The Houston Rockets still hope to open up a roster spot to sign Josh Smith by completing a trade on Friday.

Smith has already agreed to sign with the Rockets after clearing waivers.

The Rockets would have to waive a player if a trade is not found by Daryl Morey.

The Phoenix Suns have traded forward Anthony Tolliver to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for forward Tony Mitchell. 

Mitchell, who was drafted 37th overall by the Pistons in the 2013 NBA Draft out of the University of North Texas, has averaged 8.2 points and 7.2 rebounds in six games with the Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA Development League this season. The 6-9, 235-pound forward appeared in 21 games with Detroit last season, averaging 1.0 points and 1.2 rebounds.

Tolliver played in 24 games in this his only season with the Suns, averaging 3.3 points and 11.3 minutes. The 6-8, 240-pound veteran in his seventh NBA season originally signed with the Suns as a free agent on July 21. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers have recently been in contact with the Boston Celtics about their interest in facilitating a three-team trade.

The Cavaliers are seeking frontcourt depth and have specifically targeted Timofey Mozgov and Kosta Koufos.

The Celtics are aggressively pursuing future draft picks.

The Cavs cannot trade their own 2015 first-round pick because they already sent their 2016 pick to the Celtics in a previous deal. But they do own a protected Memphis first-rounder that they could trade.

The Cavs also posses a $5.2 million trade exception to use in a potential deal, which is one of the reasons they sought Mozgov and Koufos, as both of their contracts could fit into that exception.

As Lance Stephenson partnered with his endorser, AND1, to distribute shoes and clothing to hundreds of kids in his hometown’s Coney Island YMCA on Tuesday, the Charlotte shooting guard has strengthened confidence in fulfilling his partnership with the Hornets this season, league sources told RealGM.

Stephenson and AND1 held a holiday gifting in his native Brooklyn, and Stephenson appeared in a live one-minute video uplifting kids as he nursed an injury in Charlotte.

As RealGM first reported on Dec. 11, Stephenson has received trade inquiries from multiple NBA teams, but the 24-year-old has hoped to remain part of the Hornets. Behind Brian Shaw’s bond with Stephenson, the Denver Nuggets emerged as an interested suitor for him this season, league sources told RealGM.

Stephenson has gotten a level of assurance from the Hornets about a continued partnership, and he’s reaffirmed teammates of his commitment, sources said.

Meanwhile, before the holiday season, Stephenson made a concerted effort to revive his projects where he was born in Coney Island.

As winners of three straight games and survivors of a tough early schedule, the Hornets are three games behind the eighth-seeded Nets. Stephenson has missed the past three games – against Philadelphia, Utah and Denver – and remains day-to-day with a pelvic injury. He's averaging 10.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the season.

The Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings have cooled on their trade talks involving Deron Williams.

The Kings initiated talks with the Nets on a deal for Williams, with Mason Plumlee actually the main target.

With Plumlee struggling and clashing a bit with Lionel Hollins over the first month of the season, the Kings were hoping he might be available. 

The Kings hoped being willing to take on Williams would help get a deal done.

The Nets have no intention of moving Plumlee.

Sacramento was offering a package including Darren Collison, Jason Thompson and Derrick Williams.

The Philadelphia 76ers want Andrei Kirilenko to report to the team and begin playing.

Kirilenko and his representatives are resisting the Sixers' overtures, preferring the organization waive Kirilenko and let him become a free agent, sources said.

The 76ers want to establish the value of Kirilenko for a potential deadline trade or to let him reclaim his value for free agency.

Kirilenko wants the balance of the $3.3 million owed to him this season.

The Minnesota Timberwolves began their trade talks involving Kevin Love with the Golden State Warriors before eventually agreeing upon a deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Warriors were unwilling to include Klay Thompson in any deal for Love, which made a trade impossible for both sides.

The Wolves acquired Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and Thaddeus Young for Love, Alexey Shved and Luc Mbah a Moute.

Flip Saunders says the Wolves would have kept Love if the deal with the Cavaliers didn't come together. There were no other trades on the table at that point which were to the Wolves' liking.

The Boston Celtics had interest in acquiring Julius Randle from the Los Angeles in their trade discussions centered on Rajon Rondo. Randle is out for the season with a broken leg.

The Lakers have long sought to acquire Rondo from the Celtics.

Rondo was eventually traded to the Dallas Mavericks.

Lance Stephenson has clashed with teammates during his early time with the Charlotte Hornets.

Steve Clifford has placed responsibility for Stephenson's adjustment on the Hornets' veterans.

The Hornets have sought out trades for Stephenson, but haven't found an opportunity to their liking. The Hornets want value still in return for Stephenson and aren't merely trying to dump his contract.