The NBA season is moving along into December and as it gets closer to the trading deadline, more and more players will hit the trade block and this year some of the top names that could be traded includes Omer Asik, Luol Deng, Zach Randolph, Kenneth Faried, Greg Monroe and Jameer Nelson.
Asik and Deng are the top players that likely will be moved, as they both are in situations that could get them to new teams, with Asik losing his starting job and Deng looking like he will be a free agent next summer. Deng and the Bulls tabled contract talks and now that Derrick Rose is out of the picture for another season, many in the media think that could speed up a trade. Deng is one of the best players on the Bulls and the 28-year-old has established himself as a smart and durable two way player and that could get plenty of teams interested in him moving forward. Deng was mentioned in possible deals over the summer, but after that died down the two sides appeared to be getting close to an agreement, but after tabling extension talks, the Bulls now may put themselves in a position where they would lose him for nothing.
Deng previously signed a six-year, $71 million contract with the team and funny enough, he started his career after behind drafted by the Suns and traded to the Bulls, so it wouldn't be something totally new. Deng led the team in scoring last season without Rose in the lineup and with the Bulls 6-7 on the season, he is leading them once again with Rose out and he is now averaging 16.8 points per game and he will be relied on heavily going forward.
Omer Asik has asked for a trade since losing his starting job and having his consecutive games played streak snapped and after the Rockets had been using Asik and Dwight Howard on the floor together, the team decided to scrap that plan. Asik reportedly has asked for a trade and teams like the Mavericks and Blazers are open to dealing for him, but with some money and two years left on his deal, it could be tough and the Rockets may want to wait until players that signed over the summer can be traded when the deadline hits in Mid-December.
Asik averaged a double-double last season and played in all 82 games and now his stats and his minutes have been cut drastically and he is clearly unhappy. Kenneth Faried and Zach Randolph also are names that could be moved at the deadline and after being shopped this summer, the Knicks and Nuggets were reportedly close to a deal for Faried that would have sent young star Iman Shumpert over. That didn't happen and now the team could be working on a trade to somewhere else.
