What would be cool is if they can now go back to Omer and say "Look, we really tried to trade you and we couldn't get what you're worth, which is a lot. Would you reconsider joining our Championship run?" He's been able to see all of the success the team has been having without him, maybe some of that enthusiasm is starting to seep back in. It must be obvious to Team Asik that the Rockets value him more than most other teams if other teams aren't willing to meet the Rockets' asking price. Hopefully that can be a positive launching point. Put it back in his court and see if we can make this work. With TJ and Dwight playing so well, we really don't have as glaring a need as we used to. A motivated Asik is exactly what this team needs right now. Disclaimer: maybe there's no trade today because the deadline is really tomorrow, and/or they're just going to wait until the deadline before dealing him. But kudos to Morey for not panicking and just making a move to make a move.
I like the idea. JVG was saying the same thing. I'm surprised Omer hasn't considered winning a ring, especially at a young age. Why not take a lesser role for the experience? He's going to get an opportunity somewhere else, but he has a GREAT opportunity to WIN here. When he goes to a Philly/Boston/ATL, there is going to be a time for rebuilding. He won't see the playoffs. I guess he's chosen the role over the situation. He gets paid regardless, so I don't understand why he wouldn't want to be part of a winning team, even if his role is lesser. If he pushed himself or had more desire to be here and coexist with Dwight, he could have a ring.
More like he made it clear that he was serious when he said he would only take a deal that was worthwhile and wouldn't move Asik just to move him. He knows he has time to move Asik by trade deadline, so he's willing to take his time. Putting a reserve bid on an auction is very common, and usually smart.
I'm sure as a young player he'd value leading a team or at least starting rather than sitting back and winning a ring. Most of the time when you hear players complaining about their role or playing time its always the players under 26 or so. Maybe Asik thinks he's better than he really is?
If it comes to that, the Rockets can just sit on Asik until something better comes along. Trading him for marginal upgrades at other positions makes little sense, and he will have to start playing again eventually if he wants to raise his trade value.
Or just tell him that he should show those teams what a great center he is and they will try to move him soon before the trade dateline on February but they won't if they can't get a good deal. Just be straight w him and tell him to just play and be professional just like last year. Just to give it a try.
I say we call up Ohlbrecht from the D-League. Give him significant minutes off the bench, and be like "We DON'T NEED you anymore, Omer. Big Timmy might not be as good a defender, but at least he's giving heart and hustle every night."
The dude needs to be more like Lin. If Lin did the same thing Omer's doing right now, this team would have been ****ed.
What was Morey's statement? I never recall anything definite. To be honest I don't recall any direct quotes from Morey. I remembers Berger and Aldridge saying the Rockets want to trade Asik and think it will be done by the 19th. They want to be able to repackage whoever they get at the trade deadline.
Asik is a legit starting center for most NBA teams, but not for a team that has Dwight Howard. Asik knew the minute D12 signed with Houston that his role and minutes would change. He isn't making this demand due to money, that is guaranteed. He obviously values being a starting center and more minutes over championship. This rings "not a team player". Maybe his new agent can get him to accept "it is what it is". Otherwise, I'm concerned about having a player that does not fully buy in to team win concept.
I see no reason for Asik to recommit to this team. All incentives I see point toward pouting and destroying trade value. 1. Asik is still working toward the big-money long contract. He has a decent contract now, but he knows legit starters at center with size should be making something more like $12m, not $8m. And he couldn't get it last time because he was playing limited minutes off the bench. He won't log minutes at the 4, so he must be a starter to get the exposure he needs to earn the contract he deserves. 2. He has to accomplish that this season. He wants to play all next season as a starter on his new team, so he has to make the move by this offseason at the latest. 3. But, the more of this season that burns off at the salary discount, the harder it will be for trade partners to stomach a trade in which they take all the burden of next year's cash premium without the offset of this season's discount. 4. He put in a full-year as a starter to make his case for a trade, already. He can sit out this season and teams will still trade for him on the basis of last year's performance. 5. He doesn't want his receiving team to pay a high price for him. That would only degrade the competitiveness of that roster, making them win less and even hurting somewhat his case for a big contract. 6. Pouting will ensure no team will trade for him with plans to make him a backup. They know they'd be trading for trouble. 7. He knows Les won't want to pay the $15m cash he'll be owed next season any more than anyone else, especially for a backup center, and especially especially for a backup center who is pouting and giving you nothing. He knows the Rockets must trade. 8. He knows that cooperating with the Rockets only allows Morey to bide his time and demand more from counterparties. That will mean less time as a strater on his new team to prove his worth to the market, and more talent extracted from that roster. If he can be worthless on the court and a cancer in the lockerroom, he can make his trade an addition-by-subtraction situation, where Morey will settle for the likes of Brandon Bass just to be rid of him. 9. The only downside to him is he's showing other teams he's a pouter. They might be a little worried about signing him long-term in case something goes wrong and he becomes discontent. That can hurt his value somewhat, but he'll have a year to repair his image, and a lot can be forgiven for the sake of adding talent, especially at center. Look at the contract Bynum got despite the very serious injury risk he represents. I think he has everything to going by pulling a Scottie Quitten. He's already shown a willingness to do public trade demands. It'd probably even serve to do an interview where he can rip all his teammates. It worked for Quitten, so I don't see why it wouldn't work for Asik too.
