I bet you didn’t have the Bobcats and Kings in your Yao Ming trade office pool, but they are the ones who have reached out early to the Rockets. At least, that’s what Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle is reporting:
The Rockets have begun talks regarding a variety of options designed to motivate teams seeking cost savings to make a deal, a person with knowledge of the Rockets’ thinking said.
The Rockets have spoken with Sacramento, which has the sort of young talent the Rockets would seek, and Charlotte, which would more likely have to include attractive draft picks along with contracts, according to one individual familiar with the talks.
The Kings have been steadfast in a refusal to deal first-round pick DeMarcus Cousins, despite a rocky start. The Bobcats are more likely to offer players who don’t fit in to the Rockets’ plans, such as Boris Diaw and Nazr Mohammed, along with desirable draft considerations.
Look for the Rockets to hold out for Cousins, obviously, as their bounty. I’m not sure why they’d make a deal with Charlotte if all they have to offer is Diaw and Mohammed, but maybe some sort of three team trade can be arranged. Unless, of course the Bobcats are willing to offer a high draft pick.
Feigen re-iterated that the Rockets are going to be patient on this, but we’ll keep you updated on the rumors as they come in. It’s going to be a busy couple of months on this circuit, methinks.