A source close to the team tells ClutchFans that Houston has been heavily involved in several trade discussions, most recently with New Jersey involving guard Vince Carter and Minnesota for guard Mike Miller.

"Morey is super active right now," said the source. "The Rockets are not just looking at a tweak. It's doubtful Tracy gets dealt but really no one but Yao Ming is safe."

Sources have been telling us consistently for nearly a month that the Rockets have been shopping Ron Artest and nothing has changed that direction. In fact, we've heard it so often that we'd be stunned if he is here past the 19th.

Carter is having a terrific season in New Jersey, averaging 20.8 points on nearly 44% shooting and almost 40% from downtown, but has a hefty contract that runs through 2011. Miller's numbers have slipped this season from trifecta range (34-35%), but he remains a highly efficient scorer.

Neither Carter nor Miller are strangers to Tracy McGrady. McGrady and Carter are cousins and were teammates in Toronto while Miller was a close friend and teammate of T-Mac's in Orlando.

The Rockets were initially thinking a different position and aiming a little higher in trade talks -- Amare Stoudemire.

Roughly two weeks ago we were told from an impeccable source that top Rockets brass had a meeting to discuss their priorities heading into the deadline. As it was communicated to me, the number one trade target on the Rockets list to pursue pre-deadline was Stoudemire.

I dismissed it as pie-in-the-sky thinking. In fact, I joked with the source at the time, "Why not LeBron James?". After all, there was about as much of a chance of that happening as Stoudemire as there was no indication the Suns would give up a 26-year old four-time All-Star. A few days later I was told the Rockets were rebuffed initially by Phoenix but were back at the table negotiating. Again, I didn't really think it was too realistic.

Not 24 hours later, Yahoo! Sports columnist Adrian Wojnarowski broke a major story that the Suns were exchanging trade proposals for Stoudemire and suddenly I wasn't laughing.

In fact, this past Tuesday, a source close to the Suns forward told us that Amaré believed "if he doesn't stay in Phoenix that he's going to end up in Miami or Houston." It is believed a Houston offer would be based on Artest and Luther Head (also expiring) as well as promising second-year players Carl Landry and Aaron Brooks.

On Thursday, things seemed to shift, with that same source telling us that Suns owner Robert Sarver was stepping in and reached out to Stoudemire and Suns guard Steve Nash to see if letting coach Terry Porter go might be a solution.

We don't know if that killed any potential Stoudemire deal (or if Sarver will still deal him for the economic gain), but it looks like that could have been the case -- Miami seemed to take themselves out of the running on Friday by sending Shawn Marion to Toronto and the same day all the Houston buzz was about Carter (to the point where we were told that the Nets were gauging interest around the league for Brooks).

One thing looks certain -- Rockets GM Daryl Morey doesn't look to be sitting on his hands and waiting for this current roster to fix things on their own. The Rockets are currently fighting it out in the West and on the horizon is a brutal March schedule.