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Report: Rockets looking to move any of 5 players to make room for Josh Smith

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Any NBA team doing some holiday shopping for help at the back end of the rotation should probably give the Houston Rockets a call.

The Rockets find themselves with a need to open up a roster spot ahead of making their signing of Josh Smith official. Smith cleared waivers Wednesday and has agreed to a one-year deal with Houston worth a reported $2.1 million, but Houston's roster stands at 15 players.

Of those 15 players, only Patrick Beverley and Tarik Black have deals that aren't fully guaranteed, and Beverley is too valuable a piece to consider waiving. Instead of releasing someone and eating money, then, the Rockets are shopping five different players. The idea would be to both maintain flexibility around the luxury tax by avoiding dead salary through a release, and to create a traded player exception the team would have one year to use in a subsequent deal.

The players on the block are said to be Joey Dorsey, Black, Isaiah Canaan, Nick Johnson and Clint Capela, attractive enough names that the team remained confident Thursday that they'd be able to deal one by the time they need to officially sign Smith on Friday.

Canaan should be the most attractive based on production, as the sophomore has averaged 8.1 points in 19.4 minutes while hitting 41.2 percent of his 3-point shots. Black, too, has had a chance to display his game, averaging 4.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in 15.7 minutes while shooting 54.2 percent. Both players are on deals worth less than $1 million that can be waived in the offseason, easy contracts to acquire for a team with a roster spot.

Capela, though he's more expensive in year one of his rookie deal, may be the most intriguing trade piece since he was the 25th-overall pick in June. He's played just 12 minutes on the season and was considered a more long-term project, but he's flashed potential by averaging 9.8 points, seven rebounds and 2.7 blocks in nine D-League appearances.

Johnson was in the D-League with him for a cup of coffee but has also appeared in 15 games with the parent club. He hasn't played enough to really get a feel for his skill level, but he was the No. 42 pick in June and is on a team-friendly, three-year contract.

Dorsey may hold value to a team in need of toughness, but he has one year and $1 million left on his contract beyond this season and is best served as a third center.

In any case, the Rockets have attractive pieces, and if all they want is the exception and to be rid of the player, there will surely be takers. The Philadelphia 76ers come to mind as a team that may be willing to give a young, inexpensive player a trial run.

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