NBA Rumors: Why Pau Gasol Is More Realistic Than Dwight Howard for the Rockets

The Houston Rockets have taken the requisite steps to set themselves up to pull off a deal which would net them a legitimate star player.

Rumors have been swirling lately that the Rockets are pushing hard for Orlando center Dwight Howard, but angling for Lakers big man Pau Gasol is a more realistic proposition.

Rockets GM Daryl Morey has long coveted a big-time center to vault star-hungry Houston into the Western Conference's elite.

Gasol is the most offensively skilled big man in the league, and would benefit greatly from playing more in the post again under the watchful eyes of Rockets head coach Kevin McHale, one of the most accomplished low-post scorers in league history.

The price tag on Gasol will also be considerably lower than on Howard. Orlando will be looking for more than a couple mid-first round picks in exchange for the NBA's premier center.

According to ESPN's Chad Ford and Marc Stein, the Lakers, who desperately want to get younger and add depth, are seeking a top-10 pick along with an established player in return for Gasol.

The Rockets align perfectly with the Lakers as trade partners. Houston has managed to stockpile the Nos. 12, 16 and 18 picks in Thursday's draft and have a plethora of solid rotation players to send to L.A.

Now that Ramon Sessions has opted out of his deal, the Lakers have a glaring need at point guard. Conveniently, the Rockets have an underrated starting 1 in Kyle Lowry, who wants out of Houston.

Dealing Lowry would then clear the way for Houston to re-sign promising backup Goran Dragic.

Lowry, combined with two of Houston's picks may be enough to snag Gasol. If the Lakers remain adamant on landing a top-10 selection, the Rockets could presumably package a combination of their picks to another team to acquire a top draft choice.

Houston can also sweeten the deal by throwing in another solid contributor like, say, Luis Scola.

With so many possible permutations and the mutual benefit of both organizations on the table, it's easy to see why a Pau Gasol trade makes more sense for the Rockets than giving up the farm to rent Dwight Howard for a year.

It makes even more sense when you consider that the Lakers agreed to ship Gasol to Houston once before.