OFFICIAL: Omer Asik a Houston Rocket (3 year/$25.1 million)

Just remember this about Asik:

Portland, Atlanta, Milwaukee all need a center.


And remember this:

86. What is "Base Year Compensation?" How does it affect trades?Base Year Compensation (BYC) is mostly an artifact of previous collective bargaining agreements. Its intent was to prevent teams from signing free agents to new contracts with salaries specifically intended to help facilitate trades. BYC was triggered when a team was over the cap and re-signed a player using the Larry Bird or Early Bird exception with a raise over 20%. Once triggered, BYC temporarily lowered the player's salary for salary-matching purposes (only), and therefore reduced or eliminated teams' ability to target salaries for trade purposes.

The 2011 CBA mostly eliminated BYC -- in fact, the term "Base Year Compensation" was removed from the agreement entirely. The rules formerly known as BYC now apply under just one circumstance -- during sign-and-trade transactions (see question number 88). If a team is over the cap and re-signs its Larry Bird or Early Bird free agent with a raise greater than 20%, in order to trade the player in a sign-and-trade arrangement, then the player's outgoing salary for trade purposes is either his previous salary or 50% of his new salary, whichever is greater. The team receiving the player always uses his new salary.

For example, a player made $5 million last season, is a Larry Bird free agent, and re-signs with his previous team (which is a taxpayer and therefore well over the cap) for $10 million. The signing is part of a sign-and-trade with another team, for that team's $10 million player. Since the conditions were satisfied the player's outgoing salary for trade purposes is $5 million. This trade would not be allowed, even though the players' new salaries match, since a taxpaying team cannot trade a $5 million player for a $10 million player. The highest salary this team could acquire in a sign-and-trade arrangement is $6.35 million1.

Once a sign-and-trade is complete, the player's actual salary is included in his new team's team salary.

In lieu of the previous BYC rules for ordinary trades, teams are now prohibited from trading players for three months or until January 15 (whichever is later) when the signing satisfies the BYC critieria2 (see question number 97).

 

saw this on fb

 

We are paying Asik 5,5, 15 but the cap hit is 8, 8, 8.

 

Dense? That's exactly what the fans who assume he'd re-sign here are being. Obviously the plan is not to rent him for a year, but that plan depends on what Howard wants to do, not just the Rockets. People who have a hard time believing he'd stay in Houston don't believe that simply because of some anonymous sources surrounding Howard. They believe it because of the history of his negotiations with the Magic, the fact that he is keeping his options open and won't sign an extension right away, the recent history of superstars when their contract is up, the fact that Howard hasn't expressed any positive feelings about the possibility of coming to Houston, and the fact that other teams will covet a true superstar, top 3 player (a center, no less) and bend over backwards to find ways to get him (much like Houston is now, but even more so because there wouldn't be a risk of him walking). It's the whole context of this thing that gives you the feeling he may very well up and leave. Maybe it's worth taking the risk, but to claim those who don't think so just don't get it because they're being dense, and don't understand that others see an opportunity to keep him here, is ridiculous. Some folks just think those who assume he'd re-sign in Houston are being blinded by his star power -- dense -- and are looking at the situation through rose-colored glasses, being unrealistically optimistic about the chances of keeping him. That's a pretty way of looking at this situation, considering how much the team would be giving up. Personally, I think it's worth the risk, to an extent. But I also believe there's a very high likelihood he could end up signing somewhere else. Why is that so hard for people to admit?

 

KC Johnson: Rockets have successfully received 10:59 PM TUES deadline for Asik decision. Doesn't sound like much of one anymore for Bulls. 2 minutes ago

 

Jonathan Feigen: More midnight madness coming for Rockets. Deadline for Bulls to match Asik offer sheet is 11:59 Eastern on Tue. Bulls appear ready to pass. about 7 minutes ago

 

K.C Johnson ‏@KCJHoop
Though Asik offer sheet not presented until today, deadline is TUES because attempts were made SAT. Interesting to see if Bulls take time..

 

So Morey cockslaps two playoff teams in the East and gives a sweetheart deal to a third...his former employer.

Will be interesting to see how the Bulls handle the deadline

 

That is correct.

Exactly. The payment schedule is actually better than a straight $8.4 million per year deal. The Rockets will have 2-3 years to stockpile the "savings" in preparation for the balloon payment.

 

Sweetheart deal? What are you talking about?

The Rockets got an early second rounder (likely in the 31-35 range), JuJuan Johnson (a serviceable backup big man with a small, potentially expiring contract) and a couple of non-guaranteed deals to use in trade.

Also, the key difference between the Lin/Asik situations and the Lee situation was LEVERAGE. Lin and Asik were signing offer sheets that would pay them more than their old teams could possibly have paid them. They either play for Houston or the Knicks/Bulls. Either way, they win. In Lee's situation, he was an unrestricted free agent, free to sign with any team with cap room (including Phoenix) and leave the Rockets with nothing. Instead, they got something for him.

It's all about leverage.

 

Warmly welcome O-meer Asheek!

 

Omer is a chic guy.

 

A Mere Ass Cheek.

 

Shades of Carlos Beltran

 

Lee's and Camby's deals are especially sweet because we get compensation for guys we were going to let walk AND keep both players from making western conference teams better.

 

Carlos Beltran left because he got offered more money. Astros fans hate him because they think he's greedy.

The team offering Dwight the most money will be the Rockets.

 

Not true. With state income taxes factored in the deals were essentially the same. Beltran left because he'd rather play for the Mets than the Astros.

 

VERY, VERY well said.

Agree 100%.

 

To be clear, yes... I'm leary of all the drama (mostly media driven) and do NOT look foward to all that BS.

For this reason (and the fact I DO like Lamb), I will be OK if the trade does not happen OR we end up with Bynum, who, while is the lesser player, won't bring near as much BS and will likely also be easier to re-sign (although I DO think Dwight refuses to pass up $30M and DOES re-sign in Houston).

But, the above post says it all.

When you have an opportunity to acquire a true game/franchise changer, you must take the risk.

 

If Howard won't walk away from the money why doesn't Orlando just keep him?