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What we learned from an Asik trade that wasn’t

Ben DuBose takes a look at what we learned from Daryl Morey’s approach in his Christmas shopping of Omer Asik.

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Omer Asik

Omer Asik is remaining a member of the Houston Rockets… but for how long?

The self-imposed December 19 deadline has come and gone, and Omer Asik remains a Rocket.

Five months after the signing of Dwight Howard and Asik’s initial trade demand — one that has been repeated many times — the Rockets’ former starting center has still yet to get his wish.

Whether it was Asik’s $15 million balloon payment for 2014-15 (though it’s only $8.3 million for salary cap and luxury tax purposes, of course), the fact that his deal expires after next season or simply poor timing, general manager Daryl Morey couldn’t find an acceptable deal for the Rockets. Teams such as the Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans Pelicans were reportedly unwilling to put their “stretch” power forwards, such as Paul Millsap and Ryan Anderson, on the block in a potential Asik exchange, and other offers likely were insufficient due to contractual issues.

According to reports, the Boston Celtics were the team that had the most serious discussions with the Rockets, offering power forward Brandon Bass, shooting guard Courtney Lee and a first-round draft pick. But Lee’s contract, at over $5 million/year, is fully guaranteed until 2016 — and that length was likely a deal-breaker for Morey and the Rockets.

In the meantime, Asik continues to rehabilitate a minor leg injury and appears poised to rejoin the Rockets in the coming days, where he’ll reprise his role as a backup to Howard.

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We know Asik isn’t happy with that role, so trade talk will linger around his situation all the way through the February 20 deadline. Additionally, the needs of other teams can certainly change over the next two months, as evidenced by recent injury situations with the Lakers and Nets. But this week’s saga made one fact clear: the Rockets won’t deal Asik simply for the sake of making a trade.

Here’s what we learned this week from their approach:

Morey not quite “all-in”

For a second, forget about contracts and just focus on basketball. The Rockets would probably be a better team today with Bass, an elite team and position defender with a solid mid-range game on offense, playing 20-to-25 minutes at power forward, where he would mostly reduce minutes from the on-again, off-again Omri Casspi. Likewise, Lee — who brings tenacity on defense, a quick slashing ability on offense and a 49% stroke from three-point range — would be an upgrade on Francisco Garcia (28% from three in December) at the backup wing spot. The inconsistent Houston bench, which has been a major issue in recent losses, would have been immediately improved.

The value that brings to the table, in all likelihood, is worth more to winning (over the near-term) than the 12-to-15 minutes that Asik will play behind Howard. If Morey was completely sold on this group of Rockets, as currently constructed, as a championship favorite — that’s a trade he probably makes. He didn’t. It’s not that the current Rockets can’t win a title, but they’re not yet at a point where Morey feels secure in surrendering significant flexibility for any short-term upgrade.

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Elite talent still sought, 2015 a fallback option

The ideal scenario would be for the Rockets to trade Asik in a package for a borderline All-Star talent, sooner rather than later. But they’ve yet to be able to find such a deal. They’ll keep trying, certainly. But trades that involve significant contracts for non-stars that go beyond 2015 — such as Lee with Boston, or Thaddeus Young with Philadelphia — are likely deal-breakers.

Right now, even with Howard and James Harden under contract, the Rockets could have significant cap room in July 2015 simply by letting the deals of Asik and Jeremy Lin expire. As we saw this week, whatever short-term upgrade the likes of Bass/Lee would’ve given the Houston rotation was not important enough to Morey to override the long-term potential of cap space in 2015.

Parsons’ contract tied to Asik?

Three months ago, I made the case for Houston to decline the final-year option in Chandler Parsons’ contract and allow him to hit restricted free agency in July 2014, which would likely result in a more team-friendly deal. While that is still true, that opinion was based on my then-stated expectation that “Asik will ultimately be moved in a package for a power forward”.

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If Asik isn’t ultimately moved, or gets traded for non-star players (the Bass/Lee tier) that presumably also expire in 2015, the Rockets’ need to acquire a third “big fish” beyond Harden and Howard is clearly a larger priority than saving a couple million per year on Parsons. In that case, the likely Morey move would be for Parsons to play out his current cheap deal through 2015, which would include a tiny cap hold of approximately $1 million for July 2015, and attempt to re-sign Parsons after a potential pursuit of LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Love or others in that free agent class.

The ideal scenario for most involved, of course, would not involve waiting until July 2015. If the Rockets can trade Asik for an impact player in the next few months, it accomplishes several goals:

  • It gives the team a better shot at a title, starting this season.
  • It makes Asik happy by giving him a starting job again.
  • It gets Parsons a richer contract a year earlier, and probably at a cheaper long-term amount for the Rockets.
  • It allows the team to spend its full mid-level exception (MLE) in July 2014 without worrying over the contract length.
  • It would let the Rockets consider a long-term future with Lin, who they’d undoubtedly have to cut ties with in the July 2015 scenario.

Value of Asik’s upcoming play

But for those things to happen, Asik must play and play hard over the coming weeks. Even if Bass and Lee would have upgraded the near-term prospects of these Rockets, the offer from the Celtics was the NBA equivalent of quarters for a dollar. While the Rockets can’t fully utilize Asik’s talent themselves due to the presence of Howard, Asik remains an elite defensive big man and rim protector at only 27-years-old, the likes of which are very rare in the modern NBA.

Indeed, Asik can be a game changer for many teams. But this season, his numbers and efficiency (even adjusted for minutes) have slipped across the board, leading many around the league to question Asik’s attitude and health. If he returns to the team, stays healthy and competes with the intensity he did a year ago, the outcome for both Asik and the Rockets is much more likely to reach a positive conclusion in the coming weeks and months.

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Otherwise, a resolution on Asik and many other fronts for the Rockets could be years away.

Houston Rockets

Houston a potential landing spot for Ben Simmons post-buyout?

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Ben Simmons Houston Rockets

ESPN NBA analyst Brian Windhorst said on Thursday’s NBA Trade Deadline show that Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons is working on a buyout and the Houston Rockets is a potential landing spot for him.

“Cleveland and Houston are two situations for Ben Simmons,” said Windhorst.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka was an assistant coach in Philadelphia in 2019-20 when Simmons was with the Sixers, before injuries took a significant toll. In fact, Udoka, when speaking about Amen Thompson earlier this season, brought up some comparisons to Simmons.

“The skill set is there, and it’s something that’s unique with his speed, athleticism, size, passing ability, and all those things,” said Udoka of Thompson. “I coached somebody, Ben Simmons, who had similar traits… as far as size and ability to push the pace, and find guys and finish. There are some similarities there.”

Both Thompson and Simmons are known for their elite athleticism, defensive versatility, and ability to create opportunities in transition.

However, can Simmons help the Rockets today? That’s the tough question.

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Simmons has played in 33 games this season, averaging 6.2 points, 6.9 assists, 5.2 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks in 25 minutes a night. He does not shoot threes (like, at all) — he has only attempted two threes in the past three seasons combined.

Ideally, he does not play in front of your young forwards of Amen, Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. and on that basis alone, I think I would pass. But, Ime loves defensive dogs and he could use some extra ballhandling on the roster. You can see that there’s little in the way of offensive organization when Fred VanVleet is out.

There would be a comical full circle moment though if the Rockets did sign Ben Simmons, considering the Rockets were heavily criticized for trading James Harden in 2021 to Brooklyn instead of to Philadelphia for Simmons. The Rockets clearly made the right choice there.

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Rockets pick up another second-round pick in deal with Hawks

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Cody Zeller

The Houston Rockets are working the phones to do a little more asset management.

After acquiring a second-round pick from Boston to take on Jaden Springer’s salary, the Rockets made another similar move, absorbing the contract of Cody Zeller this season to get back a 2028 second-round pick.

Ironically, that pick is Houston’s own 2028 second-round pick that the Rockets sent to Atlanta in 2023.

The Rockets waived Springer to make roster room for Zeller. They will likely do the same with Zeller in order to make room for a buyout signing in the coming days or weeks.

It’s a small move but it’s another good one on the margins. These second-round picks add up. The two the Rockets got in the past couple of days — Boston’s 2030 second and Houston’s own 2028 second — could be eventually combined in a deal that nets the Rockets a solid role player down the line. Houston did exactly this last season when they acquired Steven Adams from Memphis.

So quick grade? Easy A. Solid asset management work by Rockets GM Rafael Stone and credit to Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta for being willing to spend millions just to get some extra seconds.

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Rockets Pick Up Jaden Springer, Second-Round Pick in Trade with Celtics

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Jaden Springer Houston Rockets

The NBA Trade Deadline is just over 24 hours away but the Houston Rockets have already made a move.

OK, it’s not that kind of move, but Rafael Stone and the front office did make a trade on the margins on Wednesday, picking up Jaden Springer and a 2030 second-round pick from Boston.

The Rockets leveraged their open roster spot and salary situation to take the contract of Springer off the hands of the Celtics, who are saving a ton in luxury tax payments by making the move. It’s smart business by the Rockets, who are doing this for a second-round pick in 2030.

Now, usually a Celtics second-round pick is not worth much, but this is five years out so it’s a quality asset as far as seconds go. In today’s NBA, these kinds of picks have grown in value as key assets for being in a position to land solid role players. With the Rockets planning on being a playoff team for the next several years, this addition could prove useful in addressing future roster needs.

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This trade framework between Houston and Boston may not be new to you. If you watched or listened to the ClutchFans Podcast on Monday, David Weiner, aka BimaThug, literally called out this exact possibility of the Rockets taking on Springer and landing a second-round pick.

As for Springer himself, this was a player I liked quite a bit in the 2021 NBA Draft and I wanted the Rockets to take him at the Josh Christopher spot. He has not quite panned out just yet. He’s got good size for a point guard (6-foot-4, 200 pounds) but is not a strong playmaker and has not been incredibly accurate as a shooter (25.0% from three).

But he does have good defensive potential. Does that get Ime Udoka’s attention at all? Possibly, but the Rockets likely will get an end-of-the-bench look at him for the rest of the season before his contract expires this offseason.

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Podcast: Doncic to Lakers, Fox to Spurs and the Trade Deadline for the Houston Rockets

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Luka Doncic Traded To Lakers, De'Aaron Fox Traded to Spurs, Rockets Trade Deadline and Impact

Luka Doncic traded to the Lakers? De’Aaron Fox traded to the Spurs?

What a crazy few days it has been, and the NBA trade deadline (Feb 6) hasn’t even arrived yet. The league is already turned upside down, so what does this mean for the Western Conference and the Houston Rockets?

Join Dave Hardisty and David Weiner on this episode of the ClutchFans Podcast as they break down:

  • The shocking Luka Doncic trade to the Lakers
  • Could the Rockets have had a legit chance at Luka?
  • How De’Aaron Fox changes San Antonio’s future
  • The Rockets owning Dallas’ 2029 first-round pick
  • What the Rockets could do at the NBA trade deadline
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The podcast premieres at 7:30am CT! Come join us!



CLUTCHFANS PODCAST: SPOTIFY | APPLE

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How the stunning Luka Doncic trade to the Lakers impacts the Houston Rockets

Dallas did the unthinkable by trading their superstar – what does this mean for Houston now and in the future?

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Luka Doncic Traded To Lakers

Late Saturday night, the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis and a 2029 first-round pick.

I know, it doesn’t seem even remotely real. This is the most shocking sports trade of my lifetime. I can’t think of one bigger nor one more unbelievable.

The Mavericks have to know something about Doncic that we don’t. It’s being reported that his poor conditioning, weight issues and looming supermax contract were the biggest factors, but this is a young phenom who is hypercompetitive. He might very well haunt Dallas for a long time.

It’s an absolutely fascinating move. So how does this impact the Houston Rockets now and in the future?

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The Rockets Couldn’t Get Luka?

The first reaction is of course, “Luka Doncic was available?!?” That leads to the inevitable question of why the Rockets didn’t get involved.

The simple answer is they didn’t know. Nobody really did — and it would not have mattered if they did.

This is a classic example of how sometimes in the NBA, it doesn’t matter how big of a treasure trove of assets you have. What matters is having the right single asset. Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison wanted Anthony Davis and that was that. The Rockets, with all their youth and picks, would not have been able to compete for Luka because they couldn’t help Harrison with his goals.

At the same time, this has to be maddening for Rockets GM Rafael Stone and the Houston front office, who have tried to position themselves for just such a trade when it became available. Doncic is 25-years old and was seen as an untouchable top-5 player, a dream target, the kind of player teams fantasize about stealing — yet the Mavericks booted him out of Dallas like a bad tenant in the dead of night. No league-wide bidding war — just unceremoniously traded while 28 other teams sat clueless, never even getting a shot at the prize.

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Dallas could have had their pick of top young players and draft choices had they made this an actual competition so this trade will be questioned and second-guessed for many years to come.

Rockets Control Dallas’ 2029 first-round pick

There is a silver lining for the Rockets and that’s the control they have on Dallas’ 2029 first-round pick (unprotected).

Dallas traded that pick to Brooklyn in the deal for Kyrie Irving in 2023. Brooklyn gave control of the pick to Houston as part of the deal to get their own picks (2025, 2026) back this past summer. So the Rockets control the best two first-round picks (unprotected) out of Phoenix, Dallas and Houston’s own first in the year 2029.

In this deal, Dallas’ core got older. Irving will turn 37 in the 2028-29 season and Davis will turn 36. This is four years away so a tremendous amount can change between now and then, but on paper it is a strong positive indicator for the value of that pick.

Keep in mind, the Rockets are unlikely to actually use this draft pick — they’re more likely to trade it to strengthen their current roster. So, what actually happens to Dallas four years from now isn’t as important as how teams around the league perceive the value of that pick right now and in the near future.

This looks like a potential win for Stone, Patrick Fertitta and the Rockets front office.

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Impact on Western Conference

Both the Lakers (currently 5th seed) and Mavericks (currently 8th) are potential first-round matchups for the Rockets this postseason.

Los Angeles: The Lakers may have taken a short-term hit, but if Luka’s conditioning issues can be fixed, this trade completely revitalizes their future. Before this move, Los Angeles was still relying on a 40-year-old LeBron James with no clear path forward, especially with their draft picks already limited. Now, they’ve managed to land Doncic, who put up 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds per game last season at just 24 years old, in exchange for a 31-year-old Davis. That’s highway robbery.

The NBA just handed the Lakers another superstar lifeline (like Shaquille O’Neal, like Pau Gasol, like Chris “Basketball Reasons” Paul, like LeBron James, like Anthony Davis) and they took full advantage.

But right now, this is an odd fit. The Lakers have no size. More moves have to be on the way here so stay tuned on how the Rockets match up with this squad.

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Dallas: Luka had been out for over a month and the Mavericks have been slipping. Dallas says they want to focus on defense and they do get that in Davis. They went from relying on two forces on the perimeter to putting the ball in Kyrie’s hands as the leader and leveraging their size in Davis, Derrick Lively (when he returns healthy) and Daniel Gafford.

The Rockets have excellent perimeter defenders, but their lack of interior rim protection makes it tough to handle Davis and any additional size next to him. This could be a real challenge for Alperen Sengun. While Sengun offensively dominated Gafford in their last matchup, he struggled against Lively — and Davis is on a whole different level.

But can Amen Thompson, Tari Eason and Dillon Brooks take out the head of the snake in Kyrie? Three-point shooting efficiency will likely be the key against Dallas. I think this is a tougher matchup for Houston right now, but long term, I think this really helps the Rockets. We will find out soon as Houston faces the Mavericks (without Lively) this Saturday.

One last potentially positive note to close on: Texas is fertile ground for free agents. No state income tax and warm weather have always been draws for NBA players, so having young superstars like Victor Wembanyama and Luka Doncic playing for your two rivals in the state had the potential to make things problematic when recruiting players trying to win a championship. Dallas loses that draw and becomes a team with a much smaller window… and who wants to live in San Antonio over Houston?

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