Rockets Trade Wells, James to New Orleans for Jackson

<TABLE id=common_center_content cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 19px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" align=left>Rockets Trade Wells, James to New Orleans for Jackson </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px" align=left>Mike James confirms he's on the move </TD></TR><TR><TD class=story_date_label style="PADDING-TOP: 5px">Last Edited: Thursday, 21 Feb 2008, 9:07 AM CST </TD></TR><TR><TD class=story_date_label>Created: Thursday, 21 Feb 2008, 4:15 AM CST </TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 5px"><!-- Begin Image displayed --><!-- The extra outer div and img element will trigger reflow in FF --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD id=story_image> </TD></TR><CAPTION class=story_image_caption align=bottom>Bobby Jackson playing for the Sacramento Kings in 2003 / AP Photo</CAPTION></TABLE>
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HOUSTON -- Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey engineers a significant trade with New Orleans prior to Thursday's NBA trading deadline designed to give the Rockets more depth at guard and flexibility with their payroll.

NBA Sources told FOX 26 Sports the Rockets are sending guard/forward Bonzi Wells and guard Mike James to the Hornets for backup point guard Bobby Jackson. This move provides veteran presence at the point guard spot behind Rafer Alston to go along with the rookie Aaron Brooks.

James, who was no longer in the Rockets rotation, told FOX 26 he is excited about the trade.

"I've been trying to get back to Houston for two years and when I get back it wasn't what I expected or the Rockets expected," said James.

James is still baffled at what happened to him with the Rockets.

"The last time I got a DNP (did not play) was my rookie year," James said. (Rockets head coach) Rick Adelman had no interest in playing me and it was frustrating but that is part of the business in the NBA."

James is thrilled about going to the team with the best record in the West.

"It feels good that a team wants me and it's the best team in the Western Conference," James said.

James pointed out he needs to care of all of the stuff that goes with being traded because the Hornets play the Rockets Friday in New Orleans.

"I have to get my physical ASAP so I can play (Friday) night," said James. "That is going to be a lot of fun."

Jackson, 34, is in his eleventh NBA season. He played for Rockets head coach Rick Adelman for five years when Adelman was the head coach in Sacramento.

The Rockets will also acquire rookie guard Adam Haluska from the Hornets and a second round pick. That second round pick will be the 2008 draft pick the Rockets sent Seattle in the deal that brought Carl Landry to Houston or a Hornets second round, which ever is the highest.

NBA sources told FOX 26 Memphis has some minor involvement to help make the deal work within salary cap guidelines. The Grizzlies get forward Marcus Vinicius from the Hornets and the rights to one of two unsigned foreign players including former Rockets draft pick Malick Badiane. Memphis also gets an unspecified amount of cast from the Rockets.

The sources tell FOX, it is unlikely, but Houston may get a second round pick from Memphis as well.

This deal could allow the Rockets to add yet another player this season and make an even bigger trade in the future which could include an expiring contract.

The trade is pending league approval. Morey has not been available for comment.
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Good trade imo.

I read that it was to clear cap space to go after Ron Artest?

oldirtyku said:

I read that it was to clear cap space to go after Ron Artest?

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Local paper doesn't mention any names but it does say that the trade will move them under the luxury tax and they may have an opportunity to make another roster move.

where did you read that? thats what Rocket fans are hoping but haven't seen it written or said anywhere.

Bonzi Wells was killing my Rockets at the free throw line.


Good riddance.


Rafer Alston has been playing great lately though

What is in it for Hornets?

bulldog77 said:

What is in it for Hornets?

Click to expand...

Bonzi Wells and Mike James.

bulldog77 said:

What is in it for Hornets?

Click to expand...

Jackson wasnt getting any playing time or at least not enough. This is obviously a salary move as none of the guys the traded for will see any significant minutes either...

Jackson may actually help the Rockets though. he cant go 35 mins but in 5 or 6 min spurts he can still light it up...

Rockets have also traded our bench bum Kirk Snyder to the Twolves for Gerald Green. Drafted out of high school 3 years ago, he now plays for his hometown

Weren't the Rockets trying for the past couple of seasons to get James and now they are getting rid of him.

yep...when Mike James was given PT during the beginning of the year he stunk it up. and Adelman hasn;'t played him yet. and he's making 6+ million each over the next 2 or 3 years. basically anyway we could get rid of him we would

Wolves Send Green to Rockets for Snyder

1 hour ago
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves traded seldom-used swingman Gerald Green to the Houston Rockets on Thursday for shooting guard Kirk Snyder.
Minnesota also gets a second-round pick in 2010 and cash.
Green is a Houston native who was taken out of high school by Boston in 2005. He's averaging a little more than five points and two rebounds in scant playing time. He will be a free agent after this season.
Snyder has played in just nine games this season. He's averaging almost four points.

Horrible trade for Houston. Bonzi tons more talented than Jackson. Bonzi will be a factor in the playoffs for the Hornets, if they make the playoffs.

royalfan said:

Horrible trade for Houston. Bonzi tons more talented than Jackson. Bonzi will be a factor in the playoffs for the Hornets, if they make the playoffs.

Click to expand...

Jackson has played in big games.
His 52 playoff games are more than any Rocket except Dikembe Mutombo, who has cheated Father Time long enough to play in 93 postseason contests. Jackson, who has been with five franchises, has played on seven teams that advanced to the playoffs in an 11-year career.
Adelman pointed to that experience and veteran leadership off the bench as the keys to why the Rockets made the deal.
Another key is the relationship Adelman has with Jackson. They've been to battle together, and Adelman wants him for postseason tussles. Bonzi never really fit w/ this team

Can anyone name a team that Bonzi has ever fit in really well with?

maxdemo said:

Jackson has played in big games.
His 52 playoff games are more than any Rocket except Dikembe Mutombo, who has cheated Father Time long enough to play in 93 postseason contests. Jackson, who has been with five franchises, has played on seven teams that advanced to the playoffs in an 11-year career.
Adelman pointed to that experience and veteran leadership off the bench as the keys to why the Rockets made the deal.
Another key is the relationship Adelman has with Jackson. They've been to battle together, and Adelman wants him for postseason tussles. Bonzi never really fit w/ this team

Click to expand...

Bonzi just plain and simply way better than bobby jackson is. Jackson no longer a good shooter. Just a complete mismatch in talent levels. Hell, Mike James is better than Jackson as well.

Feb. 22, 2008, 12:51AM
Rockets continue looking, even after making two trades
Guards Barry, Jones on radar; Green comes home

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
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<!-- rbox ends here -->With the ink barely dry on two trade deadline deals, the Rockets on Thursday began moving toward two more players they hope to add.
The Rockets plan to begin 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 Thursday. The Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs, who included Barry in the deal that landed them Kurt Thomas, also are expected to chase Barry. The Spurs can offer the largest contract, having not spent their mid-level exception. But Barry, who is expected to be sidelined two to three weeks with a calf injury, 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 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 (completed Thursday) 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."
The Rockets also plan to sign former Washington and Denver guard/forward Bobby Jones to a 10-day contract. Jones was waived by the Nuggets on Jan. 7. Signing him 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 for guard Bobby Jackson.

Snyder to T-Wolves

To make room for Jones, the Rockets will release guard Adam Haluska, who was acquired with Jackson in a deal agreed upon Wednesday night. The Rockets also received a second-round pick in the deal. They will send the pick to Seattle to complete the trade for forward Carl Landry.
To complete the deal with New Orleans, Hornets forward Marcus Vinicius and the rights to 2003 Rockets draft pick Malick Badiane go to Memphis with the Rockets getting the rights to former Grizzlies pick Sergei Lishouk, a 6-11 forward who was a second-rounder in 2004.
In the Rockets' other trade Thursday, they sent guard Kirk Snyder, a 2010 second-round pick and cash to Minnesota for Gulf Shores Academy product Gerald Green. Green, a 6-8 swingman, averaged 5.1 points in 29 games with Minnesota.
With the deals, the Rockets believe they added a playoff-tested veteran in Jackson to back up Rafer Alston at point guard and have options to make other moves while moving James' contract and the two seasons and $12.7 million left on it.
"The goal 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."

Time will tell

For now, the upgrade they hoped to have made on Thursday is with Jackson. Morey described Green, 22, as a prospect the Rockets play to "look at" this season but who 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 has as much raw ability as anyone out there. ... 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 of a player he coached in Sacramento. "He can get you scoring, he shoots the ball well, he attacks the basket. ... Hopefully, he'll give us a lift.
"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

Rockets know that they are letting go of more talent than the talent they are coming in. but getting rid of Mike James contract is a HUGE relief, and Bonzi Wells wasn't going to be in Houston after this season. we get under the Luxury tax and don't have to rely on a rookie (Brooks) playing valuable minutes in the playoffs.

Big game tonight.....

Rockets-Hornets Preview

By KATE HEDLIN, STATS Writer

(AP) -- The Houston Rockets and New Orleans Hornets have been two of the NBA's hottest teams recently.
One day after swapping several key reserves, the teams will try to extend their respective winning streaks when they meet on Friday night in New Orleans.
The Rockets (34-20) will try to win 11 in a row for the first time since opening 1993-94 with 15 consecutive victories en route to an NBA title. Houston is in seventh place in the West - four games behind the conference-leading Hornets (37-15), who have won five straight and 14 of 17.
Both teams will be seeing some familiar faces in new uniforms. In a swap of guards prior to Thursday's trading deadline, New Orleans dealt Bobby Jackson and rookie Adam Haluska to Houston for Mike James and Bonzi Wells.
Wells is averaging 9.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in 22.1 minutes per game, while James is averaging 6.5 points in 33 games.
"We wanted to add a little bit of presence on our bench in the form of players who could give us some scoring punch," Hornets general manager Jeff Bower said. "This trade dramatically improves our team by giving us proven veteran scorers at the backup guard and swing positions."
Houston also was enthusiastic about the deal, which reunites Jackson with Rick Adelman, who coached him for five seasons in Sacramento.
"We've always liked him as a player, but having his familiarity with Coach, Coach's system, he's a guy that can step right in," Houston general manager Daryl Morey said. "With the West the way it is, you don't want to have a big transition period.
"I think a lot of the teams that added players are going through that right now. We're hoping with Bobby that transition is a little shorter than others."
Jackson is averaging 7.1 points in 19.3 minutes. He was 5-of-9 from 3-point range and finished with 17 points Wednesday in the Hornets' 104-93 win over Dallas.
Jackson joins a Houston team coming off a 112-100 win over Miami on Thursday. The Rockets shot 53.8 percent from the field and outscored the Heat 41-26 in the first quarter
Tracy McGrady scored 23 points and Yao Ming added 21 for Houston. Rafer Alston said it was bittersweet playing just hours after the trade.
"We lost a couple of guys that were well-liked around here, well-liked in the locker room," he said. "That's the business side of basketball, but you've got to go out there and play."
The Rockets also picked up swingman and Houston native Gerald Green from Minnesota for guard Kirk Snyder before the deadline.
Chris Paul, meanwhile, will try to build off a big game for the Hornets. He scored 31 points, added 11 assists and a career-high nine steals in the win over the Mavericks.
Paul scored 19 in the third quarter, hitting all seven of his shots
"It's fun to watch. I was getting pumped up," said Hornets center Tyson Chandler. "Tonight was unbelievable. The guy was all over the place. He took a personal challenge to go out and just, I mean, he was incredible. I haven't seen anything like that in a while."
Paul, who is averaging 20.7 points this season, has averaged 25.7 the last three.
The Hornets beat the Rockets 87-82 on Jan. 13 in Houston. New Orleans has won three of its last four home games against the Rockets.