NBA Rumors: Houston Rockets Would Be Smart to Avoid Overpriced Pau Gasol - Bleacher Report

With the Houston Rockets stockpiling first-round draft picks as they prepare for a blockbuster trade, the smartest plan of attack would not be trading for Los Angeles Lakers power forward Pau Gasol and his $19,000,000 salary.

Who should Houston target?

Who should Houston target?

• Dwight Howard

• Pau Gasol

• Use the draft picks

• Total votes: 247

There is no doubt that Gasol is an All-Star caliber player that could turn the Rockets into a better team, but he isn’t the difference maker that the franchise needs. At the price the Lakers are asking, Houston would be better off walking away.

As much as the organization’s main focus has been on Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard, the belief is that they will not be able to make that move happen before the draft.

The Houston Chronicle is reporting about the team’s continued interest in the Lakers’ big man:

The Rockets are also are still interested in a deal for the Lakers’ Pau Gasol, according to a person with knowledge of their planning, but not at the price they would have paid before the season when they agreed to send Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic, Luis Scola and a first-round pick to New Orleans in the three-team deal blocked by commissioner David Stern.

That’s the way to do it! If the Lakers get desperate and want to move the big man, they know that they have the Rockets there with an offer.

In the meantime, Houston sits with three stellar first-round picks to play with.

Brett Deering/Getty Images

Whether they end up packing them in a trade to move into the top third of the first round or if they use them all on prospects for the future, it will be a better choice than taking on Gasol’s $19 million-a-year contract for two seasons.

The Rockets have a solid group of younger players, but they aren’t close enough to NBA Championship contention to warrant making a deal for Gasol. The team would be better off trying to find a star with their three draft selections than acquiring the Lakers forward.

Houston will be making more moves on Thursday, but what their plan is now is anyone’s guess.

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