Gordon not fazed by being trade bait
In fact, veteran guard takes it as a compliment since it shows his value
LAS VEGAS — Guard Eric Gordon took his seat Tuesday in the front row at UNLV’s Cox Pavilion, in the middle of members of the Rockets’ front office, the trade rumors that had filled much of his offseason behind him.
If it bothered him to hear his name in so much speculation, Gordon did not show it as the summer league version of the Rockets took on the Sacramento Kings. By now, he had been around long enough to see the positive in being wanted, choosing to view it as a compliment.
Besides, he said things
have worked out the way he wanted.
“I’m not really worried about that because I know what I am to this team,” Gordon said. “When your name is in a lot of trades, that means a lot of teams want you and they’re asking about you. But this team knows what I do and what I bring to the table.”
Gordon said Rockets general manager Daryl Morey “kept my agent informed” about trades that were possible and let him know when rumors were unfounded. That not only made it easier to deal with the chance he would be
moved, but to also feel better now that he believes he won’t be.
“I always knew what status I was in,” Gordon said. “At the end of the day, I just have to continue to play. I’m looking forward to what we’re going to do next year.”
Gordon and center Clint Capela could have been involved in the salary-cap maneuvers that would have been necessary had the Rockets landed Jimmy Butler in free agency. The Rockets arranged for several trades in advance of the start of free agency to have them ready to complete the deal, a person with knowledge of the team’s thinking said.
When Butler chose the Miami Heat, those deals were not executed.
With that, the Rockets have not reached agreement with any free
agents other than their own. But Gordon said he thought the time was right for the Rockets to “run it back” as they tried to do last season when they made that their offseason motto.
“No need really to make changes when you’re so close,” said Gordon, who is heading into the final season of his contract and has said he would like to reach agreement on an extension. “All we did is lose to a team like Golden State. They had a dynasty of a team. But they had a lot of injuries, so it’s wide open.
“Each game we were a couple possessions away from winning. We just have to take advantage of what’s ahead of us.”
Before that, he will return to Las Vegas for the USA Basketball training camp next month. Rockets players have in recent offseasons gathered in Las Vegas for their own minicamp, and Gordon said that has been discussed again. But if he and James Harden play in the FIBA World Cup on Aug. 31 to Sept. 15 in China, those plans might need to be adjusted.
Gordon, however, lit up at the mention of the USA Basketball training camp and said he hopes to play in China, too.
“That’s the best preparation,” Gordon said. “You’re playing and you’re going against the best players in the world. It will be really good. It would be really good to be on that team, for sure. Then come back ready for the season.”
With that, an offseason like few others would be behind him. There had been a chance it could have gone very differently, but now that it has not, Gordon did not mind the road it took to return to Houston.
And he went back to watching the NBA Summer League.