Frank Hughes of the Tacoma News Tribune reports Saturday morning that the Rockets "intend to contact" the Seattle Sonics about a sign-and-trade deal for Rashard Lewis.
Accoring to Hughes, the Rockets will offer Shane Battier and their first round pick in this month's NBA Draft (#26) for the hometown product Lewis.
The problem though, if this scenario is legitimate, is the NBA Draft is June 28 while teams can't negotiate with free agents until July 1. The Rockets would have to take a big risk by drafting who the Sonics want at 26 without a sign-and-trade deal in place.
Hughes though, who is suddenly overflowing with Rocket information in his column, says Rockets great Clyde Drexler has breakfast daily with Lewis and feels he could help entice the 6-foot-10 forward in to joining the Rockets.
Lewis is coming off of a career season with averages of 22.4 points on 46.1% shooting (39% from three-ball), 6.6 boards and 1.1 steals.
Battier was more than solid for the Rockets in his first season in Houston, especially defensively. The 6-foot-8 forward is not near the scorer that Lewis is, but he excelled from long range (42.1%) to go with averages of 10.1 points and 4.1 boards.
A team that wants to win now doesn't seek to trade away a player like a Shane Battier. You're talking about a player who is smart, efficient in all areas professional on and off the floor.
But the Rockets are in a predicament. They sorely need a "third guy" and Battier may be the team's only trade nugget. Would the Spurs try to trade away Bruce Bowen? No. But if they didn't have Manu Ginobili and could get him for Bowen?
That's where this team may be finding itself.
