UPDATE: Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 9:05 a.m. ET by Dan Favale
According to the New York Post's Marc Berman, the New York Knicks have thrown their hat into the Asik ring, because of course they have:
Whenever a big name becomes available, New York is always linked to the action, be it a realistic destination or not.
In this case, like most, they are not a realistic trade partner for Houston.
---End of update---
UPDATE: Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 8:30 a.m. ET by Dan Favale
CBS Sports' Ken Berger says that while an Asik trade remains imminent, talks are getting weird:
As the Rockets extract offers for disgruntled center Omer Asik before a self-imposed Thursday deadline, one scenario that has emerged has Asik going to Boston in a three-team deal with Philadelphia as the facilitating team, league sources told CBSSports.com.
One league source described the scenario as a long shot, calling it a "weird deal." Indeed, there would have to be strong incentive for the Sixers to steer Asik to a division rival. But both teams are strongly in the mix as possible destinations for the Turkish center, who has requested a trade after his role changed with the arrival of Dwight Howard in Houston.
Multiple league executives said the Rockets also are open to packaging Jeremy Lin with Asik, but that scenario appears unlikely as well. As one executive said of Lin, "I'm not sure there are many, if any, takers for him right now."
So now Jeremy Lin could be involved. And two (tanking) division rivals, the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, could be helping each other out.
Weird indeed.
---End of update---
