Report: Sixers a viable trade destination for Omer Asik

The reports surrounding the status of Rockets big man Omer Asik will continue their steady stream until the inevitable trade happens.

Houston wanted to make it work with Asik playing alongside Dwight Howard, but that experiment failed and with Asik being disgruntled in his situation and constantly requesting to be traded, the Rockets seem determined to get a deal done in the not-too-distant future.

Talks are ongoing with multiple teams, but it appears that one may have jumped to the front of the line given the pieces involved that would make sense for both sides.

From Marc Stein of ESPN.com:

Keep your eye on Philadelphia. Front-runner would be overstating it, but the notion that the Sixers are a viable destination for Asik is increasingly making the rounds. And that certainly makes sense given (A) Philly’s front office is run by a certified Asik fan, former Rockets exec Sam Hinkie; (B) Philly has a frontcourt player to send back to Houston, in Thaddeus Young) whose skill set can click with Dwight Howard’s, albeit not as well as seemingly unattainable dream target Ryan Anderson; and (C) there really isn’t an Asik for Philly to draft with the high pick it’s likely to snag in the 2014 lottery.

Thad Young is one of the three players on Philadelphia’s roster, along with Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes, who have more value around the league than they do on this rebuilding Sixers squad.

This particular trade would appear to be a win-win -- Houston gets a complementary big to play alongside Howard, and Philadelphia gets a solid defensive center to build around for the future.

Nothing is likely to happen before Dec. 15, when players who signed free agent deals this past summer become eligible to be traded. But even after that date passes, it would be tough to see the Rockets getting an offer that better suited their needs.