Report: Eric Gordon ’50-50′ on return to Phoenix Suns
Jun 20, 2024, 10:53 AM | Updated: 1:43 pm
Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets hugs Eric Gordon #23 of the Phoenix Suns after the game at Toyota Center on December 27, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
Veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon is “50-50” on returning to the Phoenix Suns for a second season, a source close to Gordon told The Athletic’s Houston Rockets insider Kelly Iko.
Iko wrote Gordon is also interested in reuniting with Houston after playing seven seasons with the Rockets.
I do not expect Eric Gordon back with the Suns next season. https://t.co/NtvKkpik5i
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) June 20, 2024
Gordon has a $3.36 million player option for 2024-25 before he’d become an unrestricted free agent the following summer.
He will turn 36 years old in December.
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Gordon played 68 regular season games for the Suns with 24 starts given various injuries to Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant. The veteran averaged a career low 11.0 points per game — fifth on the team behind the Big 3 and Grayson Allen — with 1.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
He shot 44.3% from the field and 37.8% from beyond the arc for an effective field goal percentage of 56.5%.
In four playoff games, Gordon averaged 8.0 points while dealing with migraines before the first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
His departure from Phoenix would open minutes for another backup guard with Booker, Beal and Allen all under contract.
Phoenix entered the offseason with seven players under contract: Booker, Beal, Allen, Durant, Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little and David Roddy.
Eric Gordon’s Rockets connection
Gordon won the 2016-17 Sixth Man of the Year with the Rockets after signing a four-year deal. He played 51 playoff games for Houston, playing alongside James Harden, Chris Paul and P.J. Tucker. The Rockets traded him to the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2022-23 season, and he signed a minimum contract with Phoenix the following summer.
The Rockets improved from 22 wins in 2022-23 to 41 last season. Young players Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. took steps forward alongside veteran pickups Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks.
Gordon is also expected to join the Bahamian national team for an Olympic qualifying tournament in Spain starting July 2, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
