More Rockets trade rumors, thanks to Tom Martin over at The Dream Shake. In this one, we learn that the New Orleans Hornets are possibly considering trading one of their lottery first-rounders if someone picks up Emeka Okafor's contract. Martin speculates on whether Houston would make that deal:
↵↵↵It's an interesting proposition from Houston's standpoint. Dell Demps and Daryl Morey know they'll be working under Cloud Stern and that could throw a wrench into talks. But Houston makes sense as a suitor. They have expiring contracts, potentially two first-rounders of their own and you'd have to think they would take Okafor's contract given their impending cap room. The question is: Would they be able to pair, say, Pau Gasol with Okafor? Would that work financially?
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Adding Gasol, Okafor and a lottery pick? Yeah, I think that'd get people off Morey's back. The question about how he'd pair with Gasol is a good one, since Houston already has a pretty capable center in Samuel Dalembert signed to a reasonable deal. Running through the NBA Trade Machine at ESPN, it appears that to get Gasol, Okafor and a No. 1, the Rockets would have to give up Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Samuel Dalembert, Goran Dragic and a couple of the former lottery guys. That's a complete gutting of the team, isn't it? Would Okafor and Gasol make up for that?
↵Not sure, but it's an intriguing rumor nonetheless...
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