Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets are reportedly dangling guard Eric Gordon as a trade chip in an effort to move up in the first round of the 2021 NBA draft.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Rockets want to package Gordon with either the No. 23 or 24 overall pick in order to move up.

Houston also owns the No. 2 overall pick, where it is likely to select guard Jalen Green or center Evan Mobley, provided the Detroit Pistons select guard Cade Cunningham first overall as expected.

Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reported Sunday that one specific deal the Rockets have discussed is sending Gordon and No. 23 overall to the Indiana Pacers for the 13th overall pick.

That move could potentially appeal to Gordon since he is an Indianapolis native and attended Indiana University.

The 32-year-old Gordon has spent the past five seasons with the Rockets, and he has three years remaining on the four-year, $75.6 million contract extension he signed with Houston in 2019, although 2023-24 is non-guaranteed, per Spotrac.

Gordon is scheduled to make $18.2 million during the upcoming season and $19.5 million in 2022-23.

After being a starter during stints with the Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans, Gordon has primarily come off the bench for Houston.

Of his 275 appearances for the Rockets over the past five seasons, only 126 of them have been starts.

In 2016-17, Gordon started just 15 of the 75 games he played in, and he was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 16.2 points, 3.3 three-pointers made, 2.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest.

This past season, Gordon was limited to 27 games because of injury, but he was productive when he played, averaging 17.8 points, 2.6 three-pointers made, 2.6 assists and 2.1 rebounds, while shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from deep.

For his career, Gordon averages 16.6 points and 2.3 three-pointers made per game and has shot 42.5 percent from the floor and 36.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Gordon's three-point shooting ability is his greatest asset, and it is likely the main thing that would attract a team to him on the trade market.

Gordon could be a great fit on a contending team as a sixth man, although most top teams would likely have trouble accommodating his salary unless the Rockets are willing to take on some expiring contracts.

The Pacers aren't necessarily a contending team, but they have a talented group with Malcolm Brogdon, Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert and Myles Turner all set to return, although trade speculation have been swirling around Turner.

If the Pacers can add a sharpshooting veteran like Gordon to the mix, it could go a long way toward solidifying them as a playoff team in 2021-22.

One way to accelerate any rebuild is with the No. 1 overall pick of the NBA draft, and the Houston Rockets reportedly have their eye on just that in 2021, even though it currently belongs to the Detroit Pistons.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the Rockets are "aggressively pursuing" the Pistons' top pick prior to Thursday's NBA draft:

Charania noted Houston would target Cade Cunningham if it did land the top pick, which doesn't come as much of a surprise.

The Oklahoma State guard is widely considered the top prospect in the draft after his one collegiate season saw him win the Big 12 Player of the Year as a consensus All-American.

He averaged 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three-point range. He was the primary reason the Cowboys reached the Big 12 tournament championship game and the second round of the NCAA men's tournament.

Cunningham would help the Rockets after they finished an NBA-worst 17-55 during the 2020-21 campaign. However, the Pistons also need improvements after they finished with an Eastern Conference-worst 20-52 record.

The guard is a potential franchise cornerstone for both, so it would surely take the No. 2 overall pick and much more for the Rockets to move up for Cunningham.

The Houston Rockets have received interest in the No. 2 overall pick from "multiple" teams ahead of the 2021 NBA draft.

Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported the Rockets don't expect their most "aggressive" offers to come until draft night.

Houston's known to have expressed interest in moving up to No. 1, where the Rockets would likely select Cade Cunningham. However, the Detroit Pistons have shown no inclination they're willing to move down a week out from the July 29 festivities.

The Rockets will have their choice of guards Jalen Green and Jalen Suggs and center Evan Mobley at No. 2 in what's been deemed by most as a four-player draft. Cunningham, Green, Suggs and Mobley all have future All-Star potential, with Cunningham seeming like a lock for All-NBA status at some point in his career.

Houston likely would not want to move down past No. 4, so the focus on potential trade partner narrows quickly. The Cleveland Cavaliers will likely select the leftover between Green and Mobley at No. 3, but they could have some interest in moving up if they have a strong preference between the two.

Jarrett Allen is a restricted free agent, and Collin Sexton has been oft-mentioned as a potential trade piece this offseason. If Cleveland's internally made a choice between which young player it wants to retain, getting to No. 2 and selecting the departing player's replacement could be of interest.

The Toronto Raptors are a sort-of wild card team in the mix at No. 4, with the franchise's direction this offseason being anyone's guess. Kyle Lowry's a free agent, and the team may want to kickstart a mini rebuild by moving up two slots. 

There is an outside chance the Rockets like a player not expected to go in the top five enough to trade down, but that would be borderline unprecedented. NBA teams do not shake their fist at the lottery Gods, and historically the results are better for teams the higher they select.

The overwhelming likelihood here is that everyone sticks where they are and takes the top player available. That said, there have been trades in the top five in three of the last four drafts. 

Assuming the Detroit Pistons select Cade Cunningham as expected at No. 1 overall, the Houston Rockets could have a tough decision with the No. 2 pick of the 2021 NBA draft.

Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer projected G League guard Jalen Green to go second overall in his latest mock draft but noted USC center Evan Mobley "remains in contention."

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman lists Mobley as the third-best player in the class behind Cunningham and Green.

Mobley exceeded expectations during his freshman season, averaging 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game.

The 7'0" player has the agility to be an elite defender, both as a rim protector and on the perimeter, while his offensive game is still developing.

His skill set makes Mobley perfect for the modern NBA and exactly what the Rockets would need to improve a lineup that finished 27th in both offensive and defensive efficiency last year, per NBA.com.

While the draft pick could overlap with Christian Wood, the Rockets should be adding the best player regardless of position after a miserable 2020-21 season.

Houston is also considering Green while keeping open the possibility of trading up to land former Oklahoma State star Cade Cunningham. Shams Charania of The Athletic previously reported the team was "aggressive" in trying to move up one spot to No. 1 overall and included Eric Gordon in trade discussions. 

It doesn't appear Jalen Green expects to fall past the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NBA draft.

ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Adrian Wojnarowski reported Green will work out for the Detroit Pistons, who have the top overall selection. He's also reportedly "currently only planning on conducting one additional workout" with the Houston Rockets, who follow Detroit in the draft.

Cade Cunningham is widely expected to land with Detroit, so that would seemingly lock Green in with Houston.

Givony reported June 29 teams around the league believed the Rockets value the G League Ignite star more than USC big man Evan Mobley. Zach Harper of The Athletic described the team as "heavily leaning toward" Green and that Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs was in the mix too.

Kevin Porter Jr. played well after joining the Rockets midway through the season, averaging 16.6 points and 6.3 assists. But Green is the kind of dynamic scorer and playmaker who can be the franchise cornerstone for the future.

The 19-year-old put up 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game during his one season in the NBA G League.

The emergence of Christian Wood as a valuable starting option at the 5 also lowers the need to add another frontcourt player such as Mobley so early in the draft.

The situation could be this straightforward, in which case Mobley likely winds up with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Action Network's Matt Moore reported the Cavs have turned their focus toward the 7-footer with the belief Green will be off the board.

Should the Rockets shock everyone and take Mobley or Suggs instead, Cleveland could be stuck in a difficult position. Green would be available in this scenario, but Cavs personnel may not have gotten to see him work out ahead of the draft.

While acknowledging the two things may not have been connected, Givony reported during the 2018 draft that Cleveland passed on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after he indicated he didn't want to play for the team. The Cavaliers selected Collin Sexton instead.

Based on Tuesday's report, Green isn't singling the Cavs out since he also omitted the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic, who pick fourth and fifth, respectively.

Team USA is in the market for a replacement player as the Tokyo Olympics approach, and Houston Rockets big man Christian Wood has emerged as a candidate.

According to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, "Wood is among the players under consideration." Feigen also noted Wood has called the chance to play for the Olympic team a dream.

Team USA announced Bradley Beal will not play in the Games after he entered COVID-19 health and safety protocols, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Olgun Uluc reported "Team USA is in a struggle with COVID" with Beal out and Jerami Grant in health and safety protocols.

What's more, the Americans lost exhibition contests to Nigeria and Australia and have not yet looked like the runaway gold medal favorites many expected given the overall talent on the team. They are still the three-time defending Olympic champions, but the pre-Olympic stage has been somewhat rocky before the trip to Tokyo.

Beal was certainly a significant loss considering he finished second in the league in scoring this past season at 31.3 points per game. Fortunately for the team, there is still plenty of talent on the wings with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Zach LaVine, Jayson Tatum and Khris Middleton.

Wood would provide depth to a frontcourt that also includes Bam Adebayo, Draymond Green and Kevin Love.

The Rockets big man played 41 games during the 2020-21 campaign and averaged 21.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from three-point range.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see him immediately step in and play more minutes than Love at this point of their respective careers.

Team USA's first Olympic game is July 25 against France.

Houston Rockets shooting guard Eric Gordon is reportedly available for trade heading into the 2021 NBA offseason.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Tuesday that the Rockets have "discussed" the 2016-17 NBA Sixth Man of the Year in various "trade scenarios" with interested teams.

Houston has embraced a full-scale rebuild after trading away James Harden, Russell Westbrook, P.J. Tucker and Victor Oladipo since December.

Gordon could be the next player dealt with an eye toward the future.

He averaged 17.8 points, 2.6 threes, 2.6 assists and 2.1 rebounds across 27 appearances during the 2020-21 season. He missed the final two months while recovering from a groin injury.

The 32-year-old Indianapolis native is under contract through 2023-24 as part of a four-year, $75.6 million deal. In May, he told The Athletic's Kelly Iko his original plan was to "retire here," but he wasn't sure whether that'll still be the case because of the sudden rebuild.

"You do have to think about your future. No question," Gordon said. "Because we went through a lot of change. When I signed my contract in Houston, I thought we were going to be a team that keeps the band together and tries to keep pushing for the [championship]."

Gordon would be a better fit on a contender, particularly as a key offensive contributor off the bench. Houston would benefit from moving his contract to create some financial flexibility for when it attempts to turn the corner in the next few years.

His hometown Indiana Pacers could be a landing spot.

J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star reported the Pacers could be willing to move the No. 13 pick in the 2021 NBA draft in a trade for an established player. They previously "talked" with the Rockets about their possible interest in such a deal.

Gordon could operate as the chief reserve behind the backcourt/wing trio of Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert and T.J. Warren when Indiana is at full strength, providing a nice boost to the second unit.

It's unclear how many other teams have expressed interest in Gordon, but the Rockets should be exploring all possibilities for him.

The Houston Rockets have reportedly been "aggressive" in attempting to acquire the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft from the Detroit Pistons.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the Rockets are determined to move up one spot, ostensibly to select Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham. The Pistons have explored the possibility of trading back and may not be 100 percent sold on Cunningham being their favorite player in the draft, per ESPN's Jonathan Givony.

Cunningham has been considered a near-lock for the top selection for months, regardless of which team won the draft lottery.

The Rockets are in a tricky situation organizationally. They acquired a haul of draft picks for James Harden but also have their 2024 and 2026 selections (protected picks 1-4) heading to Oklahoma City as part of the Russell Westbrook trade from 2019. They are not in a situation where they have a war chest of assets they could use to move up in the draft without hurting their own rebuilding effort. 

The Pistons also seem unlikely to move from the No. 1 spot after years of falling short in the lottery. Cunningham is the type of can't-miss prospect you can rebuild around, and the Pistons desperately need a player whom they can put at the top of the marquee. 

Even if the Rockets think Cunningham is worth the haul, players like Jalen Green and Evan Mobley seem like budding stars in their own right, and both should still be on the board at No. 2. 

Former Oklahoma State point guard and first-team All-American Cade Cunningham is widely presumed to be the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA draft.

The Houston Rockets, who own the No. 2 selection, are reportedly "fixated" on Cunningham, per Zach Harper of The Athletic.

However, they'd likely have to trade with the Detroit Pistons at No. 1 overall to select the collegiate star, and Harper wrote that appears unlikely while breaking down what Houston could do instead.

According to league sources, it’s believed the Rockets have been fixated on Cunningham but don’t believe in offering up to Detroit what it would take to move into the top spot. That leaves them just deciding to pick the next best player at No. 2, right? Not necessarily. Houston could look to trade out of No. 2 in exchange for a more definite young star, i.e. someone already in the league.

But league sources also have echoed sentiments that Houston could throw a lot of stuff out into the ether and see if it spurs any kind of rush toward offering the Rockets unbalanced trades in Houston’s favor. Confusion is the name of the game right now.

Harper closed by writing that he believed the Rockets will ultimately stay at No. 2 and pick the best player available.

Cunningham averaged 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game for the Cowboys last season. The Texas native was named the Big 12 Player of the Year and Sporting News Freshman of the Year, among other accolades.

He's landed at No. 1 on all 12 mock drafts reviewed by Drew Packham of NBA.com as of Thursday.

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has Cunningham going No. 1 to the Pistons, and he wrote the following in his latest mock.

There is noise about the Detroit Pistons considering multiple prospects. But they'll wind up taking the player every scout expected to go No. 1 all season. 

Sources say certain Pistons staff members were initially informed that Cade Cunningham would be the pick. Aside from most agreeing he's the top prospect, his fit and archetype are ideal for the Pistons, who could use a high-level creator to initiate offense. 

An advanced scorer and passer, Cunningham could take pressure off Killian Hayes and give the Pistons another shooting threat next to Saddiq Bey.

The Rockets would have numerous options at No. 2, with USC big man Evan Mobley, Gonzaga point guard Jalen Suggs and NBA G League Ignite shooting guard Jalen Green appearing to be the next best prospects.

As of now, seven of the 12 mocks reviewed by Packham have Mobley going to Houston. Mobley averaged 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game in his lone season with the Trojans en route to leading them to the Elite Eight.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder are reportedly all "making overtures" to the Detroit Pistons about the cost of trading for the first overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft.

ESPN's Jonathan Givony reported Wednesday the talks are at an "early stage," but he noted the Pistons will be "active in exploring the possibility of trading down" heading toward the July 29 event.

Detroit general manager Troy Weaver said he was "ecstatic" about winning the draft lottery last month and explained they hadn't narrowed down the top prospect on their board despite Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham being the presumptive top choice.

"There's about four or five of 'em I felt that way about," Weaver told reporters. "Now we're No. 1, so we get to pick the best one we see fit to move us forward. That's the goal. Whoever we pick, that's the No. 1 goal—to continue to help us restore the Pistons and build this franchise back to where it once was."

He also confirmed a potential trade down would be part of the decision-making process.

"Yes, that's an option," Weaver said.

If the Pistons are intrigued by a handful of prospects atop the class, there's certainly a case to make for trading down and acquiring as many extra assets as possible while they try to rebuild a roster that struggled en route to a 20-52 record this season.

Among the teams linked to a possible deal, the Rockets (No. 2) and Cavs (No. 3) are close behind in the order and would still give Detroit an opportunity to select from the class' mostly consensus top four—USC center Evan Mobley, Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs and G League guard Jalen Green.

The Thunder (No. 6) and Pelicans (No. 10) would likely have to include some young impact players or a large cache of future assets in order to jump all the way to the No. 1 spot. OKC also owns Nos. 16 and 18 in this year's first round.

That said, landing a true franchise cornerstone like Cunningham may be too good to pass up for Detroit in the end. Givony called him the "overwhelming favorite" to end up with the Pistons despite the team's interest in Mobley and Green.

The 6'8", 220-pound guard is an NBA-ready talent who averaged 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.3 threes and 1.6 steals while shooting 40.0 percent from beyond the arc in his only college season.

It's hard to imagine the Pistons passing on the Oklahoma State standout unless the offer includes another top-five pick in this year's draft and a king's ransom of other assets to seriously jump-start their rebuild.