I was being sarcastic, which wasn't directed at you, but rather the folks who seem upset Asik hasn't been traded yet. I fully agree with your original comment. My bad for phrasing it poorly. Obviously Asik isn't being showcased. McHale tried to give it a fair shot. Asik likely will be traded, but there's no need to do it now.
I think nobody or very few people want Asik to be traded. If Asik is willing to come of off bench, that will be the best. Problem is we don't know if Asik is willing to do so. Either way Howard > Howard+Asik. I'm just dumbfounded that McHale still has TT as the go to line up (start and the end of game). I hope it indeed is a temp experiment. We'll see if McHale pulls the plug as TT continues to fail. If not I suspect Morey is having a say.
Yes. McHale has to play Asik not because he thinks this team would be better with him and Howard on the court together but because this team needs to maintain his trade value. If the Rockets are obviously desperate to trade Asik, then GMs are more likely to give Morey unfavorable deals. The management needs to maintain the image that Asik is a very valuable commodity on this team in order to maximize trade value. It's a short term loss for a very important long-term gain. Asik was the 2nd best player on this team last year and he could be the most important piece in a potential blockbuster trade.
So we should trade him for something we need or we can not trade him and he can back up Dwight Howard and not give it 100% effort cause he is pissed
FYI, the Rockets only need to send out a combined $9,878,000 in team salary in a trade for LaMarcus Aldridge ($5 million less than Aldridge's $14,878,000 salary) for salary-matching purposes. That could be accomplished fairly easily. Add Jones to Asik, and there you go. If you want to replace Jones with a combination of Motiejunas and Canaan, that'll work, too. If you wait until December 15, you could even accomplish an Aldridge trade using Asik, Ronnie Brewer and Robert Covington. That said, I've been very pessimistic about the Blazers' interest in Asik ever since they stole Robin Lopez from New Orleans. Sure, Asik is a better player than Lopez; but the difference between those two guys is probably not worth giving up your franchise player. Also, for the record, I absolutely LOVE Omer Asik as a player and don't want to see him traded unless it's for a legitimate upgrade in the current talent base or perhaps if the Rockets somehow got bowled over with an offer of terrific draft pick(s) compensation. However, I don't see either avenue as very realistic at this point. Omer Asik will be pissed, no doubt. But if you think Omer Asik will not give 100% effort out there on the floor when he does play, . . . well, then . . . you just don't know Omer Asik.
^^^ I wonder what Terrence Jones' reaction will be if he gets traded to his old stomping ground of Portland, Oregon. I agree that Omer won't be happy but will be nothing but a consummate professional about it, whatever his minutes might be. Even at 13-15 mpg the guy is still an important contributor for what is a pretty significant portion of the game (things can really fall apart fast in 13 minutes in an NBA game) and insurance against an injury to Dwight Howard. Would rather have him than just a not-very-special PF. I'm sure Morey will make a good deal if one comes along, but he'd have no problem just keeping Asik even in a limited-minutes capacity if no such deals are available. Asik won't be happy, but Morey's job is to build a team to win a title, not to keep all individual players satisfied with their minutes or to improve Omer's opportunities for self-realization.
I think it all depends on how Portland is doing in this season and what LMA is thinking. He has one more year on his contract. it becomes an interesting part.
Asik has no choice but to play backup. He knows better to not have a bad attitude if he wants to get the next big contract elsewhere which he will in 2yrs if the Rox don't trade him.
The only way you trade Asik is if you get a really significant Upgrade at the 4 AND a legit backup 5.
trading Asik for who? PF? that will put us bigger hole at backup center than improving our PF situation Jones/Casspi/Parsons/Smith can fill in that role i don't see a reason to trade Asik now unless it is for a star Timberwolves is winning they aren't looking to move Love unless they start losing and afraid of losing him in free agent to the Knicks but that's in 2015 still long way to go
The tricky question is when does LMA have leverage against the Blazers to force a trade when he is threatening to leave in free agency??? The Rockets are setup now with the Asik & Lin expiring contracts in 2015, the same Summer that LMA becomes a free agent. Also, Parsons, if not extended (leaning more now towards them not making him a RFA this Summer cause of this), has a very small cap hold. So him coming to Houston as an UFA is very much a possibility. At what point does Neil Oshley and Paul Allen decide that they need to do a trade with Houston now to get the best possible offer??? IMO, never. Here's the thing. What gives the Blazes more value over the next two seasons.... two season with LMA, or two seasons with Asik & pieces??? The Blazers can still have Asik in free agency in the Summer of 2015 if they wanted to. If LMA is a better player for them now, then why move him now in the first place. We might be looking at a situation where the Rockets make some moves to strengthen their roster yes, but still prepare their finances for the Summer of 2015 in the meantime. I now have a hard time believing that the Rockets will make moves for anyone out there on the market that has a contract beyond 2015, and they are going to continue to use LMA's free agency in 2015 as their ultimate end game leverage.
He needs to go, he is a luxury this team does not need, and a crutch that the coaching staff doesn't need either. Sometimes you have to trade their comfort players away to open up room for the betterment of the team. DD
Hawes can shoot. That's the only reason I mention him as an option that can start at the 4 and back Howard up at the 5.
Trade him for what? Just giving him away for any random $8M in salary doesn't help the team. And anyone who does upgrade the team makes significantly more than Asik. So we can't trade him straight up. We have to include Lin and/or DMO/Jones. Then you have to ask yourself is it really upgrading the team at that point.
