In the past 12 hours, Philadelphia 76ers fans have been put through the ringer. First, Guerschon Yabusele signed a two-year/$12 million contract with the New York Knicks. Then, Philadelphia announced that it intends to acquire Eric Gordon on a one-year veteran minimum deal. While the 76ers have pivoted away from older players, Gordon’s return was inevitable due to a sneaky salary cap trick that benefits both parties. Still, Philadelphia fans are far from pleased.
There wasn't a chance Gordon wasn't coming back
Gordon declined his $3.5 million player option on Sunday, but that wasn’t an indication of his departure. By denying his player option and signing a new one-year veteran minimum contract, he saved the 76ers a minimal amount of money while earning himself a bigger paycheck. Since Gordon is a player with more than 10 years of NBA service, his veteran minimum will total to $3.6 million for the 2025-26 season. However, there’s a catch.
While Gordon’s contract is slightly larger, only $2.3 million will count towards the 76ers’ salary cap. This is because of an exception given by the NBA where it pays the difference between a one-year veteran minimum salary for a player with over three years of service and a veteran minimum for a player with two years of experience ($2.3 million). Regardless of fans’ opinions, Gordon was inevitably returning to Philadelphia next season, whether he accepted his player option or signed a new deal.
Here's where the #Sixers are financially after signing Eric Gordon pic.twitter.com/TlBihYvAJh
— Jacob Moreno (@jmoreno76ers) July 2, 2025
It may be a waste of a roster spot
Still, the fandom has every right to be upset about this considering how underwhelming Gordon was during the 2024-25 season. In 39 contests, he produced 6.8 points per game (career-low) on 59.1% true-shooting, 1.7 assists per game, and 1.2 rebounds per game. Originally, the 76ers signed him last summer to provide veteran experience and spot-up shooting around the likes of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George.
However, with Philadelphia’s influx of injuries, Gordon didn’t have enough advantages created for him on a game-to-game basis. As a result, his shooting was inconsistent at best, he seldom attacked close-outs, and he was a liability on the defensive end of the floor. Simply put, Gordon – at 36 years old – was a step slow on both ends of the floor.
If there’s one positive that comes from Gordon’s return, it’s the mentorship he can provide to V.J. Edgecombe. They both played for the Bahamian National Team last year and Gordon was in contact with Edgecombe shortly after he was drafted to congratulate him. In a nutshell, he’ll be to Edgecombe what Kyle Lowry was to Jared McCain this past season.