The Houston Rockets have been one of the teams mentioned most in trade rumors heading towards the NBA trading deadline and while most of that has been about Omer Asik, there is a chance that the team could also deal point guard Jeremy Lin, as both the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks need a point guard and have been connected to Kyle Lowry.
The trade rumors and deadline talk will start heating up around the end of December as the date for final trades is in February and the Rockets seem very motivated to move Asik. The team has deadlines in December that would enable them to trade those players again in any deal and according to Pro Basketball Talk, the team is speaking with a number of teams, including the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks to help work out a three-team deal for Asik and the report says that the Rockets would not be opposed to dealing Jeremy Lin if needed.
The team likes Lin and what he brings to the court, but with Aaron Brooks and Patrick Beverley playing well for him while he is injured and costing a fraction of the price, the Rockets could deal him. General manager Daryl Morey is not afraid to make deals as he has shown with the Thomas Robinson and James Harden moves and if he thinks he can gain an extra step with making a move for Lin, he will. Thaddeus Young and Evan Turner are two names that the Philadelphia 76ers could deal this season and they have been involved in multiple talks, including fort Asik along with the Cavaliers for a deal for Dion Waiters.
The Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls could be involved in moves coming up with Waiters, Luol Deng or even Carlos Boozer and Lin could be an option for the Knicks or the Lakers, as they both need a point guard as well. The Lakers have called the Kicks about Iman Shumpert and the Knicks have looked into the possibility of trading for Lowry from the Raptors. The Knicks do not want to give up too much for Lowry, but with Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni both injured and the team struggling big time, a move like that may be the only option left.
Lin has been dealing with a sore back and with that continuing to give him issues, the Rockets will really get a chance to look at Beverley and Brooks in the offense. The team liked Beverley enough to give him the starting job at the beginning of the season and now that Lin is injured he will get even more chances to step up and that could eventually lead to a trade for the Rockets.
