The Houston Rockets were actively shopping Omer Asik and thought about trading Jeremy Lin earlier this season, but recent reports suggested that both of them will likely finish the season with the team.

Sporting News reported that the Rockets are finding it difficult to deal both players mainly because of their backloaded contracts that they signed in the summer of 2012.

Sources said that rival teams are not interested in paying Asik and Lin an amount that they don't deserve based on their production. Both players signed a $25 million deal, but the first two years of the contract paid them roughly $5 million a season and a whopping near-$15 million for the final year.

A rival executive said that the Rockets had their chance earlier this season, reiterating that it could have been easier for them to trade both players late last year.

The executive said that it will be difficult for general managers to convince team owners to pay Asik and Lin $15 million -- a salary that is so close to what superstars are receiving from their teams.

"It is a tough sell to bring something like that to your owner," a league executive said. "You have got to tell him, 'We're getting a pretty good player, an $8 million player. Oh, but we have to pay him $15 million. We will be giving him LeBron (James) money. That's OK, right?' That's not really a conversation you want to have."

Sources close to the situation also revealed that the Rockets are getting more reluctant to deal Lin not only because of the lack of attractive offers, but also because of the recent encouraging performances of the 25-year-old point guard.

The former Harvard University standout has averaged 14.4 points and 5.2 assists in their last five games. Lin is also averaging a career-high 47.5 percent shooting from the field, including a 35.1-percent clip from beyond the arc.

Asik, on the other hand, has been a big disappointment this season. The 27-year-old center, who asked for a trade after the Rockets acquired superstar center Dwight Howard during the offseason, has not played a single game since Dec. 2 due to a deep thigh bruise.

The Rockets almost traded the disgruntled center to the Boston Celtics for Brandon Bass and Courtney Lee, but negotiations broke down after the teams failed to reach an agreement about future draft picks that would have been included in the deal.