You didnāt have to be a basketball connoisseur to predict that the Houston Rockets would struggle to replace James Harden. And, as expected, they went from an NBA championship contender to a bottom-feeding team in little-to-no time.
That has left multiple teams lurking around to try and make the most of that opportunity. The likes of Christian Woodsand Eric Gordon could be up for grabs, with the latter reportedly gauging plenty of interest.
Gordon is a well-known sharpshooter and respected veteran around the league, but moving his big contract could be somewhat of an issue. With that in mind, letās take a look at the 3 teams that could afford to make a run at him before the trade deadline.
NBA Rumors: Potential Trade Destinations For Eric Gordon
3. New York Knicks
Eric Gordon has been a New York Knicksā target for quite some time now. They desperately crave a legit threat from beyond the arc, especially given Julius Randleās worrisome regression in that regard.
The Knicks have several ādisposableā assets and expiring deals to match Gordonās salary. Their rotation still isnāt set in stone at this point in the season and it seems like nearly every player is available right now.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
If it wasnāt for the play-in tournament, the Los Angeles Lakers would have absolutely zero chance of making the playoffs if the season ended today. Thatās how poorly theyāve fared and how desperate they must be to turn things around.
Frank Vogelās team has been one of the worst defensive squads in the Association this season. And, while Gordonās addition wonāt do a lot to fix that, his sharpshooting skills could revamp their pedestrian offense at the very least.
1. Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are once again to beat in the Western Conference, although some still doubt their ability to dominate come playoff time. They fell two wins short of an NBA championship, so sleeping on them isnāt exactly wise.
The Suns could use another scoring threat off the bench with Cameron Payne struggling with inconsistency this season. They have more than a couple of players to spare in a dealand are reportedly the most interested team in trading for Gordon.
