SEPTEMBER 4: Gordon’s extension with the Rockets is now official, the team announced today in a press release.
AUGUST 30: The Rockets and shooting guard Eric Gordon have reached an agreement on a four-year contract extension, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle, who reports that the deal will be worth approximately $75.6MM.
Gordon had been entering the final year of his current contract and will earn a $14,057,730 salary in 2019/20. His new deal will lock him up through the 2023/24 season and brings the total value of his next five years to nearly $90MM.
However, Gordon isn’t assured of receiving that full amount, as the final year of his new contract is non-guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). It would become guaranteed if he makes an All-Star team or the Rockets win a championship, a league source tells Woj.
The starting salary of a veteran contract extension can only be worth up to 120% of the player’s previous salary, so Gordon’s new deal will technically be worth his maximum extension value. A 120% bump on this year’s salary will bring him to $16.87MM in 2020/21. Annual 8% raises going forward will give him salaries of $18.21MM (2021/22), $19.57MM (2022/23), and $20.92MM (2023/24) over the rest of the contract.
Although Gordon could have potentially landed a larger payday on the open market as a free agent next summer, agreeing to a deal now gives him long-term security into his mid-30s and takes off some pressure in what would have been a contract year. It will also remove another talented unrestricted free agent from a 2020 free agent market that was already considered weak.
Gordon, 30, has spent the last three seasons with the Rockets, serving as one of the team’s go-to scoring options behind perennial MVP candidate James Harden. In 2018/19, the former No. 7 overall pick averaged 16.2 PPG on .409/.360/.783 shooting in 68 games (31.7 MPG). Gordon has also been Houston’s most consistent outside threat besides Harden, averaging exactly 8.8 three-point attempts per game in each of the last three years.
The Rockets now have virtually their entire core locked up for several years. Harden and Russell Westbrook are each under contract through at least 2022, with player options for the 2022/23 season. Clint Capela‘s fully guaranteed deal runs through ’22/23. P.J. Tucker, who is reportedly seeking an extension as well, has two more years left on his current pact.
As Jeff Siegel of Early Bird Rights observes (via Twitter), Gordon can’t be traded during the 2019/20 season as a result of the extension, since it exceeds the extend-and-trade restrictions and makes him ineligible to be dealt for six months. That restriction won’t lift until after the 2020 deadline.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Good for him. He’s a quality player, and he deserves another run with the team before they inevitably trade him.
Rockets got everyone locked up long-term:
1. Harden, 4 more years (player option 2022-23)
2. Westbrook, 4 more years (player option 2022-23)
3. Capela, 4 more years (no option)
4. Gordon, 5 more years (5th year guarantee TBD)
5. PJ Tucker, 2 more years (next in line for extension)
6. Danuel House, 3 more years
7. Gary Clark, 2 more years
8. Isaiah Hartenstein, 2 more years
Did you really list Gary Clark and Isaiah hartenstein… LOL warriors will still be better
Warriors suck
They won’t get past the first round
Yes rockets will not get out of the first round. They couldn’t beat GSW last year without Durant and now GSW has D Lo.
The rockets are set up nicely this year. But this tram is going to be god awful in 2 seasons. They are going to get old fast… if they aren’t already. That’s fine this year, but those are some long term commitments. 2 years. Harden, Lakers.
So more of the same. Good enough to make the playoffs but just chuck up 3’s and no D strategy = No Finals. PJ Tucker is 34 so sure give him a big deal next too.
So basically houston is paying 100 million on guards. They could use another wing not sure about gerald green and daniel house who guards kawhi and pg and lebronin the playoffs
Harden usually is guarding the opposing PF, while PJ Tucker guards the other team’s best player (LBJ or Kawhi). Gordon (or House) would guard Paul George which is fine because Gordon is a better defender than people think (just like Harden).
Is it just me or this is an overpay for a guy until his age 35 season?
Eh. He’s a good shooter and scorer who can handle and hold his own defensively. They can’t really replace him in free agency, and I imagine the trade market was cool. This was the best way to make sure they didn’t lose him for a sub optimal return this summer.
And also, a team with cap space next summer might have gotten silly.
This deal is no riskier for the Rockets than re-signing Draymond Green was for the Warriors, yet Houston won’t get a fraction of the credit that Golden State did for getting it done.
Maybe that’s because Houston doesn’t have 3 rings in the last 5 years, genius.
Delusional. Gordon is nowhere near the level of Green. Gordon is a backup and is already declining… He used to be able to bail them out when he came in but he’s just a guy now. Gordon’s defensive numbers are way below par: 12 PER, minus 3 DBPM.
Probably because Gordon is fractionally as good as Green.
A small fraction.
But you were right about both of them being basketball players so there’s that.
It’s always smart to lock up the core who hasn’t gotten the job done. No way the Rockets won with that lineup and that coach.
Still think trading him for Marvin Williams would’ve been better fit for the team or even trading him for Ariza. Paying him that much to play off the bench is kinda stupid. And Paying Gordan 20 mil at 35 isn’t ideal either. So I guess Russ Harden Gordan and Capela are stuck for the next 3+ years with no salary cap left for anyone else really. Hope they draft well
Seems stupid to give him so much, Can think of at least 5 SG who signed deals within the last 2/3 years on more team friendly deals.
Marcus Smart, Josh Richardson, Lou Williams, JJ Reddick and Avery Bradley to name a few. Not that these players are better but they signed better deals for the clubs that signed them. Eric is worth about a 14Mil and 3 years extension
He won’t get $20M at age 35 unless they win a championship.
Pretty sure it says he gets an annual salary of $20.92mil in 2023/24 when Gordan will be 35 but yes it is non guaranteed but still even $19.57 mil at 34 is stupid.
He’s a bench player that shots threes
The Rockets will now 5 peat