Rockets trade Bonzi Wells, Mike James to Hornets for Bobby Jackson

[KobesOneUglyTat]

Trade allows Hornets, Rockets to keep up with West shakers
By Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: February 21, 2008, 2:05 PM ET

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 ended Thursday when the New Orleans Hornets made a trade of their own.


The Hornets, Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies finalized a multi-player swap that sends Mike James and Bonzi Wells to New Orleans, with Bobby Jackson, Adam Haluska and a second-round draft pick going to Houston.



New Orleans officially announced the deal Thursday afternoon, an hour before the 3 p.m. ET NBA trading deadline.

Different variations of the deal evolved Wednesday evening, and the Grizzlies got involved to make it a three-team deal.

Memphis receives Brazilian forward Marcus Vinicius from the Hornets. The draft rights to Ukrainian forward Sergei Lishchuk, a second-round pick of the Grizzlies in 2004, were sent to Houston. The Grizzlies, which also get cash considerations from Houston, acquired 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 hadn't 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 Rockets-Hornets-Grizzlies deal gives 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 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.

[JKidd2Nowitzki]

uhhh dude, look at the title, it clearly says 2008, dolt.

[catzhernandez]

uhhh dude, look at the title, it clearly says 2008, dolt.

Are you stupid?

[KobesOneUglyTat]

uhhh dude, look at the title, it clearly says 2008, dolt.

You clearly not working with what I am, dood. In 05 the Kings shipped Jackson to the Grizz for Bonzi. In other words, this will be the second time they'll have been traded for each other.

[MrEncinas]

Are you stupid?

[JKidd2Nowitzki]

Are you stupid?

Yes but atleast im not a mexican feline.

[NY Comeback]

Yes but atleast im not a mexican feline.

[catzhernandez]

Yes but atleast im not a mexican feline.

**** you

[artificial]

uhhh dude, look at the title, it clearly says 2008, dolt.

that made my day. not only ignorance, but also arrogance and naiveness in the quote

[artest 93]

that made my day. not only ignorance, but also arrogance and naiveness in the quote

HAHA second that. its just a strange one altogether. giggles*

yeah i giggled so what? got a problem? HAHA jk im high

[gasolina]

[Rockets(T-mac)]

I don't feel too good about this Bonzi was very good for us. He brought rebounding and scoring off the bench. Jackson can score, I know that....we'll see how he does in the system.

[luigi>mario]

Houston should have kept Bonze Wells
He was maybe the only guy doing the Adelman thing.

[Rockets(T-mac)]

Houston should have kept Bonze Wells
He was maybe the only guy doing the Adelman thing.

Yeah thats why I have my doubts about his trade. They should have tried to get him for someone else. Bonzi was great in the system and pretty productive. I think they wanted a vet for the pg and sg spots for the playoffs off the bench. Lets see how Adelman changes his rotation now.

[TMac&Luther]

IMO this is the second worst trade this year(if it happens) after the Pau - Kwame trade.

Wow.....way to overreact.

Look while most of us Houston fans are questioning the trade......it's far from the second worst trade. We're talking about a rotation player, not a franchise every day contributor.

Yes, Houston could be taking a chance on missing a certain ingredient in their offense, but they do get out of the Mike James contract and now will have a pretty big expirer to trade next season.

We also get a veteran backup guard to Alston that has experience in this system..........while I'd rather have Bonzi, it's far from the 2nd worst trade in the NBA and isn't even on the same planet as the Gasol trade.