The Houston Rockets were the main team involved in trade rumors this week with Omer Asik and now that they plan on holding him for the time being, there is a chance that Jeremy Lin could come up next in trade talks and an interesting proposal from ESPN.com says that Rajon Rondo could be a possible target.
Lin has been solid for the Rockets during his time with the team, but Marc Stein from ESPN.com reports that there are some people in the Rockets organization that wonders whether he is a championship point guard. Lin has limited experience in the NBA and with Daryl Morey and Kevin McHale also liking what Patrick Beverley brings to the floor, could a deal between Rondo and Lin work? It likely won't happen and it isn't exactly realistic, but it is interesting for both sides, as the move with Rondo would open up some avenues for the Celtics over the next couple seasons and moving Lin for the Rockets would do the same and it would bring a championship point guard to town.
Asik has reportedly wanted a trade since the summer and now that could happen sometime in February and it comes after the team also looked at the Sixers as a possible option. Alan Hahn from ESPN.com has reported that the Rockets would "listen" to offers for Lin and that could lead into something interesting as the trading deadline gets closer and if Beverley continues to play well.
Dwight Howard signed over the summer and the team now feels it has the roster to win championships, but with Lin being a bit banged up this season and Rondo coming back from an injury, the two sides could pick up where the Asik deal left off. All reports had the Celtics as the frontrunners for Asik and they very well could still trade for him, but for now the Rockets will keep him and that means he is a top target for the trading deadline in February. The Rockets wanted to move Asik between the December deadlines and before December 19, as that could mean that the team is allowed to trade those players again before the deadline in February.
Now that the Rockets missed that, it could change how they look to package Asik and with Howard dominating in the middle for the team, Asik has had his role marginalized and his minutes cut big time. Last season he averaged a double-double and now he isn't even on the court to get that much and he also has $20 million left on his deal over the next two seasons, including $15 million for next season and he will be a $8.4 million salary cap hit. Asik is one of the most consistent centers in the NBA and he should get plenty of attention going down towards the trade deadline from other teams and possibly the Celtics again. Boston did not want to part with picks or Jeff Green and while Brandon Bass and Courtney Lee would have been solid addition for Houston, it wouldn't be an even trade for Asik.
