It’s been a struggle for the Los Angeles Lakers to win at a high level so far this NBA season. Every team has dealt with injuries and COVID-19 positive test results, but regardless, what the Lakers have shown has been truly disappointing.
One of the concerns with the Lakers this season has been the team’s underwhelming offensive results. The team ranks 21st in half-court offensive efficiency and one of the key issues has been spot-up shooting—an area where they rank 26th in points per possession.
A talent like Eric Gordon, who is a high-level player with the ball in his hands and when attacking off the catch, could make a real difference for the Lakers. The rebuilding Houston Rockets could look to move on from him ahead of the NBA trade deadline—creating an opportunity for Los Angeles to acquire him.
There was thought that by acquiring Russell Westbrook in the offseason, the Lakers would have the necessary supporting cast around LeBron James and Anthony Davis to win a championship.
As it turns out, when neither Davis nor Westbrook is playing like superstar talents, the strategy of having mostly veteran minimum role players doesn’t necessarily shake out well in the end.
Could Eric Gordon be a potential trade target? Let’s take a look at this trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets.
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G Eric Gordon
Houston Rockets Receive: F Talen Horton-Tucker, G Kendrick Nunn, 2026 First Round Pick
This hypothetical trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets lands veteran Eric Gordon in Los Angeles. The Rockets would land Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn and a future first-round pick in order to be enticed into parting with Gordon.
Horton-Tucker has shown some potential since being a second-round pick in the 2019 NBA Draft but also has displayed some genuine limitations.
The fact of the situation is Horton-Tucker has been highly inefficient offensively this season and hasn’t been particularly impactful with the ball in his hands or as a floor spacer. While he does bring a needed defensive impact, his offensive result just hasn’t been there.
While some could make a case for Horton-Tucker being limited at times by having to play alongside a few superstars usually on any given night, he needs to be showing more to warrant the hype he’s received.