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AP sources: Rockets land shooters Anderson, Gordon

NBA, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks

The Houston Rockets are loading up on shooting for new coach Mike D'Antoni.

The Rockets agreed to terms on Saturday with forward Ryan Anderson and guard Eric Gordon to add even more scoring punch around James Harden, two people with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the deals cannot be signed until July 7.

Anderson is getting four years and $80 million, while Gordon agreed on a four-year, $53 million contract.

The 28-year-old Anderson spent the past four seasons with New Orleans and has been one of the NBA's top 3-point shooters in recent years. He averaged 17 points and six rebounds last season.

A first-round pick of the Nets in 2008, Anderson spent his rookie season there before he was traded to Orlando. He spent three seasons with the Magic with his breakout season coming in 2011-12, when he was selected as the NBA's Most Improved Player after leading the league with 166 3-pointers.

Gordon has proven to be a potent scorer when healthy, but injuries have derailed him ever since his rookie season in 2008-09. He played 78 games that season with the Clippers, but his most since then was 64 three years ago.

Gordon spent the previous five seasons in New Orleans, with the Pelicans hoping he could be the perimeter scorer they needed to take some of the attention away from Anthony Davis on the interior.

He was limited to nine games in 2011-12 by a right knee injury and only played 45 games last year while dealing with a fractured right ring finger.

If he can remain healthy, he will give the Rockets an explosive scorer off the bench behind Harden, one of the top scorers in the NBA.

Both Gordon and Anderson should fit in nicely with D'Antoni, who has always put more emphasis on scoring and offensive flow than on defense. D'Antoni's Phoenix Suns essentially ushered in the new era of 3-point shooting, and there's no doubt both Gordon and Anderson will have the green light any time the ball is in their hands.

The Rockets are even more identifiable as an offensive team now that Dwight Howard has left for a contract with the Atlanta Hawks.

General manager Daryl Morey wasn't able to land one of the coveted star free agents he has been searching for when the market opened, so he pivoted quickly to land two of the best shooters available on the second day of transactions.

Gordon is a career 38 percent shooter from deep who shot a career best 44.8 percent on 3s two seasons ago.

Anderson has shot 37.7 percent for his career.

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AP Sports Writer Kristie Rieken in Houston contributed to this report.

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