Eric Gordon is determined to help VJ Edgecombe get better — and show he has something left in the tank
Gordon, who plays alongside Edgecombe with the Sixers and the Bahamas’ national team, has embraced a mentor’s role in his 18th NBA season.
What can the 76ers and their fans expect from Eric Gordon this season?
Gordon, entering his 18th NBA season, is a close friend of rookie VJ Edgecombe. He plays alongside the third overall pick with the Sixers and the Bahamas’ national team.
Did Gordon re-sign with the Sixers primarily to be Edgecombe’s mentor? Or did the 36-year-old come to show that he’s still one of the NBA’s elite three-point shooters?
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“At my age, in my phase of my career, you have to mentor,” Gordon said. “That’s without a doubt. I’ve been around VJ the most. I’ve known him for quite a while. Of course, I will be looking forward to not just helping him, but also all the young guys. …
“But when I’m in the game, I’m going to have to do my part: Knock down shots, spread the floor, let guys operate the length [of the court] on their own. But when I’m out there, I’ve got to knock down shots, and I’ve got to look forward to making things happen.”
Gordon is 17th on the NBA list for three-pointers made in a career with 2,084.
The Indianapolis native had career-low averages of 6.8 points and 19.7 minutes last season. However, he made 40.9% of his three-pointers. He was shooting 52.6% from three-point range during a 17-game stretch in January before injuries derailed his season.
After that run, Gordon began February by missing the Sixers’ next two games against the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks with a knee injury.
He then struggled through 2-for-13 shooting — including going 1 of 8 on three-pointers — against the Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons before a wrist injury limited him to 8 minutes, 55 seconds against the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 9. That was Gordon’s last appearance of the season.
His season officially ended after he had arthroscopic right wrist surgery on Feb. 26. He played in 39 games, the fourth-lowest total of his career.
“A couple of months after the surgery, I was really able to shoot,” Gordon said. “So I have been able to shoot all summer. Any time you have surgery, you are always going to have ups and downs. But everything has been good.”
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He knows there will be questions going forward about his ability to carve out a role on a team determined to get younger.
In addition to drafting Edgecombe third in June, the Sixers look to benefit from the returns of Quentin Grimes and Jared McCain.
McCain will be reevaluated in about three weeks after undergoing surgery to repair an ulnar collateral ligament tear in his right thumb on Oct. 1. The injury came after the early front-runner for last season’s rookie of the year award missed the final 4½ months with a torn meniscus in his left knee.
Meanwhile, Grimes signed his one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer to remain with the Sixers last Wednesday.
“I think we’ll have one of the best backcourts in the league with Grimes, [Tyrese] Maxey, Jared McCain, and now VJ,” Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said in June. “With the way the NBA’s going, I think you saw some of these teams playing dynamic, up-tempo with multiple guards that put the defense in jeopardy.”
That developing group and Father Time could cut into Gordon’s playing time.
He sat out the second training camp practice as a scheduled off day before the Sixers traveled to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for a pair of exhibition games against the New York Knicks.
He struggled in Thursday’s 99-84 loss, with two points on 0-for-4 shooting — missing two three-pointers — and an assist. Gordon was a minus-12 in 13 minutes, 18 seconds off the bench. He sat out Saturday’s 113-104 loss.
The team arrived back in Philadelphia on Sunday morning and did not practice Monday and Tuesday while recovering from jet lag after the trip to the Middle East.
Time will tell what the Sixers can expect from the team’s second-oldest player. However, Gordon is determined to help Edgecombe elevate his play.
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“Everybody knows he’s an outstanding athlete,” Gordon said. “You’ll see it. He’s one of the most athletic and gifted players in our game right now. And he’ll showcase that.
“But for me, it’s all the little things. Shooting. … When he starts really knocking down that shot, it’s going to open up doors for him to get in the lane as much as he wants.”
Early in Gordon’s career, his athleticism combined with his shooting ability enabled him to get into the lane with ease. He transitioned into being more of a shooting specialist over the years.
“With him, it’s always good to see a couple of good shots go in in the game,” Gordon said, “because, athletically, he’s going to be a problem.”