NBA Rumors: Rockets Have 'No Urgency to Trade' Eric Gordon; SG Viewed 'as an Asset'

The Houston Rockets are reportedly in no hurry to trade veteran guard Eric Gordon despite significant interest on the trade market.

According to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype, the Rockets view Gordon as an asset on the court and a leader, and thus, they have "no urgency" to move him.

Scotto added that Gordon's $19.5 million salary could be valuable in facilitating a big trade at the deadline next season, which may be the ideal time to trade him since contenders would undoubtedly love to add a player of his ilk.

The 33-year-old Gordon has spent the past six seasons in Houston after beginning his career with the Los Angeles Clippers and also enjoying a stint with the New Orleans Pelicans.

While Gordon's counting statistics were down last season, he had one of the most efficient seasons of his career from a shooting perspective.

Gordon averaged 13.4 points per game in 57 contests, which was down from the 17.8 points he averaged in 27 games the previous season, plus he put up 2.7 assists, 2.2 made three-pointers and 2.0 rebounds.

He also shot 47.5 percent from the floor, marking the best field-goal percentage of his career. Meanwhile, his 41.2 percent shooting percentage from beyond the arc was the second-best of his career behind only the 44.8 percent he shot in 2014-15.

Gordon showed last season that he is capable of producing both as a starter and a bench player, which is no surprise given that he was the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2016-17, his first season with the Rockets.

In 2022-23, Gordon figures to be one of the few true veterans on a young team that is in the thick of a rebuild.

D.J. Augustin, Daniel Theis, Dennis Schroder and Danuel House are some of the other vets who were on the team last season, but all of them are gone. The Rockets also parted ways with veteran point guard John Wall, who didn't appear in any games last season.

Gordon's experience makes him a hugely valuable player in terms of helping develop younger players like Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr., so it is understandable why the Rockets are seemingly content to enter the season with him on the roster.