INQUIRER Sports

HOUSTON - The Houston Rockets, seeking solutions up front with Chinese big man Yao Ming looking at a potential career-ending foot injury, obtained the NBA rights to Australian David Andersen on Tuesday.

The Atlanta Hawks traded Andersen's NBA rights, obtained in the second round of the 2002 NBA Draft, to Houston for a second-round pick and cash. The Aussie has never played an NBA game, spending his career in Australia and Europe.

Andersen, nearly 7 feet tall, averaged 11.1 points and 4.1 rebounds last season to help Barcelona to the Spanish title and has played for Euroleague championship teams at Virtus Bologna in 2001 and CSKA Moscow in 2006 and 2008.

"David has been a winner with every team he has played for in Europe," said Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said. "He is a very well-rounded player who possesses good offensive skills and a very good shooting touch for a big man."

Rockets coach Rick Adelman will need a big man if the worst fears come true regarding Yao, the 7-foot-6 superstar who has a hairline fracture in his left foot that could cause him to miss the upcoming season and might end his career.

"David is a versatile post player who should fit well in coach Adelman’s system," Morey said.

Andersen, 29, played for Australia in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, averaging 6.5 points and 3.5 rebounds a game last year at Beijing.