Sam Amick: Houston Rockets interested in Cousins, Landry

via FanHouse:

The Cousins saga — which first became a hot topic after his mid-October transgressions were reported in mid-November — continues to leave opposing teams wondering if the Kings will look to trade the Kentucky product who was taken fifth overall in the June draft. But numerous sources close to the Kings said they have zero interest in doing so, even if Houston and Detroit, according to sources, made it clear this week that they remain interested if that stance changes.

The Pistons, who are equipped with the bargaining chip of small forward Tayshaun Prince and his readily available expiring contract worth $11.1 million, tried to trade up in the draft to take Cousins before taking Georgetown’s Greg Monroe with the seventh pick. The Rockets, who remain engaged and hopeful on the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes front, are on the market for a young power forward and sources say they admire Cousins’ talent.

While there is no known progress in the Kings’ reported — and longtime – pursuit of Rockets point guard Aaron Brooks, sources say Cousins isn’t the only Kings big man coveted by the Rockets. Despite signing forward Luis Scola to a five-year, $47 million deal last summer, Houston has significant interest in bringing back free-agent-to-be forward Carl Landry. The fourth-year player was traded to Sacramento in February in the three-team deal that sent Kevin Martin to Houston and Tracy McGrady to New York.