Morey on Terrence Williams and Jermaine Taylor

When the New Jersey Nets chose Terrence Williams with the 11th pick of the 2009 draft, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey considered it a good value and a wise choice.

A little more than a season later, he made the same bet.

The Rockets completed the three-team deal to acquire Williams on Wednesday, sending a lottery-protected 2012 first-round pick to New Jersey, taking the chance that Williams could overcome the issues that had stalled his career with the Nets.

"We felt like that draft, Terrence had top 10 talent," Morey said Wednesday. "We still believe that. We think a fresh start might be exactly what he needs to show what he can do. It's going to have to be something he shows the coaching staff how he can help us win. I think it is a good situation for us here."

He's a player that has got two-way potential, a strong defender, good rebounder, good passer, good ball-handler," Morey said. "He has a really versatile game we think can help over time."

Hoping a second chance would help Williams overcome the issues that he could not with the Nets, Morey said he would not be judged by his reputation.

"I always try to judge players as I know them," Morey said. "We're going to judge Terrence by how he is in Houston, not rumors or what others are saying."

To make room for Williams on the roster, Jermaine Taylor and cash were sent to Sacramento for a second-round pick the Rockets are extremely unlikely to ever receive. The pick is top 55 protected, so the Rockets will only get the pick if the Kings, who have the second-worst record in the NBA, finish this season with one of the top five records.

"Jermaine didn't get much opportunity to play here because of our depth," Morey said. "Coach and I met with him after the game (on Tuesday). We were very impressed throughout with how professional he was for such a young player. Not easy for any player. We're certain he'll have success in this league. Coach Adelman obviously knows the Sacramento front office well. He thinks he has a really chance to help them."