HOUSTON — Ever since the franchise shifted into rebuilding mode, Rockets guard Eric Gordon has heard his name being placed in some outlandish scenarios over the last two years.
One person on social media proposed that Gordon be sent to the Rockets G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, so that the team could develop more of its young talent.
Another individual called a local sports radio show and said he would start a GoFundMe donation drive to help pay for Gordon’s salary, if the Rockets would cut him from the team immediately.
And those are the more friendly remarks made toward the 34-year-old veteran. The others get more bizarre and expletive-laced.
Yet, Gordon does not pay attention to outside noise, even when it comes from local reporters who want to know his feelings on whether he wants to remain in Houston or be traded to a contender.
After a tough 117-111 loss to Toronto on Friday night, Gordon was asked if he felt like this was his final week with the team. After all, the NBA trade deadline is next Thursday, Feb. 9.
“No, I hear stuff all the time,” said Gordon, now in his seventh season with the Rockets. “All I can do is just play basketball.”
The court has been Gordon’s sanctuary this season. A place where he can get away from all of the outside chatter of what his status with the Rockets will be moving forward. Without the services of the starting backcourt in Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green over the last three games, Gordon has set season highs in scoring in each game and has been the focus of Houston’s offense when he is on the court.
His 25.6 points, 5.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, all while hitting 53% of his shots during that three-game stretch, has led to a 2-1 record for the Rockets. He has also averaged 34.1 minutes in the last three games, bringing him to 32.3 over his previous nine games.
Gordon’s durability has been questioned in the past, and his games are still usually limited to one on back-to-backs. That makes his minutes count over the last three games particularly impressive.
“Really good,” Gordon said when asked about his health. “This (health) is definitely where I want to be.”
“I always want to play well,” Gordon said. “I always want to see the team do well and that’s just what it is. I just want to be playing at a high level, and that’s all I ask for: We continue to play hard, like we have been lately, and give ourselves a chance to win games.”
With under a week left until the Feb. 9 deadline, the uncertainty of where Gordon will be playing looms large around Toyota Center.
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