Moochie Norris will always be a bit of a fan favorite in Houston, but that hasn't stopped him from being shipped out of Clutch City for now a second time.
The point guard will stay in Houston's division as the Rockets sent him packing to New Orleans/Oklahoma City to back up Chris Paul. Coming to Houston is backup big man Maciej Lampe.
It's the Rockets' second deal in four days and the second time they have traded Moochie in less than 26 months. In late December of 2003, the Rockets dealt Moochie to the Knicks for Clarence Weatherspoon, only to have him come back as part of a deal in exchange for Maurice Taylor.
The nearly 7-foot, 270-pound Lampe is still a project, but just turned 21 years old this month. In three seasons he is averaging 3.5 points and 2.3 boards in just over 10 minutes per game, but has played just 2 games this season and largely has been on the inactive list. He's been both injury prone and in the doghouse of coach Byron Scott.
Lampe was largely considered one of the better big men from Europe when he declared for the draft in 2003, but despite many projections that he would go in the lottery, he fell to the first pick in the second round (#30), where the Knicks scooped him up.
The Knicks sent Lampe to the Suns in the Stephon Marbury deal, who in turn later dealt him to the Hornets in the Jim Jackson trade (oh, the irony).
The Rockets also sent cash to the Hornets in the deal. New Orleans/OKC is under the salary cap, so they could absorb Moochie's $4+ million salary while only sending out Lampe (who makes just under a million). That creates a salary cap trade exception for the Rockets of roughly $3 million that they can use over the next 12 months -- which means they can acquire a player who makes that same amount or less without having to match that salary in a transaction.
Translated, it means the Rockets likely are setting the table for an additional deal or two to come.
