The Sixers have made another move in free agency, targeting a player for a return to the squad. Philadelphia and guard Eric Gordon have agreed to a new veteran minimum contract worth $3,6 million for next season.
Gordon, a major piece of the Daryl Morey Rockets, was initially signed by the Sixers to a two-year minimum contract deal last offseason with a player option for this year. Just yesterday, Gordon declined his player option, as a new minimum contract would result in a slightly higher salary thanks to the rise in the salary cap. What’s convenient for the Sixers is that it also lowers the cap hit from $3.47 million to $2.29 million.
Last season, Gordon was a valuable shooter for Philadelphia. While he isn’t the same player who won Sixth Man of the Year in the 2016-2017 season, Gordon provided some much-needed shooting to a heavily depleted and injury-ridden roster. He averaged 6.8 points on 40.9% shooting from three. He appeared in 39 games for the Sixers, making 13 starts before eventually going down for the season with a wrist injury.
Gordon will also presumably play an important role on the team next season, whether or not he gets significant playing time. Sixers rookie third overall pick V.J. Edgecombe played with Gordon on the Bahamas National Team and even spoke about learning from Gordon after the draft. The hope is that Edgecombe, who is a tenacious defender and a questionable shooter, could learn from one of the best shooters in recent NBA history.
Between Gordon’s potential mentoring of Edgecombe and his veteran leadership, the Sixers were smart to lock down Gordon for the upcoming season. He provides a sense of continuity for the Sixers that has often been overlooked during the Joel Embiid era.
