usurping his role after injury and maybe feeling like the Pacers did him a little wrong. At least Eric Gordon plays more off-the-ball and can be a spot-up shooter with Indiana’s starters or more the play-making, three-level scorer that he is as a sixth-man or with the second unit. Gordon also provides good perimeter defense, although not as good as Oladipo’s, but is a better post defender and maybe allows more switching opportunities. Eric Gordon is also a player who understands team hierarchy and where his role is within that structure.

The Houston Rockets get a motivated player looking to get back to the All-NBA and All-Defensive team player that Oladipo was in 2017-18. Given the current roster construction, he may not want to be understudy to The Brodie again; but sans Russell Westbrook, Oladipo could play much the same role alongside James Harden, but as a better 3-point shooter and defender if he can recapture his pre-injury form and motivation.