Houston Rockets still have way to win by trading veteran

The 2022 NBA Draft was perfect for the Houston Rockets. However, the one area that left some wanting during the process was on the Eric Gordon trade front.

While many people expected the Rockets to trade Eric Gordon away last night during the draft as a means of freeing up minutes for the mass of young players that the franchise seems to love, the prime moment came and went.

Instead of sending Gordon to the 76ers for what looked like the 23rd pick in the draft (amongst other wheels that were also turning), the Rockets held their ground.

The why hasn't come out yet. Perhaps the Rockets felt Philly was low-balling them. Maybe there is a place for Gordon in Houston in 2022 after all. Or, maybe the Rockets see Gordon's value in a different draft class.

The Rockets already made one pick last night that likely isn't going to get many minutes in 2022 short of something dramatic happening. TyTy Washington is fun, but he is going to be buried in a group of guards that the front office is already very excited about.

The Rockets didn't need any more picks in 2022. However, a future pick is a different story.

Houston already has plenty of picks coming their way down the road. The James Harden trade is going to keep the Rockets draft-wealthy for quite some time. But adding more picks in those years would never hurt.

The future may be bright for the Rockets and their very young starting five, but there are plenty of question marks projecting down the road. More draft picks during those years is one of the easiest ways to offset any of that unease.

The odds of getting a great value pick for Gordon at this stage are likely pretty long based on his age and projected role, but anything helps when you're a team like the Rockets.

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