Report: Knicks Are In The Running For This Veteran Guard

The February 9th trade deadline is fast approaching, and with league parity on an unexpected ascent, middle of the pack teams are looking for any deal that can get them over the hump. Per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, one such team is the New York Knicks, and their top target is Houston Rockets veteran Eric Gordon. The Rockets don’t plan to give him up easily, though; they are reportedly holding out for a first-round draft pick in exchange.

Knicks have been in contact with the Rockets about acquiring Eric Gordon. pic.twitter.com/2bcU5vY9XZ
— NBA Stream 🏀 (@NBAStreamIG) December 16, 2022

The 33-year-old Gordon has been sidelined on the rebuilding Rockets to make room for prospects like Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun. Though still a member of the starting lineup, he is averaging under 30 minutes a game and his usage rate has dropped to a career-low 17.2%. Considering this, the shooting guard has put up solid numbers for a dreadful team, averaging 12.1 points, 2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. A core piece of the contending Rockets teams of the past, Gordon has been linked in trade rumors to just about every competitive team in the league since the team traded away Chris Paul and James Harden.

Respect from the vet 🤝 pic.twitter.com/jMtshGRwbh
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) December 12, 2022

The Knicks are sitting just above .500% at 15-13, good for 6th place in the East. With many of their acquisitions over the last two years not panning out, though, they are just as interested in dumping players as they are in acquiring new ones. For rebuilding teams like the Rockets, though, veterans on mid-level contracts like Evan Fournier or Derrick Rose won’t be very appealing. The Knicks will have to part with more valuable assets, like picks, one of their young prospects or, ideally, the benched Cam Reddish, who has greater upside and a cheaper contract than the aforementioned veterans. If they’re determined to dump salary, they’re going to have to include even more draft picks and prospects as sweetener. For a roster that hasn’t proven it can be better than an also-ran, that might mean sacrificing a bright future for a mediocre present.