The San Antonio Spurs are leading the western conference by one game heading into the weekend and reports have started to come out that the team will be aggressive in the trade market as the playoffs get closer, as the franchise sees this year as one last chance to win a championship with Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili and Omer Asik from the Houston Rockets could be a potential target.
According to ESPN.com and Pro Basketball Talk, the Spurs are looking to be aggressive in the trade market this season as they make another championship run and the team may be looking at a number of players for potential deals. The report says that the team is looking to ensure they can get past the other top teams in the west, as they are just 1-5 against the top four teams in the conference and that could be a troubling issue. The Spurs are 28-8 on the season and both Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford feel that getting some more talent and depth on the roster could be beneficial with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili getting older.
Last season the team was one Ray Allen shot away from winning a title and now they have a trio of players that are getting older and adding someone like Asik could help greatly. The Rockets have been looking to deal Omer Asik all season and while a deal with the Boston Celtics fell through, there are other deals that are possible, but it is unclear whether the Rockets would want to trade Asik to an in-conference and in-state rival. Duncan has a player option next season worth over $10 million and Parker has $3.5 million of his $12.5 million salary guaranteed next year and that could make for some interesting moves to help get the team to the championship again.
Asik and his agent have been working on a deal to get him out of Houston and it comes after his starting job was lost after averaging a double-double last season of 10 points and 11 assists and with $15 million coming his way, it looks like a deal is coming. The Rockets have Dwight Howard now and would like some depth on the roster, but the team will not just simply give up the All-Star caliber center and the Spurs might be the team to pull it off.