The Houston Rockets have been off to a solid start this NBA season after signing Dwight Howard as a free agent and now that the lineup has started to gel together, the team could be leaning towards a trade of center Omer Asik and some options includes a deal with the Boston Celtics for Rajon Rondo as well as deals with the Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans or Atlanta Hawks for someone like Ryan Anderson, who played with Dwight Howard in Houston.
The Pelicans were mentioned as a possible destination in a deal for Ryan Anderson, while the Atlanta Hawks also could be a fit for Asik if the Rockets decide to deal him. The Celtics don't have any real hope of being a playoff team for years, so they could pull off a move with Rondo and Morey has shown in the past with the Thomas Robinson and James Harden deals that he is not afraid to make a deal and a big trade. The trade with the Pelicans would be a nice fit for both sides, as it would give the Rockets a chance to get rid of a disgruntled player and in return they would get someone with similar skills and a bit extra, as Anderson played with Howard in Orlando and played very well while there, winning NBA Most Improved Player one season while there.
Asik has two years and about $20 million on his contract and that makes things tough, but Asik will be a prime option for teams to pick up, as he averaged 10.1 points and 11.7 rebounds last season and would be a nice fit for anyone that needs a center. Last season Asik started in every game and now that Howard is in the fold, he has lost his starting job and now it appears he has lost any chance of playing significant minutes, as he was a healthy scratch for one game last week and played in just four minutes in an overtime matchup with the Sixers. Anderson averaged 16.2 points and 6.4 rebounds and after previously looking at a deal with these two players, it could be the best fit for the Rockets and Asik.
One of the big issues is getting a deal done and Yahoo Sports reports that Asik likely will be dealt in December, as players who signed deals in the offseason can't be traded until after Dec. 15 and that is when it could go down. The Rockets previously said they weren't looking to trade Asik and he cannot come public to ask for a trade without violating rules, so the best we get are reports and this comes after reports that Asik wanted a trade over the summer after Howard was signed.
The Rockets reportedly want a solid player in return for Asik and while the deal for Anderson is not on the table now, it's one that likely could go down. Kevin McHale said over the summer that Asik and Howard would be used together in lineups and while that has happened early in the season, that has been ditched and now a deal from general manager Daryl Morey is more likely.
