As always, the final hours before the NBA trade deadline were hectic and saw teams scrambling to improve their rosters. One of the most active teams was the Los Angeles Clippers, who made several deals to improve their depth in several positions.
The most notable trade the Clippers pulled off was acquiring veteran guard Eric Gordon from the Houston Rockets. Regarded as a great defensive player and reliable three-point shooter, Gordon was mentioned in trade talks ever since the Rockets started their rebuild, but Houston’s asking price proved to be too much for interested teams.
The Clippers finally managed to get the Rockets to cave on Thursday, orchestrating a 3-team deal that also included the Memphis Grizzlies. The Clippers received Gordon and three second-rounders while sending shooting guard Luke Kennard to the Grizzlies and veteran John Wall and pick swap rights to Houston. The Rockets also received veteran Danny Green from the Grizzlies.
Gordon is expected to improve the Clippers’ second unit and bring his playoff experience to the team. The former sixth-man of the year proved valuable in the postseason runs during the James Harden era in Houston and is averaging 16.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game in the playoffs.
For Wall, this is a return to the franchise that released him just this past summer. The same scenario is expected to happen in the following days, as the Rockets reportedly have no interest in keeping Wall on the team.
