10:53pm: The pick is protected so that it will only convey to the Rockets next year if it falls between the No. 4 and 20 selections, tweets Feigen.
9:25pm: The Rockets have a deal in place to send Omer Asik to the Pelicans, sources tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. The Pelicans will send a protected 2015 first round pick to Houston, who is moving Asik to clear cap space in pursuit of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony (all Twitter links). Sam Amick of USA Today first reported that Houston will also send cash to New Orleans as part of the deal, and Windhorst reports that the amount is $1.5MM (via Twitter).
The Rockets were reported to have deals in place for both Asik and Jeremy Lin, so this is not a shocking development. While a source tells Amick that Lin won’t be moved until the Rockets have a marquee free agent lined up to sign, Asik’s overlapping skill set with starter Dwight Howard makes him a less risky player to part with preemptively. The Turkish big man was shopped by the Rockets last season, but the balloon payment on the upcoming final year of his contract cooled teams from acquiring the elite defender. Of course, Houston was interested in getting back a player to help in their playoff run at the time, which wasn’t a factor in this trade.
The pick from New Orleans has layers of protection, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Feigen says it will likely end up going to the Rockets in the late lottery or as high as No. 20 next year, depending on the Pelicans’ regular season performance. Since New Orleans doesn’t own its 2014 first round pick, the trade would need to be finalized following tomorrow’s draft since teams are prohibited from being without a first round pick in two consecutive seasons.
Amick reports that the teams plan to make the deal official in July, suggesting after the July moratorium, when New Orleans would presumably send back contracts to match the roughly $8.4MM cap hit that accompanies Asik. Eric Pincus of The Los Angeles Times notes that the nonguaranteed contracts on New Orleans’ roster would not equal enough in salary to match Asik’s number and stay under the cap for a valid trade. The Pelicans will have to clear more salary in advance of finalizing the deal, since it would be self-defeating for Houston to take back significant salary as part of the deal (Twitter links).
I think the 2015 first round pick is 1-20 protected as well. Great move for the Pels. Asik matches up well with Ryno and AD!
That is the best Houston could do ? Shocking.
I think everyone knew that they had to move him for their summer plans, effectively lowering the price. Houston didn’t have a ton of leverage.
It’s only gonna be a top ten protected pick so, they’re gonna end up with a pick 13-20 most likely, I meen N.O. has a good team but in the west do u think they’ll make the playoffs? Doubful so HOU is gonna end up with a top 20 1st rounder for a backup center, thats a pretty damn good deal especially considering everyone knew you needed to do it.
What do you expect for a reserve center getting paid like he’s an all-star.
Slackin’ on this one HoopsRumors! Usually you guys are uber quick!!!
But Anderson either gets Trade or to SF.
Noel plays for the Sixers buddy.
quickly changed it after realizing what he said.
This is a trade that benefits both teams. AD doesn’t have to play C anymore for the Pelicans, and the Rockets basically just shed the $15M salary of Asik.
Am I missing something here? How can the Pelicans make this trade since they’ve already traded their 2014 1st rounder as part of the Holiday deal? Unless the Pelicans have acquired a 1st rounder in this years draft that hasn’t been announced, I don’t think this trade can be allowed. I’m no expert though.
its a 2015 1st rounder.
Yeah I get that part but teams can’t part with first round picks in back to back years. No 2014 1st rounder and giving up a 2015 1st rounder seems to violate that, even with the protection.
Didnt you see what the article said? The deal cant be made official until AFTER tomorrow’s draft because of the very reason you stated. After tomorrow the “next two drafts” will be 2015 & 2016 and they own both of those 1st rounders so they can trade one of them
No, they’re probably waiting until after the moratorium so New Orleans can acquire Asik with cap space. This deal only really makes sense for Houston if they don’t take salary back. That said, it looks like the cap might have to come in slightly higher than expected for NO to absorb with cap space.
i think it’s a fair deal. I think New Orleans has a chance at #8. Man the west is loaded! It allows Brow to play his natural position. This team will be a good rebounding team and will use ryan anderson everywhere. I still think they have to move Eric Gordon.
I personally dont like this move at all for New Orleans
Better pick protection would have been nice, but overall I don’t think it was too bad. Solid defensive frontcourt, with Davis now able to even further assert himself as an offensive force with someone to back him up protecting the rim.
I just like their spacing with Anderson and Davis. If anything, I felt they needed another defensive wing player. Asik is a really good C, but I dont see the fit on that team, especially because I felt like Ajinca did a pretty good job in his role for them last year
Looks like that if the Pellies send Ely, Babbitt, and Withey as the non-guaranteed filler, they can just barely meet salary matching requirements by adding Rivers on the end. He’d be the only guaranteed money and I think a piece easily peddled elsewhere to keep him off the Rockets’ cap sheet.