Slovenia international sharpshooter Bostjan Nachbar has been traded by the Houston Rockets to the New Orleans Hornets.

The 2.07m tall forward left the Rockets along with starting forward Jim Jackson in a deal that took veteran David Wesley from the Hornets.

Nachbar was averaging 3.1 points and 1.5 rebounds in 16 games, including two starts, in an injury-riddled opening to the season.

He was the 15th player taken in the 2002 draft and had helped Slovenia to reach the 2005 European Championship finals in Serbia and Montenegro.

Nachbar will be a free agent after this season after the Rockets did not exercise their option to extend his contract to a fourth year.

"It is never easy parting with players such as Bostjan and Jimmy, but in this league you have to give up quality players in order to get quality players," said Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson.