The Rockets now have 4 rookie players on the active roster. SG/SF Chase Budinger has played in 47 games (1 start) for the Rockets this season and he is averaging 19.6 minutes, 8.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. He is a solid bench player. Power forward Jordan Hill was a first round pick of the Knicks and he came over in the T-Mac trade last week. Hill played in 24 games (0 starts) for the Knicks and he averaged 10.5 minutes, 4.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. He has yet to play for the Rockets but he has a nice upside. G/PG Garrett Temple is a undrafted rookie out of LSU. He has played in 5 games (0 starts) for the Rockets this season and he is averaging 14.0 minutes, 5.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. Shooting guard Jermaine Taylor has played in 17 games (0 starts) for the Rockets this season and he is averaging 6.1 minutes, 2.6 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game.

Kevin Martin is off to a slow start for the Rockets who have him coming off the bench. I believe that Martin will pick his game up when the Rockets move him into the starting lineup. Martin has played in 2 games (0 starts) for the Rockets so far and he is averaging 30.0 minutes, 13.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game despite only shooting 28.6% from the floor for them. Jared Jeffries was sharp in his debut for the Rockets as he played 28 minutes off the bench in which he scored 11 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, dished out 2 assists and he had 1 steal and 1 blocked shot. He brings solid effort and defense to the Rockets bench. Hilton Armstrong and Jordan Hill have been watching the games from the bench so far for the Rockets. If the Rockets are going to snag one of those last playoff spots in the Western Conference they need these guys to step up.

The Rockets have released 29-year old power forward Brian Cook. Cook played in 15 games (0 starts) for the Rockets this season and he averaged 2.9 minutes, 1.4 points, 0.6 rebounds and 0.1 assists per game. He played in 24 games (0 starts) in his two years with the Rockets and he averaged 2.9 minutes, 1.4 points, 0.6 rebounds and 0.1 assists per game. This is no loss to the Rockets at all.

With Kevin Martin on board that likely means that Shane Battier will be the new sixth man off the bench for the Rockets. He has played in 53 games (all starts) for the Rockets this season and he is averaging 33.0 minutes, 8.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. Battier’s shot has been off this season as he is only hitting 39.8% from the floor this season. Still, his veteran leadership and defense should play well off the bench for the Rockets the rest of the year.

When you break this trade down the Rockets essentially traded Tracy McGrady, Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey for Kevin Martin, Jared Jefferies, Jordan Hill, Hilton Armstrong, the option to move up in the 2011 draft and the Knicks’ first round pick in 2012. What a monumental steal for the Rockets. This trade can literally put the Rockets in the playoffs. The Rockets were having a hard time scoring lately but that won’t be a problem with Kevin Martin now on the team. Martin has played in 22 games (21 starts) for the Kings this season and he is averaging 35.2 minutes, 19.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He will become without a doubt the Rockets’ #1 option on offense. He has now played in 331 games (245 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 30.6 minutes, 17.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Martin is also a 38.6% shooter from three point range in his career. Martin is only 27 years old so he will probably be on the Rockets for a while. 28-year old Jared Jeffries fits into the Rockets’ mind set of playing good defense. He will likely come off the bench in Carl Landry’s spot. That will be a downgrade for the Rockets. Jeffries played in 52 games (37 starts) for the Knicks this season and he was averaging 28.1 minutes, 5.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.1 blocked shots per game. He has now played in 492 games (322 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 23.5 minutes, 5.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. 22-year old forward Jordan Hill has a huge upside as he was a first round pick of the Knicks this season. He has played in 24 games (0 starts) for the Knicks this season and he was averaging 10.5 minutes, 4.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. The Knicks did not want to give Hill up in this trade. 25-year old Hilton Armstrong is also a former first round pick. He has played in 24 games (0 starts) for the Hornets and Kings this season and he was averaging 12.3 minutes, 2.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. Armstrong has now played in 215 games (37 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 12.8 minutes, 3.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. Getting to possibly switch picks with the Knicks in 2011 and getting their first round pick in 2012 was an excellent move for the Rockets.