The NBA season is starting to get into the dark days of winter and with the trade deadline coming up, Omer Asik and Iman Shumpert are two names that could be moved, as reports have Asik and the Philadelphia 76ers as a possible deal for Evan Turner and Shumpert could be a fit for the Thunder.
Asik has been mentioned in trade rumors for months and after reportedly asking for a trade over the summer after Dwight Howard was signed and he also asked again when his starting job was taken away. Asik was one of the best centers in the NBA last season while averaging over 10 points and 11 rebounds per game in 82 games started, but this season his minutes and numbers have plummeted and the team likely will trade him after trying to play Asik and Howard on the floor at the same time. Pro Basketball Talk reports that the Sixers could be a fit, as they have Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young as trade chips and have said they are willing to make deals.
The Pelicans and Ryan Anderson have been mentioned as a possible trade for the Rockets, as Anderson previously played with Howard in Orlando, but so far there hasn't been much movement on that. The Rockets have reportedly wanted multiple draft picks for Asik and many GMs in the league have called that too high and another team that could be in the mix is the Atlanta Hawks and Paul Millsap, but that has not moved forward yet. Turner and Young would be nice fits for the Rockets and Young has been excellent this season, averaging 15.8 points and 6.8 rebounds and he is just 25 years old as well.
The Rockets reportedly want to deal Asik to the eastern conference and that makes the Sixers a viable option and they could make a deal soon, as the Rockets want to make a move before December is out. The Trail Blazers and Robin Lopez looked like a natural fit as well, but so far there hasn't been much movement on that front and Asik could get traded there if a solid deal comes along.
The Shumpert deal is more about a fit for the Knicks and someone like Nick Collision would be good for the team and with the Knicks playing so poorly, a deal could be coming. The team was rumored to be in talks for Kenneth Faried on the Nuggets for Shumpert, but that fell apart and they also offered him to the Celtics for Rajon Rondo. The Rockets want to make a move and Asik has been one of the most consistent centers in the league over the past season and he should be a solid addition to whoever makes a deal.