NBA Trade Rumors: 3 Players Expected To Be Dealt By Deadline

With the NBA All-Star Game approaching, reports of players possibly getting moved is heating up. Games will soon be suspended for a week, and the trade deadline is set for Feb. 20.

Teams around the league have been inactive of late. There hasn’t been a trade since Jan.21, and many of the biggest names that have been mentioned in rumors could wind up staying put. Still, there should be some player movement in the next 10 days.

Below are players that have a good chance of changing teams after the All-Star Break.

Omer Asik

Few players have been at the center of more trade rumors this season than Asik. The center asked to be traded because the Houston Rockets signed Dwight Howard in the offseason. General manager Daryl Morey even set a self-imposed trade deadline of Dec. 19 to move Asik. Houston, though, was unable to find a satisfactory deal with an interested team.

Asik played just one game in December and no games in January because of a knee injury. He returned on Saturday and appears to be healthy with the actual trade deadline looming. The center has been linked to a possible deal involving the Boston Celtics on several occasions, and it’s possible a deal could get done. The Rockets, though, have held on to Asik for this long, and they might choose to keep him for the rest of the season.

Pau Gasol

The two-time NBA champion has been at the center of trade rumors for the past few years, but this season may be the one in which he actually gets dealt. The Los Angeles Lakers realize that not only will they not make a run to the NBA Finals, but it’s also a longshot that they’d even reach the playoffs. Gasol is expected to be out until the All-Star break, but the reports say the Phoenix Suns remain interested in him.

The Lakers are in no rush to trade Gasol because his contract expires in the summer, and holding on to him would free up $20 million at the end of the season. However, if they could work out a deal with the Suns to get Emeka Okafor, they could improve their salary cap standing and get a first-round pick in the process. According to Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News, the two sides are expected to continue talks up until the deadline. The sticking point appears to be what draft pick the Suns would be willing to give up.

Evan Turner

Four years ago, the Philadelphia 76ers spent the No.2 overall draft pick on Turner. Now, as the club is in a rebuilding process, the small forward could be headed elsewhere. The Sporting News reported last week that the organization was shopping Turner, along with Spencer Hawes and Thaddeus Young. Following the reports, several candidates have emerged as possible landing spots for the 25-year-old.

According to USA Today, the Charlotte Bobcats and San Antonio Spurs are in play to trade for Turner. He’s putting up the best numbers of his career, averaging a high of 17.5 points per game, as well as 6.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists. The Spurs are just three games back for the best record in the NBA and are looking to win a title after losing in Game Seven last year. The Bobcats are trying to solidify a playoff berth. They are currently the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.