Report: Eric Gordon declines player option with Sixers, a return still possible

The final piece to drop before the option deadline ahead of free agency, Eric Gordon has declined his player option with the Sixers.

Another domino has fallen … kind of.

ESPN’s Shams Charania has reported that Eric Gordon has declined his $3.4 million dollar player option to return to the Sixers.

Gordon averaged a career-low 6.8 points per game in the 39 games he was able to suit up for last season. He shot 42.6% from the field and 40.9% from three, taking 3.5 a game. Like pretty much every other Sixer from last season, weird injuries disrupted his season.

Complications from getting his wisdom teeth removed took him out of action for much of December after a slow start. He finally got going in January, where he averaged a season-high 9.8 points per game shooting 52% from the field. He would only play three more games, suffering a wrist injury that would eventually require season-ending surgery.

All three of Gordon, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Andre Drummond were expected to return to the Sixers and have either said or hinted at such in their exit interviews. While this may seem like a departure from that plan, there is actually incentive for both Gordon and the Sixers to decline this deal and negotiate a new one without going above the veteran’s minimum.

This very blog went into detail on those incentives not too long ago. Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice has already reported mutual interest between the two sides in returning. As Aaronson pointed out, Gordon does already have a relationship with one of the newest Sixers, VJ Edgecombe, after they both played for the Bahamian national team last summer.

So, one last reminder of where the Sixers will stand cap-wise under the assumption that they do bring back Gordon as well as Oubre and Drummond they will be:

• $26.3 million over the salary cap.
• $7 million before the luxury tax.
• $15 million dollars before the first apron.

Now they await how much money Quentin Grimes will demand.