NBA Rumors: Indiana Pacers Must Aggressively Pursue Eric Gordon

Eric Gordon will be a free agent this coming offseason, and it would be in the best interest of the Indiana Pacers to put all their might into making sure they get the talented shooting guard. 

Yes, the New Orleans Hornets can match any offer Gordon gets, which makes it harder to get Gordon. However, the Pacers shouldn't give up on Gordon, and if it means going into a bidding war, then so be it. 

According to Mike Wells of The Indianapolis Star, Gordon has an interest in the Pacers, who happen to be his hometown team.

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"It's going to be interesting," Gordon said Tuesday. "It's all about whatever happens, happens. Coming back here would be a lot of pressure, but I think it would be good for the fans. We'll see. You never know where this summer will take me." 

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Since Gordon opted not to sign an extension with the Hornets earlier this year, it opens the door for several teams to pursue him during free agency. Despite rehabbing from a knee injury, teams are still going to want him. 

The Pacers have to do their best to guarantee they're the ones that win the sweepstakes for Gordon. 

Currently, the Pacers are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. They're not going to win their division because the Chicago Bulls are too good, so their best bet is to ensure they don't slip out of the top eight.

Indiana has a talented roster now, but it's not a complete team capable of a great postseason run just yet. The Eastern Conference is too deep and too strong for the Pacers to truly thrive.

However, by adding Gordon, the Pacers get another legitimate scorer to work with, which would give them a much better shot at winning the Central Division. Sure, Gordon has had some health issues, but he's young. The future looks bright for him, therefore the Pacers need to get him. 

Even though the Pacers don't have a history of going after restricted free agents (which is what Gordon is), it's time to buck the trend and be heavy players in free agency. It's one of the best ways to improve a roster, and the addition of Gordon would definitely make Indiana a true threat in the Eastern Conference. 

The Pacers picked up David West this past year, and now their top priority for this coming offseason needs to be signing Gordon away from New Orleans. It's not going to be easy, but if the Pacers are serious about winning a championship, they'll do whatever it takes to bring Gordon back home to Indiana.