The Rockets remain active on the trade market and are still willing to take on salary.

However, general manager Daryl Morey's goal isn't simply to improve the team's sinking playoff hopes. Houston is five games out of the final seed in the Western Conference.

“We planned to be a playoff team all year," Morey said. "We’re in the mix. Unfortunately right now, there’s a lot of teams in the mix. Some teams have a leg up on us right now, but I think we can play well. We do have a favorable schedule that puts us right there.

“But our trade deadline moves have to be about getting us closer to where we want to be in the big picture, versus in the short run. It doesn’t mean we won’t do moves that would improve us in the short run, but I think the big picture is priority one.”

Morey said “absolutely” nothing has changed in his willingness to take on contracts if teams are looking for cost-cutting moves.

The Rockets have the expiring contracts of Yao Ming, Aaron Brooks, Chuck Hayes, Jared Jeffries, Ish Smith and Shane Battier to use in a deal with a team looking to shed salary.