Kings send Robinson to Rockets in three-team trade

The Houston Rockets have reached separate agreements on trades that will send Patrick Patterson, Cole Aldrich and Toney Douglas to Sacramento and Marcus Morris to Phoenix, a person familiar with the situation said Wednesday.

The Rockets will receive Thomas Robinson, the No. 5 pick in last year's draft, Francisco Garcia and Tyler Honeycutt from the Kings, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced and was still pending league approval.

In the other deal, the person said the Rockets will receive a future second-round pick from the Suns in exchange for Morris, who will join his twin brother, Markieff, on the Phoenix roster.

Patterson, Aldrich and Douglas walked out of the Toyota Center just as Houston was starting its game against Oklahoma City, on the eve of the trading deadline. The Rockets came into the game holding the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference and the moves were unexpected.

The 6-foot-9 Patterson had started 38 games for Houston this season and was the Rockets' fourth-leading scorer, averaging 11.6 points. Douglas was acquired in the offseason in a trade with New York and he played in 49 games backing up Jeremy Lin. The 6-11 Aldrich, acquired in the James Harden trade with Oklahoma City just before the season, averaged 1.7 points in 30 games for Houston this season.

Sacramento had high hopes for the 6-10 Robinson, but he's disappointed so far, averaging only 4.8 points and 4.7 rebounds in 16 minutes per game.

Kings general manager Geoff Petrie had hinted that he'd only make minor moves before the trade deadline because of the pending purchase agreement that could move the franchise to Seattle next season.

The Rockets' deal with Phoenix, meanwhile, will reunite Marcus Morris with his twin older brother, Markieff. The Suns took Markieff with the 13th pick in 2011 draft and Marcus was right behind him again, going to Houston at No. 14.

"If I was to be traded, that's where I would want to go," Morris said outside the Rockets' locker room. "I think Houston knew that. That's all I did was talk about my brother and how happy I was to play with him. I'm excited. That's all I can say."

Marcus Morris had played in all but one of Houston's games this season, making 17 starts. He was averaging 8.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.

Kind of mundane, as far as multi-player trades are concerned. I guess this is Patrick Beverly's big break in Houston.

Woot. Harden put on a show and also in late game to win against the OKC. Love how players go crazy on their former team to make a point. Purty exciting game. Wonder how this trade will affect the Rockets though. Hollinger's numbers seem to hate this trade.

I like Patterson but great pickup by Rockets getting #5 pick for him, Aldrich & Douglas.

If Robinson shows his full potential in his stint, I'll be really glad. Patterson and Morris has been playing spectacular this season, proving they're worth the 14th overall picks in '10 and '11.

If Robinson shows his full potential in his stint, I'll be really glad. Patterson and Morris has been playing spectacular this season, proving they're worth the 14th overall picks in '10 and '11.

From what I've seen Patterson has been pretty decent role player, but his rebounding numbers are Bargnani-esque. On the other hand Robinson was the 5th pick only 8 months ago. Giving up on your high lottery pick that early is ridiculous, it's rumoured that Kings (read Maloofs) did this to save a few million before the sale.

Last time I recall a team giving up so early on such a high lottery pick was the Celtics with Joe Johnson. Obviously that turned out poorly for the Celtics.

This is by the author of shamsports.com

How the Kings lost yet another money-saving trade

http://blogs.thescore.com/tbj/2013/02/2 ... um=twitter

a few blurbs from the article

Patterson broke out this year as a scorer, scoring 11 points in 25 minutes per game, and doing so at just short of 52 percent shooting with a mostly face-up game. He has occasional three-point range and a fantastic mid-range jumper — it’s not hard to project those two things being the inverse of each other some day soon, as that is the way the jump-shooting big man tends to go. Channing Frye was in a similar situation once. Patterson scores, and scores efficiently, without needing much of the playbook to do so. For this reason, he projects as a useful role player for several years. However, Sacramento’s unimpressive recent record on player development isn’t the place for someone with such big holes in his game. Patterson doesn’t box out, doesn’t defend any position, and isn’t tough enough to rectify those problems. He’ll make some jumpers, some fast break dunks, and occasionally carry the team for a quarter, but there’s an awful lot to do.

This trade is essentially Robinson for Patterson, or, more accurately, Robinson for Patterson and cash. Despite in the process of being sold to owners who ostensibly won’t need to do so, the Kings continue to cut costs, costing themselves high draft picks in the process. Trading for Patrick Patterson saves them half a million dollars next season, plus the cost of Robinson’s final two seasons (both of which are option years anyway), while landing them a player that is essentially a simple upgrade to the remnants of Travis Outlaw. And yet if it hadn’t been for Outlaw’s unnecessarily and fully guaranteed four-year, $12 million contract hanging on the books, that money wouldn’t have needed saving anyway. They could have had Lillard or Andre Drummond — instead, they have two Travis Outlaws and two extra 10th men they won’t re-sign.

Last time I recall a team giving up so early on such a high lottery pick was the Celtics with Joe Johnson. Obviously that turned out poorly for the Celtics.

More recently, there was Derrick Favors (the third overall pick in 2010); that one's kind of even, both the Nets and Jazz came through that deal and are currently doing alright. The Knicks also gave up on Jordan Hill (8th) who has been solid elsewhere, though having said that I don't think they're regretting it all that much. Going way back, Chauncey Billups is probably one of the best examples, selected by the Celtics third overall and traded at the deadline, though admittedly a lot of teams gave up on him too soon and/or didn't utilise him to his full potential. Joe Johnson himself was the 10th pick in 2001.

I don't think Derek Favors counts since he was traded for an established All-Star & face of franchise Deron Williams.

As for Jordan Hill, I thought at time he was a stretch at 8, especially when they could've grabbed Jennings, but ahh well, such is life. They traded him to clear cap space, which helped them get Chandler. Better than what Kings just did.

I was going to mention Billups but thought Joe Johnson was more recent. Strange, I though Joe Johnson was picked a little higher, like the 8th pick. Memory is failing me.

Better than what Kings just did.

Clear $8 million and get the best player in the trade?

Better than what Kings just did.

Clear $8 million and get the best player in the trade?

If you mean for the summer, then Garcia has team option, Honeycutt's salary is unguaranteed, thus they turned Robinson's $3.5M guaranteed salary into Patterson's $3.1M.

I added wrong big deal, so it's $7 million and they still got the best player out of it. Not seeing the problem here.