Having missed out on Damon Stoudamire, the Houston Chronicle reports that the Rockets have been forced to alter their search for a veteran guard for their backcourt.

With Stoudamire having made $12.5 million with the Trail Blazers last season and the Rockets able to offer their salary-cap exemption of only $1.8 million, the teams reportedly were discussing a sign-and-trade deal.

Rockets forwards Clarence Weatherspoon, owed $6.53 million over the final year of his contract, and Juwan Howard, due $26 million over four years, reportedly were dangled as trade bait, but the two clubs failed to reach an agreement, paving the way for Stoudamire to sign with Memphis.

Miami and Cleveland also reportedly were interested. With Stoudamire off the market, the Rockets will alter their search.

Latrell Sprewell, Michael Finley and Gary Payton have been discussed as options.

The Houston Rockets will have to alter their search for a veteran guard once their top target, Damon Stoudamire, agreed to a 4 year, $17 million deal with the Memphis Grizzlies.

The deal can't be completed and officially announced until the league lifts its "July Moratorium," which prohibits trades and free agent signings from happening until the salary cap is set.

Stoudamire, 31, appears to be a good fit for the Grizzlies, who are bracing for the loss of Earl Watson. Memphis reportedly is pursuing a sign-and-trade deal for Watson, who spent three seasons backing up point guard Jason Williams.

Stoudamire averaged 15.8 points and 5.7 assists with Portland last season.

In a move surprising only because of its timing, the Rockets and free-agent forward Ryan Bowen agreed to terms on a two-year contract Wednesday. The deal becomes official when the NBA lifts its moratorium on signings, which is set to take place early next week.

Bowen, 29, was thought to be down the list of priorities for the Rockets, who are poised to sign former Memphis Grizzlies forward Stromile Swift and remain in pursuit of veteran free-agent guard Damon Stoudamire. It was suggested the Rockets would focus their attention on re-signing center Dikembe Mutombo and guard Jon Barry, but they moved quickly in reaching an agreement with Bowen.

"(Rockets coach) Jeff (Van Gundy) and (general manager) Carroll (Dawson) are great, so it made sense that Ryan would want to stay," said Bowen's agent Guy Zucker, who declined to reveal the terms of the contract.

The Houston have landed already landed a big free agent in Stromile Swift and now hope to add a smaller one in Damon Stoudimire.

"Damon is very interested in playing for Houston," said Stoudamire's agent, Aaron Goodwin. "A sign-and-trade would have to be worked out in order for that to happen.

"Portland has shown interest in working deals with other teams. We have asked Houston to contact Portland and see if there is something that they can work out."

The Rockets are attempting to retain free agent guard Jon Barry and center Dikembe Mutombo. Barry provided a good spark off the bench, but there are plenty of possible replacements. Free agent point guards Jeff McInnis (Cavaliers), Dan Dickau (Hornets), Earl Watson (Grizzlies) and Damon Stoudamire (Blazers) have stirred some interest.

But the Rockets may look for a potential diamond in the rough. Former Duke guard Jay Williams is back playing two years after serious leg injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident. The Miami Heat and Rockets are two teams who are interested in the former second overall pick.

Forward Stromile Swift, the only player the Rockets have targeted in free agency, agreed to terms with the Rockets on Monday evening, Swift's agent, Andy Miller, said.

Swift spent almost two weeks since visiting the Rockets considering his options, including a strong push by the New Jersey Nets, but Miller said Swift, 6-10, decided the chance to play with Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming inspired him to take the Rockets' offer.

The Rockets, who are over the salary cap, could offer only the midlevel exception, expected to be worth between $28 million and $32 million over five years. He likely could have received greater offers, particularly in a sign-and-trade deal, but decided to end his free agency.

Swift, 25, has averaged nine points and five rebounds in five NBA seasons.

"He has decided to become a Houston Rocket," Miller said. "He's absolutely excited about playing with Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. The Houston organization has been very consistent and adamant about getting him."

Houston Rockets All-Star swingman Tracy McGrady would love for the team to grab a good contributer with it's Mid-Level Exception.

One possibilty he really likes is Memphis Grizzlies forward Stromile Swift.

"He has unbelievable talent, and he's young," McGrady said Thursday. "That's a guy I can grow with. With his athleticism and power out there at the four position and his ability to play the five, it creates mismatch problems on the opposing end."

"He's still looking," Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said. "I think he's got it narrowed down to two or three teams, and he says we're in great shape. But you never know. Money means so much in this business, and we're limited with what we can do. If everything's equal, I think we're in pretty good shape."

McGrady also likes Portland TrailBlazers guard Damon Stoudamire, who played with him for part of his rookie year in Toronto.

"He was Mighty Mouse then," McGrady said. "He's toward the end of his career where he just wants to win. It's not about being the man.

"When it's all said and done, everyone wants to win a championship. I think that's the attitude of everyone on this team. A lot of sacrifices need to be made, because we're definitely trying to put together a hell of a team. Some guys are going to be without minutes, and some guys are going to have to sacrifice their games. But to be that team that we want to be, we're going to have to be willing to do that."

Washington Times writer John Mitchell says the Wizards will begin to address their frontcourt issues this week by bringing in free-agent forward Donyell Marshall.

"There has definitely been some interest expressed there, and I can say that we are going to talk with Washington," Marshall's agent, Andy Miller, said last night.

The Wizards would be looking at the 6-foot-9, 32-year-old Marshall most likely with their $4.9 million mid-level exception.

Marshall spent most of last season with the Toronto Raptors on the trading block, getting heavy interest from Chicago, Houston and Philadelphia. Those teams are still said to covet the 11-year veteran. However, the Wizards, who need help in the frontcourt -- especially if they deal forward Kwame Brown this summer -- are believed to be Marshall's top choice.

In the summer of 1996, after coming home with another Olympic gold medal, Charles Barkley was traded to the Houston Rockets for Robert Horry, Sam Cassell, Chucky Brown, and Mark Bryant. The move placed three future hall of famers in the Rockets starting lineup and gave them a significant shot at the title.

Had it not been for a Karl Malone bear-hug-pick on Mario Elie and a John Stockton buzzer beater, the Rockets may have reached their goal and given fans one of the most epic NBA finals of all time with the Rockets going head to head with the Chicago Bulls.

Nine years later, the Rockets find themselves looking for another power forward to push them towards their goal of a third championship. While the Rockets are certainly a different team, now anchored by the youthful Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, many believe they are an athletic forward away from being a title contender. With a signing of Stromile Swift, while by no means is at the level of the ?round mound of rebound?, the Houston Rockets will put themselves in position to once again challenge for an NBA championship.

Danny Ainge said yesterday that he's found discussions about a sign-and-trade deal for Antoine Walker very interesting. That's because he's heard of them only through the media and Internet.

There have been reports of trade talk between the Celtics and Sacramento, Houston and now New York. But all the words have apparently been generated in print only.

``I've had no conversations,'' Ainge said. ``I have not had one conversation with anybody about Antoine. Not one.''