3 offseason moves the Houston Rockets need to make

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2. Trade Eric Gordon, retain Kelly Olynyk

The Rockets are in a weird spot. They have been left without a true star, even if one player is being paid max money. More on that in a bit.

A veteran like Eric Gordon, who is making around $20 million annually over the next few years, may want out. At the same time, he does not have a place on a team that is trying to rebuild. The Rockets are going to want to get younger guards more minutes over Gordon.

So trading Gordon becomes a notable priority. The question is if a team out there wants to take on his money. He is owed around $40 million over the next two seasons with a non-guaranteed year in 2023-24.

Conversely, the Rockets would be wise to hold onto veteran forward Kelly Olynyk. He showed up in Houston, and even though the games didn’t mean much, he averaged 19 points per game and was clearly motivated to earn a new deal. How he would perform after getting his money remains to be seen.

The Rockets have a nice piece in Christian Wood. Keeping Olynyk gives the team some legitimate threats down low (and on the perimeter too) as they figure out what to do in the backcourt.

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