Houston Rockets: Four teams who should trade for Eric Gordon

Houston Rockets trade partner number 2: The Los Angeles Clippers

Unlike the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Clippers are not in a desperate fight to make the playoffs. However, they are in a desperate fight to solidify their championship odds and Eric Gordon could be the exact player they need.

The Clippers, much to Kawhi Leonard’s ire, have lacked a true point guard to facilitate the offense. While Gordon is not a quintessential point guard, he could easily share the ball-handling duties with him, Leonard, and Paul George.

Lessening Leonard’s ball-handling duties not only keeps him happy but it allows him to do what he does best, score and defend. Gordon could operate as the Clippers defacto point guard but would be comfortable playing off-ball when either Leonard or George take the reins on offense.

Due to the Clippers’ salary cap situation, they’d have to send both Patrick Beverly and Patrick Patterson to Houston. Patterson is on an expiring but Beverly is still under contract for one more season after this.

Beverly is a unique player and could help the Rockets’ playoff push this season and could then be flipped in the summer to a team that could more readily use his skill set. What makes Beverly such a unique player is that he is a point guard that cannot distribute but is an excellent defender and has become a proficient catch and shoot 3-point artist.

Beverly could feature in three-guard lineups next to John Wall and Victor Oladipo or be used as the defensive leader on their bench units. If the Rockets decide they want to trade him, any playoff team who runs their offense through a non-point guard could use Beverly’s services as a defensive ace and 3-point specialist.

Next: Team No. 1