Grizzlies Interested in Dealing Second Overall Pick, But at What Price?

(Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

The Rockets' primary trading chips appear to be power forwards Luis Scola and Carl Landry, speedy point guard Aaron Brooks, and the $23 million expiring contract of former-franchise cornerstone Tracy McGrady.

McGrady's involvement in this potential trade is highly unlikely, due to the fact that it would be a struggle for the Grizzlies to match the $23 million salary required to complete the trade, and also, there's no real reason for the Grizzlies to try to get any further under the salary cap than they already are.

Memphis is no hotbed for free agent attraction. Power forward is a big-time position of need for Memphis, so acquiring Scola or Landry should be high on their priority list. Scola, 29, has one year remaining on his contract, and the 25-year-old Landry has two years left.

The Grizzlies traded backup point guard Kyle Lowry to Houston in the Rafer Alston deal, and may be interested in acquiring a player like Brooks as a backup for Mike Conley Jr, who made significant strides last year towards the end of his second NBA season. If they were to snag the pick from the Grizzlies, what would the Rockets do with it?

Backup center is a position of need, but would it really be worth trading up and drafting your backup center (likely Hasheem Thabeet) second overall? Highly unlikely. Whether or not they trade Brooks, the Rockets still need a true point guard. Brooks is much more of a scorer, and the team could use another distributor to play alongside Lowry.

Ricky Rubio is the top-rated point guard across the board, and the Rockets would be ecstatic to be able to insert him into their lineup to help run the show. Also, with McGrady's uncertain future and with Ron Artest and Von Wafer being free agents, the Rockets may be interested in a scoring swingman.

James Harden, a sophomore from Arizona State, is a do-it-all player that would fit perfectly with the Rockets' gritty group of guys. He's a left-hander that can score from just about anywhere on the floor, and plays exceptional defense from the shooting guard spot as well.

If I had to guess, I would assume that the Rockets would select Rubio with this pick, as he has been on NBA radars since he was 16, and looks to be the second coming of Pete Maravich. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see them decide to snag Harden, either.

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