In the last 6 seasons, the Rockets' most frequent player is none other than Eric Gordon.
Gordon is also the rocket's longest-serving player.
In the summer of 2016, Gordon joined the Rockets on a four-year, $64 million contract, and the root cause of Gordon's joining the Rockets was that Gordon's former teammate at the Pelicans, Ryan Anderson, signed to the Rockets on a four-year, $80 million contract, which persuaded Gordon to join the Rockets.
Before Gordon joined the Rockets, the Rockets were in a state of disintegration, Harden and Howard parted ways, Howard refused the player option to execute the contract, jumped out of the contract, and joined the Hawks on a 1-year contract, and after Howard left, the Rockets announced the termination of cooperation with interim head coach Biktaugh, who joined the Grizzlies, and the Rockets were forced to start a major reshuffle.
The Rockets first signed Mike D'Antoni on a 4-year contract, the former bombardment head coach who served as an assistant coach at the 76ers, and when the league decided the Rockets needed to find a defensive head coach, the Rockets did the opposite and chose an offensive coach as the head coach again.
Ryan Anderson was a player who the Rockets pursued many times without success, and with the strong pursuit of Anderson for many times in a row, he finally held hands with Houston on a big contract, and Gordon was just a friend that Anderson brought over at that time.
When Gordon joined the Rockets' first season, positioned as the team's bench player, is the sixth person of the team, when Beverly and Harden form a backcourt partnership, Harden's containment and deterrence are no different for a while, gradually improved, when D'Antoni let Harden change from a shooting guard to an organizational guard, completely activating Harden's threat, and Beverly's three-point and defense is the best candidate to make up for Harden's flaws and compatible with Harden's style of play.
The staggered use of Gordon and Harden has promoted the balance between the Rockets' starting and substitute lineups, especially when the final stage, Beverley often replaced Gordon as a partner in Harden's final moments, and Gordon's use of the Rockets was a bit overkill.
In Gordon's first season with the Rockets, it was a huge test, the Rockets before the season trade deadline, Tyler Ennis and Corey Brewer and a future first-round draft pick to the Lakers, in exchange for Louis Williams, the Rockets welcomed the two best sixth-man candidates on the bench.
Gordon was plagued by Lovell's sharing of playing time and the number of shots, Gordon was trying to find a balance, and at the end of the season, Gordon won the award of the best sixth man of the season.
In the summer of 2017, the Rockets made a blockbuster deal, trading Lovell, Beverley, Harrell and other players to the Clippers in exchange for Paul, the Rockets formed a backcourt partner of the light bulb combination, in the face of Paul's arrival, Gordon's positioning changed again, Gordon's ball rights gradually declined, more as a pitcher, Gordon lost his autonomy, prompting Gordon to be in a lost stage at the beginning of the season, and the offensive efficiency was unbearable.
In the summer of 2019, the Rockets and the Thunder made a blockbuster deal, the Rockets traded Paul to the Thunder in exchange for Westbrook, the Rockets formed Harden + Westbrook brother basketball, compared to Paul, Westbrook has a stronger desire to control the ball, Gordon's ball rights and status are constantly changing, and Gordon is constantly adapting.
In the summer of 2020, the Rockets traded Westbrook to the Wizards in exchange for Wall, the Head Coach of the Rockets changed from D'Antoni to Silas, Gordon changed more from a bench to a starter, partnered with Wall in the backcourt, and Wall is a player who can't play without the ball and has poor projection ability, Gordon once again adapts to the changes in the Rockets.
By this season, the Rockets selected Jaylen Green, with Jaylen Green and Porter as the core of the team, Gordon most of them existed in the starting position as a small forward, and Gordon basically did not exceed the position of the rocket whether it was organization or offense, and still maintained the rocket's positioning of it.
This season, Gordon's offensive efficiency is at a new career high without overstepping his authority, and although the average number of points per game is a new low in the Rockets period, the average number of shots per game is a career low.
This season, before the trade deadline, there were rumors that the Rockets would trade Gordon, but Rockets general manager Stone said that Gordon is an integral part of the Rockets, rocket head coach Silas has repeatedly praised Gordon's influence, work ethic and contributions on the court, for young players, Gordon is undoubtedly a very good example, if young players want to survive in the NBA for a long time, Gordon is indeed a role model worth learning.
At present, the Rockets Porter, Green and other players want Gordon to stay, and the relationship with Gordon is very good.
However, although Gordon's contract will not be guaranteed until 2024, the contract for the 2023-2024 season is non-guaranteed and has team options, and to this extent, Gordon's contract next season is basically an expired contract.
Gordon stayed in the Rockets, can not exceed the power to drive young players, Gordon in the Rockets over the years to adapt to the changes in the guard line, Gordon can always find their own positioning, as well as the team's positioning of it, which is a very rare thing, from this point of view, Gordon whether in rebuilding the team to shine, or to the championship team, and even the playoff team, Gordon's positioning of himself will not have too much problem.
Gordon's current state, showing a high efficiency, but low offensive desire, when the team needs the veteran to stand up, Gordon can stand up, more often, Gordon will reduce his authority indefinitely to achieve the purpose of allowing the Rockets to train more young players, if the Rockets keep Gordon for their own use, of course, there is no problem, the premise also depends on Gordon's will.
From the competitive state that Gordon showed this season, not only has practical value, but also has trading value, in last year's offseason, the Rockets will definitely put Gordon on the shelf, trying to trade the market's attitude to Gordon, if Gordon can be exchanged for draft picks or young players, and such draft picks and young players, can meet the expectations of the Rockets, the Rockets may trade it.
Of course, the players selected by the Rockets this year's draft are directly related to Gordon's future in the Rockets, choosing teams in different positions, Gordon's future in the team is not the same, from the current point of view, before the trade deadline next season, the Rockets have the probability and possibility of trading Gordon, and this probability and probability are very high.
Next season, whether it is to keep Gordon or trade Gordon, the focus depends on the rocket's player position selected in this year's draft, and the recognition of Gordon in the trading market, but in the Rockets guard is constantly changing, Gordon can survive very well, go to any other team, Gordon will also be very good to survive in the league.