This is not a post to slam Asik. This is a post wanting your opinion on which other 29 potential trade partners Asik could start and play, today. Asik's top talents are rebounding and defense. He's not gonna score 20-30 a night. Would he start for a team like Detroit who just drafted Drummond? Could he play for a title contender like Miami? Are you really "tanking" if you take Asik? Its my belief that a contending team would value Asik more, for the defense he brings. Below is a list of all other NBA teams and their possible desire/good fit for Asik. Since Asik wants to be a starter all these teams would have to move their starter, move their starter to PF or offer Asik candy and eskimo kisses to play back up C. Going public with his demands he made it harder for Morey. It might likely take draft picks on the rockets part to move Asik. I just hope it doesn't cost us Parsons or Lin. Unless its an upgrade for both of course. Atlanta; Horford, Brand Given that Horford has desired not to play center, Atlanta is a possible target for Asik. Asik talents would fit nicely there Brooklyn; Lopez, Blatche No chance he starts over Lopez Boston; Olynyk, Humphries Asik is an upgrade over both. Who is in and who is out of the Celtics rebuilding? Does Asik fit their idea for rebuild? Does Ainge owe McHale one for sending him KG? Charlotte; Jefferson, Biyombo, Haywood I would think that since they just spent money on Jefferson they wouldn't be shopping for a new center. Chicago; Noah, Mohammed His only role here would be backup. So i would say no. Would they possible coax him back to play backup? Cleveland; Bynum, Varejao, Zeller No way. Dallas; Dalembert, B. Wright Asik paired with Nowitzki would give the Mavericks a defensive center and could help them in ways that Tyson Chandler did. Who does Dallas have that Houston would want? Marion as stretch 4 maybe? But then they would be left with Old Man Carter as their starting 3....gross. Denver; JJ Hickson, McGee, Mozgov I think Denver is a sneaky possibility but, they have 19 million+ already invested at the center spot. I personally think Asik is better than all three but, who does Denver send back? They have 19 million invested at the 5 spot already. Detroit; Drummond, Harrellson, Monroe(at 4) Monroe and Asik would be a beast together but, they just drafted Drummond Golden State; Bogut, J O'Neal I would say they are content with Bogut. Asik would be a nice fit there though. Houston; Howard Can Morey, McHale convince him to stay after all this or at least till the end of the season? Indiana; Hibbert, Mahinmi Nope. LA Clippers; Jordan, Mullens Jordan is averaging 11 and 13 this year, nope. LA Lakers; P Gasol, Kaman Is Asik the guy that leads the Lakers out of the Kobe era? Memphis; M Gasol, Koufos If Gasol decided to take a 2 year leave of absence maybe. Miami; Bosh, Anthony, Birdman Asik over Bosh would make their defense incredibly beastly. They could even move Bosh back to PF but, who do they send to Houston? Bosh? Are they ready or needy for a change like that? Minnesota; Pekovic, Dieng, Turiaf Just resigned Pekovic. Milwaukee; Sanders, Pachulia, Udoh If they are unhappy with Sanders or love Asik it could happen. Sanders has a brutal contract. They would have to move one of the centers(Zaza has a "Morey" contract) to Houston and send us Ilyasova or other. New Orleans; Stiemsma, Ja Smith, Withey Would he clog the paint to much for Davis to grow? Anderson is proven next to Howard. 26 points in 26 minutes, in his debut saturday night. They might decide they want him. Knicks; Chandler, Aldrich No. Unless Chandlers injury is much worse that advertised and they need Asik. OKC; Perkins, Adams, Thabeet I think he's an upgrade over Perkins, but would they send Perkins here?(vomit) Would be great to get Ibaka in a Houston uniform! Magic; Vucevic, Maxiell Asik makes their D better. Do the Magic want to help a Dwight Howard team out? Philly; Hawes, Orton, Kwame, Noel I think Asik could anchor them well. But, how committed are they to tanking and how does Asik fit in with that? Hawes/Turner would be a nice backups and make Houston deeper. I dont see how Young would fit Houston at power forward with no outside shot. PHX; Plumlee, Len, Kravtsoz, Okafor I think Asik is better than all. I did cringe Thursday when Steve Kerr mention Channing Frye. Portland; Lopez, Freeland, Leonard Asik is better than all. The only problem here is that its November, not February. Had the Trailblazers been a losing team in February, they might have been ready to let LMA go. Asik's demand now makes it harder. This is about to be Lillards' team so they will have no need for LMA. San Antonio; Splitter, Bonner, Baynes Asik seems like a Popovich guy. Sacramento; Cousins, Hayes, N'diaye Cousins woulda been a great target last year. Interested in a reunion with Patterson or Landry? Toronto; Valanciunas, Gray Are they committed to Valanciunas or do they want Asik? Utah; Kanter, Gobert, Biendrins Asik has tuff hard worker Utah Jazz player written all over him. Washington; Gortat, Seraphin They just traded for Gortat. Before that Asik would have been great here. Im not trying to be a Debbie Downer, just honest opinions from my point of view of the other NBA teams in the Asik market. Right now anything is better than Asik rotting on the bench. I would have take Kelvin Cato(i would prolly regret it).
Portland might want Asik next to LMA to sore up their poor interior defense. Cant see Utah being interested since Asik wants to start.
Rule out the Western conference unless it's a team early in the rebuilding process, and even then maybe not. Even though Toronto has JV, I wouldn't rule them out. Masai is in rebuilding, and he's the type that will accumulate any assets that he thinks will help him later whether it's to play or as a trade chip. NY isn't happening. They have no assets to trade. Bucks and Pelicans are both possible, especially if you work a 3 team trade. Philly may be possible as well. I think Boston is a long shot.
You've basically listed the reason why Asik hasn't been traded yet. Morey's not stupid. He can gauge the trade market as well as any GM. He's waiting for the market to rise on Asik before trading him. And that day will come. Chandler, Sanders, McGee are all already out with various injuries. Varejao/Bynum are sucking. Eventually holes pop up and players get injured, and Asik's value rises. Morey is waiting for that moment. The problem is that he can't lay out his cards in front of Asik nor his agent.
Excellent breakdown. I think it comes down to Anderson, Ilyasova, or Milsap or some three way trade none of us could have imagined. Still at the end if the day Asik only makes real sense for a small amount of teams.
I was gonna be mad at all the asik trade threads, but after seeing that you put thought into this, good job.
Thank you lol. Instead of what Asik can net Houston in a trade(and arguing about it for days), how about what team wants/needs Asik instead.
Yep. Asik could start for many teams in the NBA. But all of this ruckus could be for naught if Asik returns for the Boston game. He perhaps just caught a more serious version of the malady that took Harden and Garcia down for a game or two.
I think Atlanta is the only team which could use him and also has the Assets to trade for him. YeAh I think dallas,Miami and OKC would like to have him aswell but they don't have the Assets to trade unless they offer one of their Main Players. And I also think it won't be a smart move for a tanking Team to trade for Asik since he is already 27 and he would get them some wins aswell. And if New Orleans Really Wanted to have Omer,they would have pulled the trigger so I don't think Thats a destination for him So yeah Millsap will be a Rocket
Out of all trade scenarios I like Atlanta's Al Horford best, but not sure is Asik+ Jones or D Mo will be enough for them to be parted, may be plus picks as sweetener. Cause after all we still need a backup center other than G Smith.
Good effort. Repped. People often have a hard time understanding there are two sides to every deal. We'll said.
He does have an okay outside shot. He just hasn't been put in positions to use it much the last 3 or so years until this year.
Been saying this all along, and people just have a really hard time understanding why. Geez... hasn't anyone ever taken basic Economics 101... Supply and demand. Naturally during the season Supply for big men goes down drastically because of injuries, and teams finding out that their young bigs they just drafted really aren't that good. Demand goes up, and Asik's value should go up during a later part of the season. Feb 15th should be right around the peak. After the trade deadline, it drops significantly because of his contract situation. Between Dec 15th and Feb 21st Omer Asik will be traded. The only question is, will Morey be able to get an impact player, or will he choose to take back assets that can later flipped for an impact player when that player finally becomes available. Don't forget about the Lowry trade. If that impact player or players isn't available, dont be shocked if the Rockets end up with expirings and draft picks. Then at that point we can have another 4 months to fantasize about what player Morey is going to trade for this next Summer.