Leaning towards wanting to trade him. I don't trust him to not go back to baby mode after the deadline is passed.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>I was going 2 do a Omer Asik story with R quick lil interview I had with him yesterday. Instead I will just tweet out his thoughts <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rockets&src=hash">#Rockets</a></p>— Josh (JR) Reese (@dyslexicsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/dyslexicsports/statuses/442458829008039936">March 9, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>So the speculation was always if Omer Asik came back quick to get traded. Asik did confirm he is 100 percent healthy. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rockets&src=hash">#Rockets</a></p>— Josh (JR) Reese (@dyslexicsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/dyslexicsports/statuses/442459183024046080">March 9, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Omer Asik used the words "fun to play on this team" which should make anybody happy <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rockets&src=hash">#Rockets</a></p>— Josh (JR) Reese (@dyslexicsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/dyslexicsports/statuses/442460370800611328">March 9, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Omer Asik yesterday "Lately win winning a lot and playing great, so its fun to be on this team" <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rockets&src=hash">#Rockets</a></p>— Josh (JR) Reese (@dyslexicsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/dyslexicsports/statuses/442460893624811520">March 9, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Omer Asik on fitting in... " I just like trying to do my best as long as I stay on the court thats all I think about" <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rockets&src=hash">#Rockets</a></p>— Josh (JR) Reese (@dyslexicsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/dyslexicsports/statuses/442461461932023808">March 9, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Now of course the translation from me to him is iffy but what I took from it is that Omer Asik is bought in. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rockets&src=hash">#Rockets</a></p>— Josh (JR) Reese (@dyslexicsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/dyslexicsports/statuses/442461776987164672">March 9, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Seen Omer Asik smiling and having fun with his teammates more lately then he has at any point of the start of the season <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rockets&src=hash">#Rockets</a></p>— Josh (JR) Reese (@dyslexicsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/dyslexicsports/statuses/442462076963790848">March 9, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>To the people who wanted him traded... Once again the team is MUCH better with Omer Asik then with out. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rockets&src=hash">#Rockets</a></p>— Josh (JR) Reese (@dyslexicsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/dyslexicsports/statuses/442463306356252672">March 9, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I don't think most of us ever thought this team was better without Asik....when he was healthy and actually playing. The problem was he was out for two months and the Rockets were getting nothing out of him.
Omer Asik aka "The Titan" is the ****. Has there been any highlights or gifs of him from the past few games? I'm so happy he's still with us.
In the video thread for the Pacers game, at the end of the vid for Jeremy's pull back jumper, there is an Asik blocked shot that led to Hammy 3. It also shows hug Dwight gave him on reaching the bench. Big smiles all around.
We have a legit chance to win a championship if he can buy in and play well the rest of the year. I do think that the bench seems to be playing so much better this year than last year and I think it because we have a true center on the court at all times. DD
Great to hear. If we can get Asik and Lin playing at their peak level, that could put us in top 2 in the West.
Uhh.... no real Rockets fan WANTED Asik to be traded, we would just rather trade him than have a $8.3M valuable player sitting on the bench pouting and ruining our depth. If Asik loves to be here, then we love for him to stay here. If he wanted out, then we rather get something in return than keep an angry body the entire time. That's all there was to it. Lin on the other hand, some desperately wanted to trade him.
That last tweet is silly. Obviously the team is better with a backup C of Asik's caliber than without. The question was whether the team is better off with Asik at backup C, or if instead they added depth to or upgraded another position. I still believe this team would be better if we traded Asik for a healthy Illyasova or Ryan Anderson. Doesn't change the fact that we're better with Asik in the rotation vs out. We have the best C in the league and the best backup C in the league. That's an awesome luxury, but we may get more bang for buck if we acquired someone who has a realistic chance of earning 30 minutes at our PF position.
We need Omer to beat the Clippers and the Pacers in the playoffs and there is a fantastic chance that we face one or both teams on a championship run. I've said this since the beginning of the season but I say it now with optimism.
So we have the best SG in the league and the best C, the best backup C and, contrary to what the haters say, I would say we also have the best backup PG in the league, when he plays with confidence, swag and under control. We have an above average SF who brings intangibles. We have an up-and-coming PF starter, who brings athleticism, shot-blocking and the ability to stretch the floor somewhat, even out to 3-point land. We have probably one of the toughest PG starters, who is also one of the best defenders at that position in the league. Although offensively limited, I don't think that matters very much. The bench, from positions 8 to 15, is probably not among the strongest in the league. But D-Mo works hard every game, Hamilton is decent enough. That's a 9-man rotation we can work with. This team is a championship contender. And if we make it to the finals, I want to come!
This great play lately hasn't just come out of nowhere. Asik holding the fort down when Dwight goes out has been the main reason I believe.
Yep, add POR and MEM... we'll see Omar-LMA tonight. The only problem was Asik's pouting. 48 minutes with the best C on the floor plus matchups that allow both. Dwighasik might be the best C combo ever relative to their competition... best defensively at least.
That's because he was moping about and clearly not giving any effort. If he's gonna buy in and enjoy playing 20 mins a night though, I think paying 8M a year is cheap for a backup C of his caliber and I wouldn't mind not signing that 3rd star and just staying with Asik as the backup C. Having that Howard insurance is way more important IMHO than a 3rd star.
No, plenty of people thought it was better to have someone like Ryan Anderson playing 30+ minutes, rather than Asik playing 14 minutes.
Some of us never left. We just wanted the S.O.B. healthy and back on the freakin' court. A healthy Asik, an Omer who's accepted his role and is happy that we're winning, is huge not only in the playoffs, but during our stretch run. We can keep Dwight's minutes down, and keep Dwight healthy (please!). It's brutal for the opposing team to have to play against two top 5 defensive centers, one who has a killer offensive game (and the most massive shoulders in the league), and the other big cat who knows our defensive schemes to a T, knows our offense and how to operate effectively in it, moving well without the ball, and setting massive picks. I love it! Winning has always cured a lot of ills. We're seeing that truism in play with Omer.
