Sources: Hornets, Rockets, and Grizz on verge of multi-player trade

[WoodysGirl]

By Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: February 21, 2008, 12:57 PM ET
Comment
Email
Print
Every top team in the Western Conference has made a significant move this season. Every team, that is, except the one at the very top.



Well, that's about to end. The New Orleans Hornets are on the verge of making their move.

Sources have told ESPN.com that the Hornets, Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies were in final discussions Thursday on a multi-player deal that would send Mike James and Bonzi Wells to New Orleans, with Bobby Jackson, Adam Haluska and a second-round draft pick going to Houston.



Different variations of the deal evolved Wednesday evening, and the Grizzlies got involved to make it a three-team deal that was all but certain to go through before the 3 p.m. ET NBA trading deadline, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the talks.



Memphis will receive Brazilian forward Marcus Vinicius from the Hornets. The draft rights to Ukrainian forward Sergei Lishchuk, a second-round pick of the Rockets in 2004, will be sent to Houston. The Grizzlies, which also get cash considerations from Houston, will acquire the draft rights to Senegalese center Malick Badiane, a second-round pick in 2003, from the Rockets.


Of the top six teams in the West (based upon the standings entering Wednesday night's games), only the Hornets have not made a significant move. Phoenix acquired Shaquille O'Neal, the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol, Utah acquired Kyle Korver, San Antonio signed Damon Stoudamire and traded for Kurt Thomas, and Dallas traded for Jason Kidd.


The Rockets, tied with Denver for seventh in the West, also have not made any big moves.

The proposed Rockets-Hornets deal would give New Orleans two veteran scorers, and a little more size with Wells, off the bench. The Hornets also remain interested in re-signing forward Chris Andersen if his drug banishment is lifted by the NBA, although the wheels are turning slowly on Andersen's application for reinstatement. New Orleans also has reached out to unsigned free agent veteran P.J. Brown.

This trade makes sense for the Rockets because they can get out from under James' contract, which runs through 2009-10. James, who logged a total of only 39 minutes in the past 25 games, is due to make $6 million next season and has a player option for $6.4 million the following season, while Wells ($2.3 million) comes off the books after this season. Jackson has one year remaining at $6.1 million, and the Hornets have also been trying to move Rasual Butler, who is due $3.6 and $3.9 over the next two years.



Chris Sheridan is an ESPN.com NBA Insider.

 

[Yeagermeister]

The Griz part of this trade make me go

 

[WoodysGirl]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kendall (New Orleans): So is there anything holding up the Hornets/Rockets/Grizzlies deal...and is this deal enough to keep the Hornets on top the West?

Chad Ford: (2:41 PM ET ) It's done.

Chad Ford: (2:42 PM ET ) The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have acquired guard/forward Bonzi Wells, guard Mike James, and cash considerations from the Houston Rockets in exchange for guard Adam Haluska, guard Bobby Jackson, forward Marcus Vinicius and a 2008 second round pick. As part of the three-team deal, the Memphis Grizzlies will receive Vinicius, the rights to Malick Badiane and cash considerations in exchange for the rights to Sergei Lishouk.

 

[Yeagermeister]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kendall (New Orleans): So is there anything holding up the Hornets/Rockets/Grizzlies deal...and is this deal enough to keep the Hornets on top the West?

Chad Ford: (2:41 PM ET ) It's done.

Chad Ford: (2:42 PM ET ) The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have acquired guard/forward Bonzi Wells, guard Mike James, and cash considerations from the Houston Rockets in exchange for guard Adam Haluska, guard Bobby Jackson, forward Marcus Vinicius and a 2008 second round pick. As part of the three-team deal, the Memphis Grizzlies will receive Vinicius, the rights to Malick Badiane and cash considerations in exchange for the rights to Sergei Lishouk.

The Grizz trade nothing and got nothing in return. :laugh2:

 

[WoodysGirl]

another houston trade


Celly (Houston): Any truth to the rumors of Houston trading Kirk Snyder and a pick for Gerald Green of Minnesota?

Chad Ford: (2:57 PM ET ) Sounds like there is some truth to that ... Green to Houston for Synder and second round pick. Is Green's value really that low?

 

[Rampage]

i can't believe the rockets got rid of bonzi:bang2: he has been playing real well lately.

 

[peplaw06]

The Griz part of this trade make me go

The only thing that makes any sense with the moves the Grizzlies have made is that they're just purging all their talent to get cap space?

Then again, I don't think they were having cap issues. Maybe Jerry West is just going to go out in a ball of flames.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Feb. 21, 2008, 8:08PM
Rockets among teams looking to pursue Barry


By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

With the ink barely dried on two trade-deadline deals, the Rockets on Thursday began moving towards two more deals they hope to complete.

The Rockets plan to begin a pursuit of guard Brent Barry, who was dealt to the Seattle SuperSonics on Wednesday but will be released, a person with knowledge of the Rockets’ intentions said on Thursday. The Suns and Spurs are also expected to chase Barry. The Spurs can offer the largest contract, having not spent their mid-level exception, but Barry would have to sit out 30 days before returning to the team that just traded him.

"There are several guys that look like they might shake loose,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said. "We’ve have the ability to offer as much as most teams, unless they kept their mid-level. We used ours this year. I think we’re a pretty attractive situation. That was a big part of it.

"These deals were not contingent on that. We think these are the right deals. But the deals in combination actually created enough room in case there is someone who can help us, we can do it. There will be competition for them.”

The Rockets also plan to sign former Wizards and Nuggets guard/forward Bobby Jones to a 10-day contract, a move that would provide a 6-7 defender for matchups in which the Rockets would be small off the bench after trading Bonzi Wells along with Mike James to New Orleans to get Jackson.

To make room for Jones, the Rockets will release Adam Haluska, who was acquired with Jackson. The Rockets will also receive a second-round pick, either their own or New Orleans’ (whichever is better) in the deal. They were to send the pick to Seattle to complete the trade for Carl Landry.

To complete the deal with New Orleans, Marcus Vinicius and the rights to 2003 Rockets draft pick Malick Badiane will go to Memphis with the Rockets getting the rights to former Grizzlies pick Sergei Lishouk.

In the Rockets’ other trade on Thursday, they sent Kirk Snyder, a 2010 second-round pick and cash to Minnesota to get Gulf Shores Academy product Gerald Green.

With the deals, the Rockets believed they added a veteran, playoff-tested backup behind Rafer Alston at point guard and options to make subsequent moves, while moving James’ contract and the two seasons, $12.7 million left on it.

"The goals we had going into this trade deadline was to add some veteran playoff leadership,” Morey said. "We’re especially excited to get that at the point guard spot where we feel that’s very important and a lot to ask a very promising rookie like Aaron (Brooks). We wanted to create that flexibility this year to add a player. With these moves, we’ll be able to add one or two players. We created significant cap flexibility as the season heads down the stretch if that’s possible.

"In the future, we obviously set ourselves up after a deep playoff run this year to upgrade our team in a significant way.”

For now, the upgrade they hoped to have made on Thursday is with Jackson. Morey described Green as a prospect the Rockets play to "look at” this season, but that is unlikely to see the court.

"Gerald is a guy I’m pretty familiar with,” Morey said. "I had him in Boston. He’s a great, great kid. He’s a tremendous worker. And he’s so young. He had some good stretches in Boston right before he was traded by Boston in the Kevin Garnett deal.

"He’s going to have a tough time getting on the floor. He has as much raw ability as anyone out there. We have a coaching staff that does a great job of bringing younger players along. We’ll get a real close look at him to decide if he is someone that can help us for the future.”

Jackson, however, was acquired because the Rockets felt he could "really help us down the stretch.”

"Bobby’s always been a high-energy player off the bench,” Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "He can get you scoring, he shoots the ball well, he attacks the basket. I think more than anything, in the past he’s always been a very high energy player. Hopefully, he’ll give us a lift there.

"I think it helps to have a player that’s been through a lot of playoffs and had success. I think it was an opportunity and it just seemed like a good fit.”

jonathan.feigen@chron.com

 

[Yeagermeister]

The only thing that makes any sense with the moves the Grizzlies have made is that they're just purging all their talent to get cap space?

Then again, I don't think they were having cap issues. Maybe Jerry West is just going to go out in a ball of flames.

Jerry is already gone but yeah it's pretty much a purge. They didn't trade Mike Miller because they caught some much crap over the Gasol trade.