Rockets expected to release Lucas, Butler Monday

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/5250911.html


Oct. 27, 2007, 2:11PM
Rockets expected to release Lucas, Butler Monday

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
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With their preseason schedule complete, the Rockets returned to practice on Saturday without center Jackie Butler and guard John Lucas III who are expected to be placed on waivers on Monday.

Lucas had been considered likely to be released or traded since the Rockets acquired Mike James and drafted Aaron Brooks in June, with the Rockets working to deal him since early July. Butler's prospects, however, were much less certain.

Acquired from San Antonio in the trade for forward Luis Scola, Butler would have been the third center, behind Yao Ming and Dikembe Mutombo. At just 22-years-old, he was thought to be a project that could develop and insurance in the event of injuries to Yao, who has missed large portions of the past two seasons, and Mutombo, the NBA's oldest player at 41-years-old.

With the expected release of Lucas and Butler, the Rockets would have 17 players on the roster, including Bob Sura who is not with the team. In addition to Sura, they will have to trim one more player by the Monday deadline to be at the roster limit of 15 players.

jonathan.feigen@chron.com