Eric Gordon's 17th NBA season will be his first as a member of the Eastern Conference. He joined the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency after playing for four different teams in the West. It's going to be a different feel for the 35-year-old guard but, with the team in place looking really good, the transition should be pleasant.
“When you have a chance to play for a good, world-renowned organization with a good coaching staff and a potentially good team — I mean, it was almost like a no-brainer,” Gordon said on his introductory Zoom call for the 76ers.
Gordon cited his relationship with 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, who previously signed him to the Houston Rockets, as an important source of familiarity in his new home. Philly strives to make it outside of its side of the playoff bracket — which those Houston teams never could — while relying on Gordon's prolific three-point shooting.
“Eric is a proven shot-maker whose ability to create space and punish defenses that overextend will help solidify an already dynamic offense,” Morey said of Gordon in the team's official announcement of his signing. “He plays bigger as the moments get bigger which will be key for our playoff run. I’ve known Eric for many years – he is devoted to his craft and continuously works on his game, allowing him to have such a long and successful career. We are lucky to have him in Philly.”
Morey is “religious about winning,” said Gordon, the 11th of Morey's former Rockets that have become a Sixer under his watch.
Just as he did when he signed with the Phoenix Suns last offseason, Gordon is joining a roster full of stars that are pretty much brand new to him. Philly should have less overlap amongst its stars and better depth but still may take some time for Gordon to get comfortable with his new team, especially since the Indianapolis native and former Indiana University standout is playing on the East Coast for the first time in his basketball career.
Making things easier for Gordon is the fact that his role will be the same as it ever was: come off the bench, defend hard, and shoot the ball. His 1,505 three-pointers over the last decade have been bested by only 10 other players. Above everything else, the 76ers will want him to pad that total.
“It's about having a readiness,” Eric Gordon said of being a high-level spot-up shooter around star players. “You gotta be able to take those tough shots when they’re drawing a lot of attention. I've never been afraid to take deep threes and take threes in tough times because you're gonna need them.”
Eric Gordon provides 76ers with great shooting off the bench
In an interview on the ESPN broadcast of the 76ers' Summer League loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Nick Nurse explained that five-out offenses are in right now and that, because of how often defenses change up coverages to stop the opposing star, having players who make it harder to deploy those defenses are valuable. The more defenses have to worry about when an offense's focal point(s) give up the ball, the harder the offense is to stop.
While not all of the 76ers' offseason moves have been about maximizing their shooting around Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, the signing of George and drafting of Jared McCain also signal that Philly seeks improvement in that area. George, like Gordon, has been one of the NBA's premier three-point marksmen, ranking seventh on the leaderboard in triples over the last 10 seasons. McCain is arguably the best shooter from his draft class, shooting 41.4 percent on 5.8 attempts per game as a freshman at Duke.
Gordon being primarily a two-guard does make him a bit of a clash with McCain, though. The rookie drafted 16th overall has yet to prove himself as an offensive initiator at the NBA level, so his best fit for the time being is also as a shooting guard, where he can work more off the ball and still flaunt his fantastic shooting. Nonetheless, having another solid, experienced shooter off the bench will make life much easier for the stars around him, especially if McCain needs a chunk of time to get acclimated to the pros.
In Gordon, the 76ers have someone who will continue to make defenses think twice before sending an extra defender to stop Embiid, Maxey or George. Each star will command defensive attention in their own way and try to kick the ball out to Gordon when passing lanes open up — and the veteran guard sees big things in each of them.
Embiid has a case for the best player that Gordon has ever played with. As far as big men specifically go, Gordon has played with superstar-level talents like Blake Griffin and Anthony Davis. He anticipates Embiid being “the most dominant” of them all.
“I've had a lot of good bigs but he's very dynamic,” Gordon said. “He's a major force down there. As long as we all figure it out, gel together, the game should be easier for him and it should be easier for everyone else. He's definitely a special player.”
Gordon called Maxey a “very dynamic guard” and someone on an exciting trajectory.
“I've watched him grow throughout his career. Big-time scorer, high-level scorer,” he said. “I think this year, now that you have a lot more guys around him, he can be even more of a playmaker than he has been in the past. I think his game, it's just going to continue to grow and blossom. I like where he's at now and I like where he is gonna be potentially.”
George and Gordon played together on the Los Angeles Clippers in the second half of the 2022-23 season. Gordon is excited to team up for a full season this time.
“Paul has always been a good teammate. You guys will see in his demeanor,” Gordon said. “He always comes ready to play and I think he's gonna fit in well for this team 'cause he brings a different dynamic. He's definitely a two-way player. I just like his demeanor for this team. I think he's gonna love it and I think it'll work out well.”
Eric Gordon is a solid defender and shot-creator. He can get into the paint by attacking closeouts and pointed out how his strength allows him to defend guards and bigs alike. Even at his advanced age, he can make an impact in several ways. But Gordon's trademark skill is his three-point shooting. The 76ers hope that the threat of EG threes makes life easier for their trio of stars.
Follow Us
Subscribe