Rockets trade Ryan Anderson, De'Anthony Melton to Suns, sources say

The Houston Rockets traded forward  Ryan Anderson and guard  De'Anthony Melton to the Phoenix Suns for guards  Marquese Chriss and Brandon Knight, league sources told ESPN. 

The Rockets have been working to move Anderson, 30, for over a year. He has two years and $41 million left on his contract.

Chriss was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft but hasn't come close to fulfilling his potential. Knight has two years and $30 million left on his contract, and missed last season because of a torn ACL.

The Suns traded for Anderson with an expectation that he could start at power forward. With the loss of Knight, the Suns plan to continue pursuing a trade for a starting-level point guard before the start of the regular season.

Second-year guard Shaq Harrison is expected to get minutes as a backup point guard, and rookie guard Elie Okobo, the 31st pick in the June draft, could see minutes, too.

Anderson's productivity dropped in each of his two seasons with the Rockets, averaging 9.3 points in 26 minutes last season. Anderson left New Orleans in 2016, signing a four-year, $80 million free-agent deal with Houston.

Melton, a shooting guard, was the 46th pick in the June draft out of USC.

Knight will get minutes in a reserve role behind Chris Paul.