NBA Trades: Pros/Cons of the Milwaukee Bucks trading for Eric Gordon

NBA Trades: The cons of the Milwaukee Bucks adding Eric Gordon

While adding Eric Gordon would hypothetically check off several boxes for the Milwaukee Bucks, there are some reasons that could make fans skeptical.

Gordon has been bitten by the injury bug over the past several years, having appeared in a mere 120 regular season games over the past three seasons. The Bucks would be gambling on Gordon to stay healthy if they brought him in, which could be somewhat risky, even if it could pay off in a significant way if he can stay on the court. However, for a player that will earn $19.6 million during the 2022-23 NBA season, the concerns are justifiable.

Sticking with Gordon’s hefty salary, the Bucks would have to put together quite the package to be able to absorb $19.6 million. Any offer would almost certainly start with Brook Lopez, who will be on the books for $13.9 million next season. Losing Lopez would be a big blow for the Bucks, who have been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA over the past several years due to the big man’s excellence close to the hoop. While adding Gordon would help fix some flaws, losing Lopez may create more on the defensive end.

If the Bucks were to entertain trading Lopez, adding one of Grayson Allen or George Hill alongside him would make a trade work financially, but there are questions as to whether the Bucks would consider doing so, especially as it would also likely take a first round pick to pry Gordon away from the Rockets. Houston clearly has a high asking price for Gordon, as they have turned down offers from countless teams for the veteran’s services, which could be problematic for Milwaukee.