NBC Sports is reporting more trades are in the works for the Houston Rockets now that they’ve nabbed this season’s top free agent prize, Dwight Howard.
Jeremy Lin is definitely in the mix, but according to NBC Sports, the Rockets will consider trading other pieces of the puzzle first.
The bottom line is the Rockets need to clear some cap space in order to sign Howard to a max contract. Under NBA salary rules, the Lakers could have signed Howard for $30 million more than any other team. Howard has left that money on the table in his quest for an NBA championship and to get out from under the long shadow of Kobe Bryant.
So the Rockets have to do what they can to get Howard a max contract or he’s could end up going elsewhere. Remember, no contract can be signed until Wednesday, and nothing is official until Howard signs on the dotted line.
NBC says Patrick Beverley and Greg Smith could be attractive to other teams because they have minimal contracts and the Rockets could get a second round draft pick in return.
They could also waive both players outright along with Tim Ohlbrecht and James Anderson.
Trading Royce White, Terrence Jones and or Donatas Motiejunas would also clear cap space to make room for Howard.
Then there’s the much rumor deal involving Jeremy Lin, Omer Asik to the Atlanta Hawks for Josh Smith, but NBC Sports thinks the Rockets will look at their other options first.
