Adrian Wojnarowski @WojYahooNBA New Orleans will send a future first-round pick to Houston for Asik, league source tells Yahoo Sports. Deal will give Rockets cap space. (we could have paid him $5M, $5M and traded him for a first round pick?)
Maybe the Bulls could pick up Chandler Parsons? Howard, Harden, and Melo. That's elite. They'll be getting rid of Lin, too.
Sign and trade Harden for Anthony. Sign James outright. Still have Howard. Though, the paint will be congested for James.
@WindhorstESPN: The Pelicans will send the Rockets their first round pick in 2015 for Asik @WojYahooNBA: New Orleans will send a future first-round pick to Houston for Asik, league source tells Yahoo Sports. Deal will give Rockets cap space. @WindhorstESPN: The Pelicans will absorb Asik to help clear salary cap space as they chase big-ticket free agents Carmelo Anthony & LeBron James. @sam_amick: Rockets will also send cash to New Orleans in the deal. Houston clears cap room for free agency season. Jeremy Lin up next likely. @WojYahooNBA: For the Rockets, this is Step 1 in clearing the cap space to chase LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony in free agency. @sam_amick: A Jeremy Lin trade, I'm told, won't likely happen unless one of big-time free agents commits. But as I've reported, they have deals teed up. @Chris_Broussard: Rockets clearing cap room to make run at LeBron or Melo. With James Harden as potential sign&trade, they could land both to team w/Dwight @IanBegley: On Melo & LeBron, Houston's plan includes signing one outright & then trading Harden in an S&T for the other. Sam Amick ✔ @sam_amick The Pelicans get $1.5 million in cash. The 2015 pick Houston receives will likely be late lottery and no worse than No. 20. @sam_amick: Regarding New Orleans giving up firsts in two consecutive years, I'm told this deal will happen officially in July. By then, that's legal. @sam_amick: Rockets deal likely happens after July moratorium (10th) because NO will likely use players w/ nonguaranteed $ to match Asik's $8.3 million
Well crap. Obviously this puts a wrench into the plans. Look at NO, Asik and Davis! The post is going to be well guarded
If somehow Houston manages to strike out, they really helped the Pelicans out. That is a very elite defensive front line. Houston will have trouble with it.
I know. We should trade for him. I wish he could have played for us. His contract is up after this season.
@clutchfans 52s Source confirms the Rockets will receive the first round pick from Pelicans next year if it is between 4-19. That's huge.
@FOXSportsLive: "Houston is convinced that they will be in the game for both these guys (LeBron & Carmelo)." - @WojYahooNBA
@BenDuBose: Woj: "Houston is convinced that they're going to be in the game for both of these guys [LeBron/Carmelo]." @BenDuBose: Woj on FS1: "They think there's nowhere else in the league where [LeBron/Carmelo] can step in and have that kind of supporting cast."
I find this one curious. Assuming that Asik still wants to be a starter, the Pelicans are trading what will likely be a lottery pick for a one-season rental of a backup center...and they don't figure to be even a playoff team in the West.
not sure why the pelicans would have such weak protection on the pick, dumping asik was a necessity for houston
I find it curious he wasn't worth $5M a season to us. The third season? If we could find a way to trade Jalen Rose, we can find a way to trade anyone. Or pay the f'n tax and be a man about it.
