Rockets Send Mike James and Bonzi Wells to New Orleans For Bobby Jackson

With the NBA trade deadline fast approaching today at 3pm ET, the power brokering continues for teams at the top of the Western Conference. The Houston Rockets have reached an agreement in which they'll receive backup point guard Bobby Jackson, rookie guard Adam Haluska, and a 2008 2nd round draft pick from the New Orleans Hornets, in exchange for Bonzi Wells (expiring contract) and backup guard Mike James. The deal is pending physicals and a league conference call today.

The move doesn't really help either team get discernably better, but allows the Rockets to free up more playing time for Luther Head, who's now recovered from injury, and allows them to dump a little salary, and receive a player (Jackson) with one more year (at $6.1 million for 2008-09) left.

UPDATE: Per ESPN, the Grizzlies were included in the final version of the trade, making it a 3 team deal. "Memphis receives Brazilian forward Marcus Vinicius from the Hornets. The draft rights to Ukrainian forward Sergei Lishchuk, a second-round pick of the Grizzlies in 2004, were sent to Houston. The Grizzlies, which also get cash considerations from Houston, acquired the draft rights to Senegalese center Malick Badiane, a second-round pick in 2003, from the Rockets."