Omer Asik Trade. Rumors, Tweets and Updates. (Deadline Dec 20th)

Just a couple points on Hawes:

1. He's an expiring contract. That means he can walk after this season.

2. Teams are valuing picks in the 2014 draft very highly right now.


With that in mind, you tell me, what team is going to give up a first rounder for Hawes?

I'm saying there is no market for that and Hinkie and Morey are both wise enough to know it. Second rounders? Yes. First rounder? Nope. (name the team if you think they can get a first rounder and I'll tell you why it won't work.) Player on a rookie contract? Probably. Good player on a contract that he is outperforming that is flippable (like Asik)? Probably as well.

The ONLY WAY that I can see Philly acquiring a first rounder for Hawes would be if they agreed to take on a large chunk of salary to do it. If Philly moved Hawes out for very little incoming salary...they could conceivably create around $20 million of cap space, space that mostly needs to be used anyways. Now with that kind of cap space I can see the possibility of them being able to acquire a first rounder in 2014. Take on a huge salary either now, at the deadline, or this offseason, for a first rounder.

This should be called the UTAH scenario since Utah popularized it last off season. It is ideally what rebuilding teams should do with their cap space.

With all that in mind...how does this apply to the Rockets situation?

Well, understanding Hawes is expiring and being realistic that NO TEAM is going to give up a first rounder for his contract UNLESS it's a huge salary dump...then Philly will most likely be satisfied with getting a player on a rookie deal and a second rounder. And that's what I think happens here as part of the Asik deal.

I think the acquisition of Hawes is going to be a part of the Asik trade but not the primary part. Something along these lines:

Asik/Brewer to Atlanta
DMo/Smith/second rounder to Philly
Millsap/Hawes to Houston.


You can tweak this style trade many different ways with the smaller contracts. But Philly basically gets a young player on a rookie deal and a second rounder. And they add to their existing open cap space and becoming even more enticing to a team wanting to dump salary at the deadline.

 

basketballholic - won't be a pick from us, Boston's 2015 1st, and you're right someone like Wallace May have to be in the mix

 

only rumors of asik and lin trade but nothing done. lol

 

I'm sorry I don't believe that Boston deal for Lee/Bass is going down. I think that's a joke being played out.

If Clutch thinks Millsap is a smokescreen (possibly) then for sure the Bass/Lee deal is a huge misdirection.


I truly believe Morey is looking for a huge expiring contract and two picks for Asik. (Because I believe he's got an other deal in the bag for Lin. Just my opinion.) And that makes Charlotte in the mix obviously. But the Boston deal really should be KHump and 2 picks for Asik. I just don't see any way Morey takes on the contracts of Bass/Lee for Asik unless he's already got side deals to move them elsewhere.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Ainge on being close to a trade: &quot;I have no indication of that, other than rumors. I have no indications that we're close to doing a deal.&quot;</p>&mdash; Boston Celtics (@celtics) <a href="https://twitter.com/celtics/statuses/413681596454404097">December 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Ainge: &quot;When you read our name out there, sometimes it's true. Sometimes it's not. But we are having discussions &amp; seeing what's out there.&quot;</p>&mdash; Boston Celtics (@celtics) <a href="https://twitter.com/celtics/statuses/413682290666250240">December 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Ainge: &quot;The reports are embellished for sure right now, but we are having discussions and seeing what opportunities there are out there.&quot;</p>&mdash; CelticsHub (@CelticsHub) <a href="https://twitter.com/CelticsHub/statuses/413682189713145856">December 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>One reason Boston should make Asik deal: Roy Hibbert isn't going anywhere. Better have someone on the roster able to defend him</p>&mdash; Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisMannixSI/statuses/413683010916323328">December 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

I might be wrong but I feel like Morey would have to send out at least a pick for Paul Millsap. I can't see Asik alone being enough to land Millsap.

 

I wouldn't do that deal if that's the case. Asik is more valuable than Millsap. 7-footers with his skill set are rare. Millsap is a great player. I love his game. Would love him on this team. But it's a lot easier to find power guys with skills in the 6'7" to 6'9" range than it is to find a defensively dominant game-changing 7+footer that can control the defensive paint.

 

You basically threw out two separate trades. (I mean value-wise, you do likely have to combine them to make salary matching work)

Sure it's quite possible Dmo+G.Smith+2nd rounder can net you Hawes or a different serviceable backup center. But now it's the Asik trade that's urgent. It seems there's no way we can get Millsap for Asik alone.

 

Which of these is more rare? A 7 foot elite defensive center or an undersized PF that is good but not great on both ends of the court.

Asik is worth more.

 

Anticipating trades is one of the most exciting things about an NBA season

 

The ultimate sacrifice... Morey trades himself for the good of the team... not sure anyone would see that coming.

 

I know it's been a long time, but I still want to throw a basketball in Danny Ainge's face... revenge for Mario.

 

LOL you have been repped my friend.

 

May not be Millsap. But the point remains Philly is highly unlikely to acquire a first round pick for Hawes and therefore a player on a rookie deal like DMo and second rounders is probably the best value they can get. And the style of trade that I laid out can be replicated with other players.

 

All the deals are on the table, and have probably been throughly vetted for a week now. It's just a matter of who makes the call.

As always, no clue on this trade. It seems like the 76ers involvement is the only one that has never been in doubt.

 

I don't disagree but Houston is the one that has to make a trade. Atlanta doesn't have to make a deal.

 

Danny Ainge:

(Heard any good rumors lately?) Yeah, they're out there all over the place, aren't they?

(Been on the phone this morning?) I haven't. I've been traveling this morning. Stuck in traffic in NYC, here scouting. Nothing on the phone.

(Criteria for evaluating your own picks?) That's difficult to do. We have no idea where they'll land but they are valuable. We try to stay opportunistic.

(Close to making a trade?) I have no indications of that other than the rumors. No indications we're close, no.

(How valuable is a big player down low, to any basketball team?) It's valuable. Everyone is looking for big guys that can defend. (And bigs that can score, rebound, etc.) There are no perfect players but there are good pieces on all teams. The NBA is loaded with quality players. Big guys are much harder to find than small guys.

(How cognizant are you about the chemistry of this team if moves were going to be made?) Our team has played well. Most of our guys have played up to their potential and have played well. I wouldn't say overachieving. They are playing well and like each other. We value team chemistry a lot.

(Enough time for Stevens to evaluate these guys?) I don't know the answer to that. Brad and I communicate daily. We're on the same page and what we're trying to accomplish. We're opportunistic. When you read our name out there, sometimes it's true, sometimes it's not. Reports are embellished for sure right now. We are having discussions to see what opportunities are out there.

(Regularly keep in touch with players if something is or isn't close, maybe ease their worries?) When the reports came out yesterday, I'm traveling, but I did talk to their reps and let them know what is happening.

(Activity level? Regularly getting phone calls?) Not regularly. There is conversation but that usually heats up in February than this early time in the season.

(Any update to Rajon Rondo and his return to the floor? Timetable?) I don't think he's gone through that many practices because the team hasn't had many. He's cleared to practice but that's maybe one to two times a week. Taking it week by week. He still needs a little bit of strengthening in his right quad. He's getting close but I don't see anything happening this month for sure. We'll see how next month goes. We'll see week by week.

 

How is Asik more valuable to the Rockets? The guy has pouted all year, hasnt put in any effort, and has been more detrimental to the Rockets when he's been on the court (PER of 10). Secondly, what skill set does he have? His only strength is post defense 8 feet from the basket. Can he guard a center or PF that can shoot the mid range? No. Is he athletic enough to cover the weakside by getting over and blocking or disrupting shots? No. Does he have any value, whatsoever, on the offensive side of the ball? No.

Basically, he's elite in guarding his man a few feet away from the basket, and boxing that guy out for a rebound. Someone has to pay the guy 15 million for that next season.

Any talent coming in is better than what we are getting for Asik...maybe if he wasnt such a pouting loser, he would be an incredibly valuable piece to our team, but he's not.

 

Stopped reading after labtops