Pending unrestricted free agent Kyle Lowry could factor into the contingency plans of the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers, according to Sam Amick of USA TODAY Sports.

Both teams are expected to pursue LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony on the open market, but failing to land either player could open the door for Lowry, Amick reports.

It's not inconceivable that Lowry could wind up playing with James if he re-ups with the Miami Heat, but the economics in that equation would make it extremely challenging. The more likely scenario, by far, involves Lowry getting paid handsomely by a team that wasn't able to convince the four-time MVP to come its way.

Lowry spent three-and-a-half seasons with the Rockets before being traded to the Toronto Raptors in July 2012 for Gary Forbes and a future draft pick.

In May, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported that the Rockets attempted to reacquire Lowry during this year's trade deadline. That doesn't necessarily mean they have an edge, though.

Toronto owns Lowry's Bird rights, and has ample cap space to facilitate a deal. Lowry has also indicated that he is happy with the Raptors' situation.