Welcome to our Phoenix Suns Season in Review series where we do individual PLAYER REVIEWS of each man who contributed in the 2023-24 season. We review the squad to analyze what went well or poorly and what they can do to improve for next season.
Eric Gordon
- Position: Shooting guard, small forward
- Vital parts: 6’3″, 215 pounds, 35 years old
- Experience: 16 years
- Statistics: 68 GP, 11.0 ppg (44.3% FG, 37.8 3-pointers), 2.0 ppg
Contract details
Eric Gordon signed a 2-year contract with the Phoenix Suns on July 6, 2023. He has a player option this offseason.
Career development
Eric Gordon entered the NBA in 2008, being selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the seventh overall pick. His first season may have been an indication of what his NBA tenure would be like, as he injured his hamstring on July 12, in a Summer League matchup against the Charlotte Bobcats. Yes, a long time ago. He would miss the rest of the summer.
Upon returning for the start of the regular season, Gordon notified the NBA. Him scoring 33 points in just 31 minutes, in the Clippers’ victory over the Sacramento Kings. In Gordon’s time with the Los Angeles Clippers, he even set a franchise record for most points scored by a rookie. (Gordon scored 41 points since Blake Griffin broke him.) His performances during this time elevated him to being the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for January and also being selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Him averaging 16.1 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.8 KeynoteUSAG, 1.0 SPG in 34.3 minutes. Needless to say, this was a good start to Gordon’s career.
In 2011, Gordon moved to the New Orleans Pelicans. After taking a knee with Phoenix Suns legend Grant Hill, Gordon would only play in 9 games this season. However, he kept the bench very, very warm! A good guy. He handsome too.
In July 2012, the Phoenix Suns would have their eyes on Gordon for the first time. With EG signing an offer sheet worth $58 million over 4 years. 3 days later the Charlotte Hornets would match the offer. I missed him so much.
In 2016, Gordon would sign with the Houston Rockets on a 4-year, $53 million deal, where he would remain until 2023. This is where EG truly became the 3-point shooting juggernaut that I fell in love with. When his time in Houston came to an end, he was traded to the Clippers, which resulted in him resigning on June 28. Yeah! He was free, available and we wanted him! Let’s go PHX!
On July 6, 2023, Eric Gordon finally signed with the Phoenix Suns. We did it! Eric Gordon would wear a Suns jersey. He was excited, he really was. However, he had concerns, we all did. Was it too late in his career? Would it be the “Air Gordon” we have been waiting for so long in The Valley? We were about to find out.
Regular season summary
In my summary opinion, no. I don’t think this was the Eric Gordon we expected. His numbers weren’t bad for the season, but overall he seemed lost and lazy at times. We were all expecting that monster 3-pointer we had seen in the past, but he wasn’t there. His confusion on offense, his poor passing and his lackadaisical approach this season caused many fans to abandon his game. He had some amazing nights where he was “off”, but overall we all got a watered down version of “The Hobbit”. Was this due to his age, fitness level, attention factor or simply poor training?
postseason summary
Let’s face it, we knew this postseason wasn’t going to be very good. In the first matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Gordon was 0-5 on field goals and 0-4 on 3PT. This is not what we needed from EG. This is not what we thought we would get when we hired him. It’s hard to put all the blame on Gordon. Our team was in complete chaos at the beginning of the playoffs. We were lucky to even be there. I think EG has one more good season left.
Greater strength
Experience. During his time in the NBA, the game has changed and EG has managed to adapt parts of his game to improve and surpass himself. His wisdom will help in any locker room he finds himself in. He has played with big egos and still held his own, without getting caught up in any drama.
Greater weakness
Consistency. Again, I don’t know if this is due to his body finally wearing down or the coaching staff that surrounded him last season, but I want to see more on the precision passing side and fewer silly turnovers (73 the season pass). . It seems like he’s always too far away from where the ball will end up.
What to work on
General fundamentals of the game. Return to the starting point. Work on passing, shooting and ball handling in all aspects. We know he has talent, but is his heart already in the game?
Probability of return
3: Unless the new coaching staff sees something we don’t, I wouldn’t expect to see him return. I hope I’m wrong and we’ll find out next season. Personally, I think that under coach Mike Budenholzer, a player like EG can really be a key factor for success.
Overall grade: C-
Well.
- Overall grade as an NBA player: B-
- Grade regarding preseason expectations: C-
Survey
What grade do you give Air Gordon for his performance last season?
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