Some NBA Trade Rumors have developed into confirmations but others have fallen as the teams change their mind and pull players 'off the table.' The Toronto Raptors just did that for point guard Kyle Lowry.

There are many reasons for taking a player out of the trading block. One reason is that the team has no leverage at that specific time. An example is Omer Asik. When he publicly requested a trade, teams knew that the Rockets were at a disadvantage as Asik did not want to play for them while waiting for the trade. Teams thought GM Daryl Morey was desperate, so they did not offer him much.  

The Rockets have proven through time that they can survive without Asik and are willing to keep him in the freezer if no worthy offer arises. From the Celtics Hub: "Daryl Morey doesn't like to settle, so he's packing up and 'going home.'" The Celtics were reportedly the team closest to a deal.

 It's a standoff, and when the trade deadline closes in, the teams with a desire for Asik will then increase their offer, as they will face the consequence of losing the chance to acquire him.

Another case is when the team has decided to change its course of action. Marc Stein of ESPN reported that the Toronto Raptors, who were in 'wait and see' mode at the start of the year, completely changed its course due to developments after the Rudy Gay trade. Now, they will not trade away their other key players and try to contend for the Atlantic Division title, which will get them a #3 rank on the playoffs. The players they got from Sacramento meshed well with their crew, and point guard Kyle Lowry went from 'trade chip' to 'keeper' as the leader of the offense. From Stein's blog on ESPN:

 "For the first time, there are certifiable rumbles emanating from Toronto suggesting that the Raptors might well keep point guard Kyle Lowry for the rest of the season. Word is new GM Masai Ujiri continues to resist locking into any sort of firm position -- leaving open the possibility of a Lowry deal if the offers suddenly get sweeter -- but team officials appear to be growing increasingly comfortable with the idea that it's better to go for what would be just Toronto's third playoff berth in 13 seasons rather than try to do the absolute uber-tanking it would take from here for the 17-17 Raps to get into Andrew Wiggins range now."

This will certainly please the Toronto fans. While they lose the chance for the lottery, they will still have cap space to lure a free agent. It is easier to convince stars to join an 'almost there' team than those at rock bottom.