NBA Trade Rumors –Omer Asik Trade Involved Five Teams! Phoenix Suns Are The Mystery Team? Trade Countdown On!

Omer Asik will be traded by December 19 and the countdown has begun. While time is slipping away, more and more teams have joined the fray.

The Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers have all been involved one way or the other. Analyzing which teams will remain is like playing poker. The latest details from ESPN's Marc Stein:

 "Sources say the $15 million is not a figure that scares off the Sixers or Celtics, which is why those are the two teams most frequently mentioned as landing spots for Asik.

Cleveland is another team that has been frequently linked with Asik the past several days, but sources close to the situation maintain the Cavaliers like the fit of Anderson Varejao in their frontcourt rotation better than Asik and thus are more likely to participate in such a trade as a third-team facilitator rather than as the team that winds up with Asik.

One possible scenario that has emerged, sources say, is a three-way trade in which Boston lands Asik, Cleveland absorbs the contract of Celtics forward Jeff Green and Houston scores no fewer than one of the future first-round picks it covets for surrendering Asik. Other players would have to be involved in such a trade to make the salary-cap math work, but it's the sort of trade that would fall in line with Cleveland's well-known focus on upgrading its options at small forward.

The Cavaliers pursued Green in free agency two summers ago before Green re-signed with Boston and, as ESPN.com reported Sunday , have shown far more interest recently in finding a new small forward than going ahead with the rumored Varejao-for-Asik swap."

Yahoo Sports a different angle:

"Another team, deemed a "wildcard" by one league source, has teetered on the edge of negotiations and could become more seriously involved before the Rockets' self-imposed deadline of Friday to complete a deal.

Houston is pursuing a power forward in a deal, with candidates including Atlanta's Paul Millsap, Philadelphia's Thaddeus Young, Boston's Brandon Bassand Jeff Green and Cleveland's Anderson Varejao."

The mystery team could be the Phoenix Suns. The Suns possess the asset that Houston truly covets: first round draft picks. With all the protection arrangements, the Suns can have as many as three picks.

The Suns were not interested in Asik, or improving their team in any way. However, with their strong start, they decided they can contend now. They have expressed willingness to trade their picks/draft assets to secure a star. Now that so many teams and players are involved, the Suns can actually dangle two of their first rounders and take any of the players the teams are floating.

The draft is one of the best ever and the top five are possible franchise players. However, the Suns do not have a top five pick, even with all the other picks since they are protected. There are rumors that some possible draft prospects like Andrew Harrison and Aaron Gordon may choose to stay in college to improve their draft position. The mid-range draft picks may lost their value, and the Suns could flip that for a star player they can use now.