Raptor Rebound: Toronto Trades For Kyle Lowry After Missing Out On Steve Nash

Rockets Likely To Receive Lottery Pick From Raptors In Next 5 Years For Kyle Lowry, According To Report

The Houston Rockets traded Kyle Lowry to the Toronto Raptors for Gary Forbes and a draft pick with "innovative" lottery protections, according to reports. We now have an idea what those protections actually are. Essentially, the Rockets are basically guaranteed a Raptors' lottery pick within the next five years.

Via Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle:

Rockets won't get top-3 pick next year, top-2 pick next two years or No. 1 pick the next two. Otherwise lottery pick goes to Houston.

— Jerome Solomon (@JeromeSolomon) July 5, 2012

Essentially, the only way the Rockets don't get anything back from the Raptors is if they either make the playoffs for five straight years or gain a top-three pick next year, a top-two pick in 2014 and 2015 and get the No. 1 overall pick in 2016 and 2017. Of course, if the Raptors go 41-41 next year and just miss the playoffs, the Rockets would be stuck with the 14th pick in return for Lowry.

Therefore, time will tell how high that eventual draft pick ends up being.

For more on the Rockets, visit The Dream Shake and SB Nation Houston. For more on the Raptors, visit Raptors HQ.

Kyle Lowry Traded To Toronto Raptors, According To Report

After losing out on Steve Nash, the Raptors have rebounded, acquiring Kyle Lowry in a trade with the Houston Rockets.

NBA Draft Rumors: Rockets, Kings May Be Discussing Trade Involving Kyle Lowry, Tyreke Evans, According To Report

Fresh off acquiring the No. 18 pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Houston Rockets have another big move on the horizon. The Rockets have reportedly offered a deal that would send Kyle Lowry and the No. 14 and No. 16 picks in the 2012 NBA Draft to the Sacramento Kings for Tyreke Evans and the No. 5 pick, according to Draft Express' Jonathan Givony.

However, Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick reports that the trade offer never happened.

The Rockets continue to look to assemble assets in a trade package for Dwight Howard, and if this offer was indeed on the table, it would provide them with two strong assets in Evans and the No. 5 pick. Evans has fallen out of favor with the Kings after struggling with a move to small forward, but he is only two years removed from winning the rookie of the year award in a landslide. The Rockets could use Evans and the No. 5 pick as their top assets in a Howard trade, or they could keep them.

The Kings, meanwhile, would acquire Lowry, one of the league's top bargains, if they make this deal. Lowry was in the running for an All-Star berth before suffering a midseason illness, and he has a very friendly contract ($5.7 million next year, $6.2 million, but only $1 million guaranteed, in 2013-14). Lowry would play alongside promising rookie Isaiah Thomas and shooting guard Marcus Thornton. The Kings also would be able to take on two draft picks in a deep draft.

It remains to be seen if this proposal goes through. Stay tuned.

For more on the Kings, visit Sactown Royalty. For more on the Rockets, visit The Dream Shake and SB Nation Houston.

2012 NBA Draft: Rockets Look To Move Up In Draft

There have been various rumors on what the Houston Rockets could do with their pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, most thinking it would be involved in a trade of some kind. According to Chad Ford and Marc Stein of ESPN, the thought now is that the Rockets will be looking to move up in the draft.

Sources say that Houston has discussed deals with several teams in the top 10 about moving up in the draft. And the Rockets might have found two willing partners.

Although sources stressed that no deal is imminent, Sacramento (No. 5) and Toronto (No. 8 ) have let Houston know that their top-10 selections are available. Sources say that the Rockets, in turn, have made both of their first-round picks available (No. 14 and No. 16), but the key to any trade going through could be point guard Kyle Lowry.

According to the report, the Rockets have an affection for Connecticut big man Andre Drummond. The 18-year old 7-footer is believed by many to have massive upside in the draft and Houston could be prepared to part with both of their first-round picks to move up for Drummond.

For more on the Rockets, head over to The Dream Shake. Stay tuned to SB Nation's NBA hub for more news surrounding the 2012 NBA Draft.

Kyle Lowry Sees Beef With Rockets, Kevin McHale Tough To Overcome

Kyle Lowry appears to want to leave the Rockets if Kevin McHale is sticking around.