By this point, it's a question of when and not if the Houston Rockets will trade disgruntled center Omer Asik. ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported Saturday that the Rockets realize their relationship with Asik is "beyond repair" after he requested a trade last week in the wake of being removed from the starting lineup. And there is some urgency because Asik's value diminishes by the day, because the team dealing for him gets less mileage from his bargain $5.25 million salary this season before it escalates to nearly $15 million in cost next year. So what could Houston get for Asik?
Because the teams that want the Turkish center aren't the same ones with the pieces the Rockets covet, it might take a couple of deals, but ultimately their goal is surely to find a versatile power forward to fit next to Dwight Howard in their starting lineup. Let's take a look at some of the best options available and the pros and cons in acquiring them.
Ryan Anderson | New Orleans Pelicans
Pro: Elite shooter with experience alongside Howard | Con: Weak individual defender
Anderson
Within minutes of Howard signing in Houston, buzz immediately built about the possibility of an Asik-Anderson swap that would seem to solve issues for both teams. There's no question whether Anderson can play next to Howard; the two successfully teamed up in Orlando before both were traded in the summer of 2012. Since then, Anderson has proved his success was more than a matter of riding Howard's cape by making 213 3-pointers last season, which led the non-Stephen Curry division.
Anderson isn't a perfect fit because he's not a stout defender. The current, less-dominant Howard can't make up for Anderson's defensive limitations quite as easily as he did with the Magic. Still, Anderson is credible enough on the defensive glass, and so dangerous from beyond the arc, that he has to be considered the Rockets' best option if available.
The latter point is crucial. The Pelicans are in no apparent hurry to make a move, especially because a fractured toe kept them from seeing Anderson with this year's roster, which is otherwise woefully short on shooting. Behind six triples from Anderson, they won his 2013-14 debut by 37 points over the Philadelphia 76ers. New Orleans would have every right to ask for more value than just Asik in return for Anderson, who has one of the league's better contracts (he'll make $25.3 million over this year and the next two).
Ersan Ilyasova | Milwaukee Bucks
Pro: Fine rebounder for stretch 4 | Con: Weak individual defender
Ilyasova
Consider Ilyasova the poor man's Anderson. Both players are classic stretch 4s who struggle individually on defense. By contrast, Ilyasova is a slightly better defensive rebounder, which could help a Houston team that has been unexpectedly poor on the glass despite Howard leading the league in rebounding. But as accurate as Ilyasova is from downtown -- he shot 44.8 percent from long distance the last two seasons -- he's not as prolific as Anderson, who matched Ilyasova's career high of 95 3-pointers in 2012-13 by New Year's Day. So if Houston has its choice, Anderson is the pick.
Paul Millsap | Atlanta Hawks
Pro: Polished offensive game, great contract | Con: Comfort zone inside the 3-point line
Millsap
There's a strong argument to be made that Millsap is the best all-around player on this list. While Anderson has better offensive stats, Millsap's superior defense has given him the edge in terms of adjusted plus-minus. In fact, Jeremias Engelmann's metrics rated him the league's seventh-best player last season using his version of adjusted plus-minus. If anything, Millsap has been even better since signing a bargain two-year, $19 million deal with the Hawks over the summer, making 55.4 percent of his 2-point attempts. Still, because both Millsap and frontcourt-mate Al Horford are undersized, he could be available after he's eligible to be traded Dec.15.
The question for the Rockets is whether they'd be comfortable with a player like Millsap, who relies heavily on long 2-point jumpers. Consider this, per NBA.com/Stats: 30 percent of Millsap's shot attempts this season have been 2-pointers outside the paint. The highest rate of any Rockets player this season is 16 percent. Houston has essentially eliminated long 2s from its attack, and while Millsap has shown 3-point range at times (he's 5-of-14 from downtown this season), 2-point jumpers remain key to his arsenal. So at the very least, acquiring him would represent something of a philosophical compromise for the Rockets.
Thaddeus Young | Philadelphia 76ers
Pro: Versatile, long defender | Con: Not a 3-point shooter
Young
If Ilyasova is the poor man's Anderson, Young is the poor man's Millsap. His athleticism would be intriguing next to Howard, and Young is a terrific finisher around the rim. But after shooting 3-pointers at a low percentage early in his career, Young has almost completely taken it out of his game and has made just two triples in 12 attempts the past two seasons combined. Since former Houston GM Sam Hinkie arrived in Philadelphia, Young has reemphasized the 3-ball, and he's 5-of-15 from downtown this year. He's still not the kind of shooter the Rockets would ideally want to beat double-teams on Howard.
Jeff Green | Boston Celtics
Pro: Athletic defender who can space floor | Con: Rebounding, contract
Green
Consider Green the most versatile solution to Houston's needs. He has developed into a capable 3-point shooter, primarily from the corners, where he shot 45.7 percent last season and is 7-of-12 so far in 2013-14. Green also would immediately become the Rockets' best defensive option against athletic players at either forward position. Yet the Oklahoma City Thunder ultimately found Green lacking at power forward, in large part because of his poor rebounding. And his contract -- which pays him $27.1 million over the next three seasons -- isn't ideal for his production. As a result, Houston would probably pass.
Terrence Jones | Houston Rockets
Pro: Combination of athleticism and skill | Con: Consistency
Jones
Then there's the in-house option. Jones, in his second year out of Kentucky, made his case to maintain the starting job next to Howard on Monday night with 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting and nine rebounds in a blowout win over Boston. Ultimately, Jones could become an ideal match for Howard. He demonstrated NBA 3-point range in the Orlando Pro Summer League and has excellent athleticism for a non-small ball power forward.
The key for the 21-year-old is producing on a consistent basis. In his first three extended outings this season, Jones missed a combined 15 of his 24 shot attempts. But the Rockets have gotten enough production from Jones and Omri Casspi, who has thrived next to Howard against second units in smaller lineups, that they could potentially trade Asik for a draft pick and hold off the decision on a power forward until later on.