The NBA Trade Rumors used to be filled with Omer Asik offers. The Houston Rockets have failed to trade the disgruntled center last December. Now, they are willing to package Jeremy Lin with him.

This would be Rockets GM Daryl Morey's biggest failure to date, after a string of successful runs that allowed him to assemble a possible contender. However, that run got derailed by Asik's trade request.

Morey was tough in the negotiations even if he knew what everybody else knew: Asik is done, and a trade for him would be a salvage job. When he did not accept any deal, he went on to say (from Clutchfans):

"At this point, Omer is very likely going to be here until the end of his contract at the end of next season, not this season. The window to trade him was [in December], and teams weren't aggressive enough to get him, so we're excited about him being a part of our future."

However, contrary to his words, rumblings around the NBA have Houston attempting a last ditch effort. The tip was given by Marc Spears of Yahoo, who wrote: "Houston would love to trade center Omer Asik, and a source said it is actively shopping Jeremy Lin as well." 

Nobody believes Morey at this point. Other execs know it's just his way of saying "Take it or Leave it." Any possible move by the three closest suitors from December (Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks) would now be welcomed. Bleacher Report warns: "If the Rockets actually wish to move him, and Lin, Morey must lower his expectations considerably, since he even admits previous Asik offers weren't up to Houston's standards."

The problem is, those three teams have other options now. They can even trade with each other, with highballing Houston excluded from the picture. Asik and Lin are due for almost $30 million combined next season (Hoopshype.com Salary cap list) with one of them not playing. One team with cap space next season? The LA Lakers! They can trade Pau Gasol along with any of their backcourt players, and they will be expiring contracts for the Rockets.

It's better than nothing for the Rockets, but would the Lakers help out the team that snagged Dwight Howard from them (and screwed the entire season for the Purple and Gold)? Lin and Asik would be useful helpers for Kobe, not to mention the fact that 'Linsanity' is a D'Antoni product (when they were in the Knicks).

The Lakers can call the shots and right now they are busy tanking. There is a chance this could work in a basketball sense but the move will take away their cap flexibility next season-which seems to be reserved for someone else.