The Boston Celtics have emerged as the most likely destination for Houston Rockets big man Omer Asik, who could reportedly be traded in the coming days, a source disclosed on Sunday.

ESPN NBA insider Marc Stein reports the Rockets are running impatient in their effort to trade away the Turkish center. Stein said the Rockets have received several offers for Asik, but the Celtics are likely the front-runner in this sweepstakes because of their trade assets: Jeff Green and Brandon Bass.

"The advice offered us Sunday was stern: Keep an eye on Boston. The Celtics possess two players in different salary ranges that would presumably fit in useful ways next to Dwight Howard: Jeff Green and Brandon Bass. The Celts also have a spare first-round draft pick or two to plug into any trade equation to sweeten the deal for Houston," Stein wrote.

Stein believes the close relationship between Celtics general manager Danny Ainge and Houston Rockets GM Daryll Morey and head coach Kevin McHale is another indication that a trade deal could happen soon.

"Amid rising suspicions around the league that Morey's Rockets are going to find a way to come out of the Asik saga with at least one future first. The same Rockets who happen to have a GM [Morey] and coach [Kevin McHale] who have longstanding relationships with Celts president Danny Ainge. So, yes, I'd say you should keep an eye on Boston," Stein added.

Breaking Down The Potential Trade

The Rockets have been looking for a stretch forward ever since the start of the Asik trade saga. In fact, the Rockets have been rumored several times in a trade for New Orleans Pelicans shooter Ryan Anderson, Philadelphia 76er Thaddeus Young, and the Milwaukee Bucks' Irsan Ilyasova.

However, the Celtics' trade offer appears to be the most enticing of them all. Green, who averaged 16.9 points and 4.4 rebounds this season, would give the Rockets the athleticism and range at the power forward position while Bass would provide toughness and rebounding off the bench. The possibility of getting an additional future first-round pick in the package would surely make this trade a lot easier for the Rockets to accept.

On the other hand, the Celtics could get a game changer in Asik, particularly on the defensive end. Asik averaged 4.4 points and 6.8 rebounds this year, but he has already proven that he can contribute solid numbers (10 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 blocks per game last year) if given more playing time on the floor.