Just when you thought that the Miami Heat had the inside track in netting Brook Lopez, in comes the Houston Rockets. Though not really surprising considering the Rockets have been known to dip their hands into the mix of trades involving marquee players, Houston is said to be a top contender for the services of Brook Lopez.

It is no secret that the Nets have been shopping Lopez and there have been a lot of teams showing interest. A three-team trade which included the OKC Thunder, Charlotte Hornets and the Nets bogged down hence making Lopez still up for takers.

A player of interest for the Nets is Kendrick Perkins of the Thunder. While the said three-team trade involving Lopez and Perkins bogged down, it doesn't seem to be the last of it as there is still time before the NBA trade deadline comes around.

Curiously, it would be interesting to see how Lopez could fit in with the Rockets considering they already have a formidable frontline. With Dwight Howard and Josh Smith around, it looks like Lopez could be the chief reliever of Howard if the deal does push through. Or perhaps we could see Howard sliding down the forward spot and Lopez at center and then Smith coming off the bench.

A lot of names have cropped up on Houston's list include Goran Dragic and Deron Williams as the Rockets continue to prey the free agent market for blue chip players to add to their roster. And with similar opportunities in the past, hearing about them once again in the circle of talks with Lopez should not at all be surprising.

But the question is, do the Rockets really need him since they may have a roster overloaded with forwards.