NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Rajon Rondo, Omer Asik and More

It's still very early in the 2013-14 season, but the NBA is buzzing with trade rumors even at this juncture. The latest developments involve Boston Celtics superstar point guard Rajon Rondo, who hasn't taken to the court this year yet is still being pursued.

A prospective Rondo suitor is the New York Knicks, but it does not seem the team has enough assets in tow to land a player of Rondo's caliber from the Eastern Conference rivals.

Also included in the recent news is an update on Houston Rockets center Omer Asik, whose outlook may be improving after he requested a trade last week.

Read on for more on the Rondo inquisition, Asik and another team that may be looking to swing a deal after a slow start.

Rajon Rondo to the Knicks?

According to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com, New York have offered the C's Amar'e Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert in an effort to land Rondo.

That seems like a laughable duo to serve up to Boston for what may be the best pass-first point guard and perimeter defender in the Association this side of Chris Paul.

The fit is intriguing, because Rondo's passing prowess could elevate the games of those around him, including fellow star Carmelo Anthony. The Knicks offense tends to go stagnant, as players stand around and watch Anthony try to score on his own in isolation situations.

But with Rondo, he could perhaps work more off the ball and be in more ideal positions to succeed in the post. J.R. Smith could also benefit from Rondo's arrival after he started this season shooting 22.6 percent in four games.

Stoudemire is an interesting commodity, because sources told Begley that the Celtics would be willing to take on his contract, which expires in 2014-15, if they're able to get Gerald Wallace's off their books, or shooting guard Courtney Lee.

ESPN's Chris Broussard confirmed this notion, throwing Lee's name into the mix, too:

As for Shumpert, he is an asset at age 23 who plays exceptional defense and still has upside on the offensive end of the court.

However, Marc Berman and John DeMarzo of the New York Post and the New York Daily News' Frank Isola report that Shumpert had a secret second knee surgery this summer, which may harm his trade value. Begley's source with knowledge of the surgery did say it was a minor procedure.

If the Knicks really want Rondo, though, they had better angle for a third team to get involved in a blockbuster deal.

Rondo is a bit of a question mark himself since he hasn't played yet this season as he recovers from ACL surgery. But as valuable as Rondo is, it would be a surprise—or require a very generous trade proposal—to see him leave Boston.

Rocket Relations Improving for Omer Asik

As mentioned before, Asik requested a trade—his second since Houston signed Dwight Howard this offseason—to no apparent avail.

Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported that teammates and coaches challenged Asik to reengage himself after he was supplanted in the starting lineup by Terrence Jones. The seven-foot big man didn't play in the two games after that. Stein did imply that it was certain Asik would be dealt.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported recently that the Rockets have talked to multiple teams about Asik, but general manager Daryl Morey's asking price has been too high.

The latest update on Asik is from Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, who notes that Asik, after telling head coach Kevin McHale he was not ready to play and met with his agent on Thursday, would return to practice on Monday and play in the team's game against the Celtics on Tuesday.

Thus, it appears that Asik has heeded his teammates' advice, and he should utilize whatever opportunities he has moving forward to showcase his talents for Houston's potential trade partners.

Detroit Pistons Reportedly May Deal Expiring Contracts

Sam Amico of FoxSportsOhio.com reports that sources with knowledge of the situation that the Pistons will try to trade guard Rodney Stuckey and versatile big man Charlie Villanueva.

Both have contracts that expire after this season. Stuckey has never quite lived up to the hype as the 2007 draft's No. 15 overall pick, while Villanueva just played in his first game of the season on Nov. 11.

Since then, Villanueva has not been on the court, as he seems to be unable to crack the Pistons' rotation.

Detroit is 3-6 and seeking more talent, per Amico, and these are two serviceable players that could use a fresh start to flash their abilities before they hit the open market this offseason.

It seems that this development may see the Pistons diverting to rebuilding mode already, but there should be enough pieces amongst the prominent contributors to bounce back and at least have a shot at contending for the postseason.