The NBA trade rumor mill is starting to heat up as the schedule moves into December and it seems as though a ton of reports are coming out involving Omer Asik, Iman Shumpert and Rajon Rondo and some other names that could be traded before the deadline includes players like Zach Randolph, Arron Afflalo, Anderson Varejao, Glen Davis and Jameer Nelson as well as Jordan Crawford.
Randolph's name has come up more and more recently and Varejao has been mentioned as a possible piece in a deal involving Omer Asik or Dion Waiters. The Cleveland Cavaliers have been shopping Waiters the past few weeks after he had some issues with Kyrie Irving in the offense and the Chicago Bulls and the Sixers look like potential destinations and with Philly speaking with Houston about a three-team deal for Asik, that could be a potential trade that goes down as well.
The Orlando Magic have long been thought of as a team that could deal and players like Glen Davis and Jameer Nelson as well as Arron Afflalo could move in deals as well. The Magic are 8-17 this season and it seems as if they have been in rebuilding mode forever since Dwight Howard left and making moves with Davis or Nelson could be options and Afflalo may be their best trade chip, as he is leading the team in scoring and he plays a position that number of teams are looking for and that makes him a potential target.
Players like Randolph and Pau Gasol are heading into free agency and that makes them attractive to teams as well and now the grizzlies could deal Randolph somewhere before the deadline. According to Pro Basketball Talk, reports have come out that teams are interested in Randolph and he countered that by saying there is no "loyalty" in the NBA and that the game is a business and he understands that part of it. Randolph also said that he would like to stay in Memphis for the long term, but if a team makes a solid offer, that could be it for Randolph.
Anderson Varejao could be involved in the Waiters or Asik deal and the Rockets are motivated to move their center before December 19, as they can then trade those players again before the trading deadline. The team was motivated to move him between the 15th and the 19th to get players they could potentially move again and reports have the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Cavaliers and 76ers as potential landing spots for Asik. The all-star caliber center started all 82 games last season and averaged a double-double in scoring and rebounding, but the Rockets have had trouble using him with Dwight Howard and now it seems that a divorce is the only solution.
Last season Asik was one of the most consistent players in the league and he also averaged over a block per game and is a durable player that works hard on the boards. Nelson could also be an option for teams like the Knicks or the Lakers, as they have issues at the point guard position. Rajon Rondo's name has come up again in rumors with the Kings, but the Celtics have so far dismissed those rumors.
