Houston Acquired International Draft Rights Instead of a Signed NBA Player
The Rockets arranged a July 14, 2009 agreement with Atlanta for the NBA rights to Australian forward-center David Andersen. Atlanta had originally drafted him in 2002, but he had spent the intervening seasons with successful professional clubs in Europe. Houston paid cash, future considerations and a future conditional second-round draft selection to bring those rights under its control. Atlanta's own official announcement identifies all three components of the return. With Yao Ming unavailable during the 2009-10 season, Houston was searching for size and shooting from other sources. The trade offered a possible immediate rotation player rather than simply a speculative overseas prospect.
Andersen Converted His Rights Into Sixty-Three Houston Games
Houston signed Andersen after obtaining his rights, and he appeared in sixty-three regular-season Rockets games in 2009-10. He played 891 minutes, scored 367 points and contributed 208 rebounds, coming off the bench every time. His average of 5.8 points and 3.3 rebounds shows useful reserve depth rather than a star-level replacement for an injured center. Even at that level, the return was concrete NBA production from rights that had not been exercised by Atlanta for years. Andersen later played for Toronto and New Orleans in different transactions, and those appearances should not be assigned to Houston's direct acquisition.
Atlanta's Pick Became Ennis Rights and Was Moved Again
The conditional second-round selection eventually conveyed in 2013 at No. 50, a pick associated with James Ennis III. The Hawks did not receive Ennis's subsequent NBA minutes from this 2009 transaction. Their 2013 draft-night activity sent his rights to the Miami Heat for another future second-round selection. Miami publicly announced that acquisition, confirming the pick was a transferable asset rather than a player Atlanta retained. The additional 2009 cash and future consideration helped make the deal useful to the Hawks even without an immediate NBA player. Still, the later Miami outcome requires recognition as a separate trade with its own compensation.
On-Court Use Gives Houston the Narrower but Clearer Victory
Houston obtained an experienced international big man who played most of a season, while Atlanta converted previously dormant rights into cash and a pick it could move. Neither team suffered an overwhelming loss, so the inherited failing grade for Houston exaggerates the cost and ignores the direct contribution. Andersen's sixty-three appearances are a stronger immediate basketball return than assigning Atlanta Ennis's eventual career would allow. At the same time, the Hawks received valid financial and draft value and deserve more than a token grade. The better retrospective is a Houston advantage based on realized playing time without misattributing another team's later draft development.
Final Verdict
Rockets Win. Houston receives B because David Andersen delivered sixty-three Rockets games, 891 minutes and 367 points after his rights arrived in July 2009. Atlanta earns B- for cash, future considerations and the conditional second-round pick later identified as 2013 No. 50 James Ennis III. The Hawks sold Ennis's rights to Miami through a subsequent trade, so Ennis's later NBA games cannot be claimed as Atlanta production.