NBA rumors: Could Eric Gordon take a discount to help the Lakers?

The Los Angeles Lakers could land veteran help off the bench in free agency with Eric Gordon. 

The LA Clippers refused to guarantee the last year of Eric Gordon‘s contract in what essentially amounts to a cost-saving maneuver. As a result, Gordon will search for his next home in free agency: with one team already emerging as the logical favorite.

Any veteran with postseason experience and a desire to compete is tied to the Los Angeles Lakers. That’s how the world works, folks. Gordon also happens to be an excellent fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and oh yeah, his literal former agent runs the front office.

Gordon’s long working relationship with Rob Pelinka would seem to give the Lakers a running start in the race to acquire Gordon. That’s especially true if no big spenders emerge in the Gordon hunt, as few teams can match the appeal of LA’s leadership, contending status, and sunny coastal locale.

Can the Los Angeles Lakers sign Eric Gordon for cheap in free agency?

Gordon will probably cross most salary cap teams off his list due to their lack of competitive status. The Kings are the rare exception — a top-3 seed with over $30 million to spend — but reading of the tea leaves suggests that Sacramento will spend its money elsewhere. Gordon fits the Kings’ general style, but he’s probably not a high-dollar priority.

So, that lands Gordon in the discount bin, with any team vying for his services likely to possess one of the various mid-level exceptions based on their cap sheet. That could range anywhere from $5 million to $12.4 million. Somewhere in the middle feels like a fair price for Gordon’s next deal.

The Lakers have been mentioned as a potential home for Bruce Brown among other notable free agents. If Los Angeles burns through their limited money, the Lakers could end up with only a veteran minimum to offer Gordon. He can probably get more money somewhere else in that scenario, but his connection to Pelinka — plus the fact that he already relocated to Los Angeles midseason and he might not want to pack up and move again — could make the Lakers a desirable destination no matter the available money.

Gordon is 34 years old, well past his prime. No team is going to break the bank to sign him. A litany of other contenders make sense as potential destinations, but none possess the imminent appeal of playing for your former agent in the city you already moved to. Plus, it’s LeBron — he’s the best recruiter in the business.

The veteran two-guard averaged 12.4 points and 2.7 assists on 58.7 TS% last season. He still provides deep 3-point range, plus a nice collection of ancillary skills to connect dots offensively. The defensive end is an open question at this stage of his career, but Gordon has historically made up for his smaller stature with excellent positional strength and long arms.