Carroll Dawson and the Houston Rockets were offering the team's $4.2 million trade exception in the event the 76ers, determined to free themselves from long contract commitments, needed a place to move a salary.

They didn't, and if they had, the Rockets surely would have been cautious.

When Dawson made sure Sixers GM Billy King considered the Rockets' trade exception, he showed there could be circumstances in which the Rockets could push into the luxury tax, even before the team lost Yao for at least six weeks Saturday night.

Again, those would have to be special circumstances. Playing without Yao and McGrady qualifies.

For now, many of the names out there ? Corey Maggette ($7 million), Earl Watson ($5.4 million) ? make more money than the Rockets' exception. Brevin Knight, who is often mentioned but whom the Bobcats insist is not available, earns $4.4 million.

The Rockets likely will wait and see when and if McGrady comes back, how Bonzi Wells works out and if young point guards John Lucas III and Vassilis Spanoulis contribute.