The New Orleans Pelicans matched an offer sheet to retain guard Eric Gordon under a max contract last summer, but on Wednesday, general manager Dell Demps offered little support of the franchise's decision to make the contract worthwhile. Demps refused to affirm to WWLTV that Gordon would be a part of the Pelicans plans next season, adding to the growing belief that the franchise isn't pleased with their shooting guard:
Eric Gordon trade rumors: Pelicans GM doesn’t commit to keeping guard
New Orleans Pelicans general manager Dell Demps isn’t committing to keeping Eric Gordon.
USA TODAY Sports
“To say if I anticipate him being back -- I don’t know if that’s something I can answer right now, or him not to be back. We’re going to sit down and evaluate every situation and opportunity.”
The news helps to confirm the rumors from earlier this month, when The Times-Picayune reported that the team would field phone calls for their shooting guard.
More: At the Hive
Demps added that a team that won just 27 games during the 2012-13 season must look into all options and every opportunity.
Gordon did little to help himself this year. After signing a four-year, $58 million offer sheet with the Phoenix Suns as a restricted free agent last summer and asking New Orleans not to match it, the team did. Gordon's season didn't get off to a start until midway through the year as his recovery from offseason knee issues lingered. In the end, he averaged 17 points a game on 40-percent shooting in 42 games of the 82-game season.
Coach Monty Williams did have Gordon on a limits restriction throughout this year, and Gordon's best play came in the last few weeks of the season following an in-game blowup with Williams.
But as of Wednesday, Demps’ comments didn’t ring of support for New Orlean’s highest-paid player heading into the new era as the Pelicans.
More from SB Nation:
See More:
