The NBA offseason is in full swing, and it appears that the Milwaukee Bucks were looking to make a pretty significant trade before the 2022 Draft.
As first reported by The Athletic’s Kelly Iko (subscription required), the Bucks were among at least six teams to have made a trade offer to the Houston Rockets for veteran Eric Gordon before the draft. Iko added that Milwaukee and several of the interested teams proposed trade packages that included a first rounder, but Houston turned down all of the offers. The Rockets are willing to deal Gordon but are in no rush to move him if the return does not meet their demands, as noted by Iko. It is certainly compelling to see the Bucks listed among the interested trade partners, as Gordon could be an impactful addition to this roster before next season begins.
NBA Rumors: Reactions to the Milwaukee Bucks’ interest in Eric Gordon
On the surface, the Milwaukee Bucks’ interest in Eric Gordon makes total sense. Two of the issues that plagued the team last season were a lack of players that could produce points consistently off the bench and not having enough players that could create their own shot. Gordon would check off both boxes, as the guard has been a reputable offensive threat throughout his NBA career, having averaged 16.4 points while shooting 37.1 percent from 3-point range on 6.3 attempts per contest over the past 14 years. Adding the former Sixth Man of the Year would immediately give the Bucks a prolific scoring guard off the bench to make them more formidable offensively.
The most intriguing question regarding Milwaukee’s interest in Gordon is what was involved in the package that they offered Houston. Given that Gordon is on the books for $19.6 million next year, the Bucks would have had to gut a sizeable portion of their roster to match salaries. One avenue may have involved Brook Lopez, who will make $13.9 million next season and could have been a centerpiece in the deal alongside Grayson Allen or George Hill. Would the Bucks genuinely consider moving Lopez, who has been an important piece to their success over the years, for Gordon? Even though Gordon would be a huge pickup, it does not seem too likely, though not entirely impossible. It begs the question as to what they offered for the 33-year-old veteran.
For now, it will be interesting to see whether Milwaukee’s interest in Gordon is still looming as the team looks to make improvements this offseason. As highlighted previously, the Houston Rockets will continue to take calls on the guard, and if the Bucks legitimately want him, they will likely keep their foot on the gas in their pursuit of him. Although Gordon does have a recent injury history that could make some skeptical to trade for him, especially considering the hefty cost, bringing him in would be an “all-in” move by the Bucks to strengthen the shooting guard position and improve their lackluster bench scoring.
Stay tuned to see if the Milwaukee Bucks make a further push to trade for Eric Gordon.