HoopsHype.com Rumors

Ken Berger: Rockets have had some talks about Kevin Martin, but are planning to keep him, league source says. Martin has $12.4M expiring contract. Twitter

Houston Rockets, Trade, Kevin Martin 

Veteran guards Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin have also been made available in various trade scenarios by the Rockets as they continue to stockpile young assets as part of their well-chronicled intent to pursue Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard or another franchise player in trade scenarios. ESPN.com

Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Trade, Kyle Lowry, Dwight Howard, Kevin Martin 

While teams talk a lot, especially when together -- as president of basketball operations David Kahn was at the Minnesota draft workout, the Brooklyn draft workout and in Chicago at the Combine -- he has planted lots of seeds. They have talked to the Lakers about Pau Gasol, Philadelphia about Andre Iguodala, Houston about Kevin Martin and Memphis about Rudy Gay. That being said, nothing is close as of now to being done. ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers, Andre Iguodala, Draft, Trade, Rudy Gay, Pau Gasol, David Kahn, Kevin Martin 

The Rockets have had discussions with top 10 teams involving their leading scorer, shooting guard Kevin Martin, who has one year and $12.9 million left on his contract. Houston also has a quality point guard in Kyle Lowry, who expressed dissatisfaction with coach Kevin McHale last month. SI.com

Houston Rockets, Trade, Kevin McHale, Kyle Lowry, Kevin Martin 

Two sources involved in the Houston-Sacramento talks refuted a report that the Rockets had offered Nos. 14 and 16 and point guard Kyle Lowry for the fifth pick and guard Tyreke Evans. The Rockets have reportedly had talks with Toronto as well, with Lowry mentioned as a possible piece in a deal that would give the Raptors' No. 8 pick to Houston. Rockets shooting guard Kevin Martin is also a possibility to be dealt. He has just one year left on his contract (worth $12.9 million) and is not looking to re-sign in Houston, according to sources close to him. SI.com

Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Kyle Lowry, Tyreke Evans, Kevin Martin 

Evans' production has declined since he won the Rookie of the Year award for the 2009-10 season while playing point guard, and sources said he's disenchanted with the Kings after being moved to small forward last season. Evans, who is eligible for an extension this summer but is instead headed for restricted free agency next summer, wants to return to a ball-dominant role and has informed the team that he no longer wants to play small forward. SI.com

Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Kyle Lowry, Tyreke Evans, Kevin Martin 

The Rockets have made it clear that they are willing to take Howard with no assurances that he’d remain after next season. They’ve offered several different packages to different teams currently in the top 10. League sources said Monday that the Rockets have put guard Kevin Martin in at least two trade packages, and it’s believed that the Rockets are also shopping guard Kyle Lowry, who started at point guard before being sidelined with a bacterial infection that caused him to miss almost a month of the season NBA.com

Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Trade, Kyle Lowry, Dwight Howard, Kevin Martin 

One league source said the Rockets hoped to make deals for the additional Draft picks using existing players, so they would have as many as four first-rounders they could put in a package to Orlando for Howard. One potential deal, according to a league source, would send Martin to Minnesota–presumably for the Wolves’ 18th pick in the first round–where Martin would play for former Rockets coach Rick Adelman; Martin had success playing for Adelman during their years together in Houston. NBA.com

Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Draft, Trade, Kevin Martin 

More likely is a trade for a player such as Kevin Martin, who played for Adelman twice and whose $13 million salary Houston wants to shed. Love said he will lobby management to be "aggressive" in adding veterans. "I think we just need to make some moves," he said. Adelman said he believes the team's young, vibrant nucleus will attract free agents. Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Minnesota Timberwolves, Free Agency, Trade, Kevin Martin 

Yet one source close to the talks insists that the Hornets, Lakers and Rockets were still searching for a consensus on the last piece of the trade framework needed to satisfy league salary-cap regulations when news of the trade began to spread And sources say that's partly because Smith didn't accept the sign-and-trade terms that were presented when he was asked to be part of the swap. The principal pieces of the original three-team deal were indeed all agreed to: Paul would be going to the Lakers; Pau Gasol was bound for Houston; and New Orleans would be receiving Lamar Odom, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin and Goran Dragic, along with a 2012 first-round draft pick from the Rockets that had been previously acquired from the New York Knicks. But based on that trade construction, sources say the Lakers would have been forced to absorb another $3 million more in salary to make the cap math work. ESPN.com

Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, New York Knicks, Trade, Pau Gasol, Luis Scola, Goran Dragic, Kevin Martin, Jason Smith 

Jonathan Feigen: Hearing that Kevin Martin, sitting out tonight with a strained right shoulder, has been very much in Rockets trade talks. Twitter

Houston Rockets, Trade, Kevin Martin 

Kevin Martin carefully addressed the potential that he could be moved by Thursday’s trade deadline. He did not say if he would prefer to be dealt or not, but for months since the preseason trade to New Orleans did not go through he has been clear that he hoped to remain in Houston. He did, however, seem ready to accept a change should he be part of a deal. “My reaction is going to be, wherever I am, I’m going to play just how I have my whole career,” Martin said, pausing five times to choose his words cautiously. “I’m not 37, 38-years-old. My body feels great. My game has been fine before we went on the road. There’s just a lot of inconsistency this year about everything. It’s just about being consistent.” Martin, who is a game-time decision for Tuesday’s game with a strained right shoulder, has made just 8 of 28 shots in the first four games of the road trip, sitting out the fourth quarter of each game and averaging 6.5 points. “I don’t know,” he said. “You know I’m frustrated. I don’t know. I can’t talk.” Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets, Trade, Kevin Martin 

On Tuesday, Kevin Martin spoke about his happiness with the Rockets. “I’m still in a great situation,” he said. “I’m still on a good team. I’m still helping the team win.” Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets, Kevin Martin 

On Wednesday, he read an Internet report that it is an open secret he is not happy. “I think it’s an inappropriate article,” Martin said. “A writer must be starving for attention. He’s not going to bring a distraction around our team. I’m the team’s leading scorer, and we’re in the playoff hunt. I don’t understand how I could not be happy about that. Basically, he’s just making it up. “Individually and team-wise, we’re doing pretty well.” Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets, Kevin Martin 

It’s not really a secret that Kevin Martin is unhappy in Houston. His minutes have been inconsistent, and he’s heard his name come up multiple times in trade rumors after GM Daryl Morey told him he was untouchable. He also doesn’t appreciate that the Rockets are doing to him what they do to everyone come contract time. No early extension (Martin has one more year on his contract), and a promise to do everything possible to drive down his value to re-sign him as cheaply as possible. HoopsWorld

Houston Rockets, Trade, Daryl Morey, Kevin Martin 

It’s also no secret that Rick Adelman would welcome Martin with open arms, should the Rockets value something from the Timberwolves’ roster worthy of a trade for Martin. To date that connection has not been made, but it’s something that’s slow-cooking on the back burner as the trade deadline inches closer. Sources close to the situation believe the Rockets prefer to keep Courtney Lee, who is a better defender and will ultimately cost the team less money than Martin. Of course, Lee’s camp has asked for a trade after being told there will be no early extension for him, either, and that restricted free agency is likely to be a challenge since the Rockets have a history of scaring away potential suitors for their players. HoopsWorld

Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Free Agency, Trade, Kevin Martin 

Guard Kevin Martin had the first scoreless game as a starter in his career but said he does not believe the Rockets need to feature him more in the offense, despite taking just three shots in his 19 minutes on Tuesday. “No, I wouldn’t call that,” Martin said. “I don’t need plays for me to get going. I’ve been successful in my career just getting in the flow of the game. I’m over there chilling. It is what it is at the moment.” Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets, Kevin Martin 

If the Lakers reach the point that they're willing to give up both Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol in a three-way Dwight deal with the Rockets, Orlando could conceivably come away with Bynum, Luis Scola and Kevin Martin, with Gasol landing in Houston as he would have in the original Paul trade. That would undoubtedly be a strong trio to start over with, in addition to shedding Turkoglu and perhaps Duhon, who are both signed through the 2013-14 season at a combined cost of roughly $45 million. But here's the thing: L.A. might not get to that point. If the Lakers are unwilling to give up both Bynum and Gasol, as some insiders suggest, that trade concept will never progress to an active discussion. ESPN.com

Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Trade, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Dwight Howard, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin 

The New Orleans Hornets have delivered a reconstructed framework of the three-team blockbuster trade sending Chris Paul trade to the Los Angeles Lakers into the NBA office for approval, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. In the details available to Yahoo! Sports, Paul goes the Lakers, Pau Gasol to the Rockets, and Houston still sends Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, and a 2012 first-round pick to the Hornets. The main changes in the deal, originally nixed by the NBA, will come between New Orleans and the Lakers, sources say. Yahoo! Sports

Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Trade, Chris Paul, Pau Gasol, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin 

Marc Stein: Most recent construction of CP3 trade, sources say, does indeed still send Odom to NOH. Hornets want him as much as Martin/Scola, even ... Twitter

Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Trade, Chris Paul, Pau Gasol, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin