The Philadelphia 76ers made a couple of trade before the deadline, one of which is a largely forgotten salary dump move where Eric Gordon was dangled away to the Memphis Grizzlies, which quickly waived him. Now, there has been a complete lack of news about the longtime guard's whereabouts, which strongly hints that his career in the NBA is over.
Gordon, who managed to spend 18 years in the NBA, most certainly had an impressive career. He was always one of the more lethal three-point shooters in the NBA, and he was also a key player to some contending squads such as those late 2010s Rockets teams where he also won the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2017.
After bouncing around for quite a bit following his stint in Houston, Gordon found himself signing with Philly in the summer of 2024. He was expected to be a staple in the rotation as a floor-spacer, but it easily became apparent that he was simply too old to be a factor elsewhere. Put simply, he has become a one-trick pony.
The 76ers are probably the last team Eric Gordon has played for
Undersized shooters are precisely the kind of players who cannot afford to be constrained to just one skill. What made Gordon a highly desirable role player over the course of his career is his ability to get downhill and be a secondary creator. Unfortunately, when he signed with the 76ers, those parts of his game had already dissipated.
People might have forgotten about this, but Gordon actually started last season as the starting shooting guard for the 76ers. That experiment was quickly abandoned, though, and injury issues likewise derailed his first season in Philly. The front office still gave him another chance last summer –– much to the chagrin of the fanbase –– but in reality, that should not have even been the case in the first place.
Following his release by the Grizzlies, Gordon has nowhere else to go. It is extremely unlikely that a playoff team picks him up before April. As such, it is probably safe to consider him as having retired, albeit constructively.
Of course, having an 18-year career is no joke. But it is simply time for Eric Gordon to walk away from the NBA, and his stint with the Philadelphia 76ers –– which was as uneventful to the highest degree –– is probably the nail in the coffin for him.