NBA: Rockets move up two spots in the draft, send Dalembert to Milwaukee

The Houston Rockets continue to deal, this time sending center Samuel Dalembert and the 14th overall pick in this season's draft to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for the 12th overall selection and a package of players that includes point guard Shaun Livingston and forwards Jon Leur and Jon Brockman, Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarwoski reported.

Houston has traded Sam Dalembert as part of a package to Milwaukee, league sources tell Y!

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 27, 2012

The move ships out the only true center left on the Rockets' roster, as Houston continues to acquire assets that they can use in a deal for Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard, despite the fact that sources say he would not be interested in signing a long-term deal with the club, or another All-Star big man, such as Los Angeles Laker Pau Gasol.

Houston holds the 12th, 16th and 18th picks in Thursday's draft now. They'll keep working to move up.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 27, 2012

Houston now holds the 12th, 16th, and 18th picks in Thursday's (Friday, PHL time) rookie draft. The three players the team acquired can also be used in theory as trade filler, to make salaries match-up. None of them have contracts lasting beyond this upcoming season too. Point guard Livingston averaged 5.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists last season in 58 games for Milwaukee. He has a team option worth $3.5 million for the upcoming season. Big man Leur, a second-round draft pick in 2011, saw action in 46 games, with averages of 4.7 points and 2.6 rebounds, and also has a team option for the 2012-13 season, worth $762,195. Finally, Brockman, a third-year player, made 35 appearances for the Bucks in which he averaged 1.1 points and 2.1 rebounds. He is owed a flat $1 million for this year and nothing beyond that. For Milwaukee on the other hand, the team acquires a legit starting center to replace former number one overall selection Andrew Bogut, whom the team dealt at the trade deadline to Golden State. While not flashy, Dalembert produced a solid line of 7.5 points, 7.0 rebonds and 1.7 blocks in just 22 minutes last year with the Rockets, appearing in all but one game for them. Wojnarowski also reports that just $1.5 million of Dalembert's $6.7 million team option for the 2012-13 season is guaranteed, giving them extra salary cap flexibility should they choose to waive him instead.   The Bucks now own the 14th overall selection, as well as the 12th pick in the second round of the upcoming draft. - AMD, GMA News