Omer Asik Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Hayward, Jazz, Nash

November 3rd, 2013 at 10:12pm CST by Ryan Raroque

While the Jazz and Gordon Hayward fell short of agreeing on a contract extension last week, both Hayward and the franchise are still interested in getting something done eventually. Hayward told Jody Genessy of the Deseret News: “(Not reaching an agreement) in no way changes the way I feel about Utah at all…I love being here. I love playing for them…Hopefully (an extension) will get worked out next summer.”

Utah GM Dennis Lindsey had this to say about Hayward’s agent Mark Bartelstein and future negotiations: “Mark’s been one of the best agents in the business because he negotiates hard. He was fair. He played by the rules. He’ll continue to play by the rules. We’ll be fair as well, and we’ll come back and start talking in July…Just because (Hayward) said no to our last offer, his character hasn’t changed. He is an outstanding person…He’s someone we can see being in a Utah Jazz jersey until he retires. That’s our hope. We think we’re great fits.”

We have a handful of miscellaneous news and notes to pass along tonight, and you can read them below:

ESPN LA’s Arash Markazi weighed in on some of the rumblings which suggest that Steve Nash could eventually wind up in Toronto, saying that a deal between the Raptors and Lakers makes sense but isn’t sure if something gets done. Markazi opines that L.A. would like to clear Nash’s salary off their books while the Raptors would enjoy increased ticket sales by bringing the Canadian legend back to his home country (All Twitter links).
Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld tweeted a list of players who may be traded this season, including: Omer Asik, Jameer Nelson, Arron Afflalo, Glen Davis, Evan Turner, Rajon Rondo, Brandon Bass, and Gerald Wallace.
Kennedy also shared what 76ers rookie Michael Carter-Williams told him about his chances on winning the Rookie of the Year Award: “I think I have a pretty good chance at it. I’m just going to go out there, play my game and hope for the best” (Twitter link).
Entering tonight’s game with a record of 1-2 before their win against the Wizards, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade acknowledged that some minor chemistry issues are affecting the team (Michael Wallace of ESPN.com). More specifically, Wade had this to say: “Let me give you an example…If you’re in a relationship with a woman for a long time, you start getting comfortable. You stop doing the little things that you should do, that you did in the beginning. It’s just like a relationship. We got a little comfortable. Now we have to get back on that edge a little bit.”
Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes that Knicks forwards Amar’e Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin will have their own individualized schedules as far as playing or sitting out games, a decision meant to preserve the health of both in the long run.
Mavericks point man Jose Calderon appears to be regaining his groove after a sluggish start to the season, writes Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram.

Odds & Ends: Asik, Howard, Irving, Jack, Sixers

October 31st, 2013 at 10:50pm CST by Alex Lee

The 11 pm CT deadline for extensions and team options for players still on their rookie contracts should steal most of the headlines tonight, but let’s look at some of the other buzz from around the league:

Rockets officials “continue to privately insist” that Omer Asik won’t be available via trade this season if he and Dwight Howard can be productive alongside one another in the Houston frontcourt, reports ESPN.com’s Marc Stein.
Speaking of Howard, Mark Cuban says the Houston center made “a mistake in judgement” by joining the Rockets over his Mavericks, writes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News, who pulls several other interesting quotes from Cuban and Mavs coach Rick Carlisle about how the team is faring with their “Plan B.”
Meanwhile, Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram tweets that Cuban believes Howard had already decided on Houston as his destination before he sat down with the Mavericks last summer.
While the Cavaliers can’t offer star point guard Kyrie Irving an extension until next summer, the strong relationship between Irving and owner Dan Gilbert should reassure Clevelanders still sore over losing LeBron James, writes Jodie Valade of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Valade also writes that, while the Andrew Bynum addition received most of the headlines, it is Jarrett Jack who will have the biggest impact among the new faces in Cleveland this season.
Sixers advanced scout and former assistant Ron Oliver won’t return for a third season with the team, reports Shams Charania of RealGM (via Twitter).

Amico’s Latest: 76ers, DeRozan, Hawks, Hamilton

October 21st, 2013 at 3:46pm CST by Luke Adams

This week’s Amico Report from Sam Amico has been published at FOX Sports Ohio, and it features a few rumors and rumblings from around the NBA. Let’s check in on Amico’s latest updates….

Jimmer Fredette and Omer Asik are among the potential trade candidates “generating whispers” around the league, says Amico. He adds that practically every Sixer, besides the team’s two 2013 lottery picks (Nerlens Noel and Michael Carter-Williams), could also be available.
One GM tells Amico that there’s “strong league-wide interest” in DeMar DeRozan, though the Raptors don’t seem too interested in anything that’s been offered.
When James Johnson was waived today by the Hawks, I speculated that he could explore overseas options, but Amico suggests there are a few NBA teams with Johnson on their radars.
With the Hawks expected to keep either Royal Ivey or Shelvin Mack as their third point guard, the player that gets cut will likely be grabbed by another NBA club, according to Amico.
While no teams have stepped up with a commitment to him yet, free agent guard Richard Hamilton is “drawing loads of interest,” writes Amico.

Western Notes: Turner, Nuggets, Asik

October 17th, 2013 at 5:36pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Richard Hamilton was one name linked to the Timberwolves as they consider adding a wing, but he’s far from the team’s only potential target. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities tweets that Evan Turner has fans among the Wolves front office, and that the 76ers would be open to moving him. In a piece for the Star Tribune, Jerry Zgoda also mentions Turner and identifies a few other possible options.

With that aside, let’s take a look at what else is going on around the Western Conference:

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports takes a look at the Nuggets’ offseason, starting with Josh Kroenke’s agonizing decision to fire Coach of the Year George Karl.
ESPN’s David Thorpe examines Omer Asik‘s trade value and explores a few potential trades involving the Rockets’ center (Insiders only).
Earlier this week, we noted that there has been mutual interest between the Jazz and free agent guard Jamaal Tinsley, although nothing appeared to be imminent. Steve Luhm of The Salt Lake Tribune was able to relay some of head coach Tyrone Corbin‘s comments today regarding the 35-year-old point guard: “He’s a guy that’s on the list…We haven’t decided what we’re going to do yet. He’s a guy we’re comfortable with. I really respect what he brings to the team. We’ll look and see if it’s the right fit going forward.”
Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News (via Twitter) doesn’t expect the Spurs to make any roster cuts until after the team’s road trip ends in Miami on Saturday. McDonald also points out that although San Antonio only has to make one more roster cut, they could possibly opt for two.
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich drew a parallel between Manu Ginobili and new addition Marco Belinelli: “I consider him to have the same mindset as Manu, which means I’m going to have to be patient as I’ve learned with Manu. Manu taught me to shut up and just watch him play a little more, which is a good thing. And Marco is going to be the same way. They both have the same passion for the game. They have no fear, which most of the time is good, but sometimes it can bite you. But I would rather have that than somebody who is timid” (NBA.com via the Associated Press).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Western Notes: Rockets, Kaman, Jazz, Goodwin

October 9th, 2013 at 1:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets head into the 2013/14 season considered one of the legit contenders to come out of the Western Conference, but according to GM Daryl Morey, the Houston roster is still a work in progress.

“We’re not all the way there, we’re not a finished team,” Morey told Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. “We’re going to be experimenting. We want to be a great team by mid-April.”

In his piece, Windhorst points to Omer Asik as the Rockets’ most significant trade chip, suggesting that it wouldn’t be surprising if the club worked out a deal involving the big center prior to the trade deadline. Here are a few more items from out of the Western Conference:

Chris Kaman was the Lakers‘ “unheralded consolation prize” after they lost out on Dwight Howard in free agency. But Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com explains why the veteran center could play a crucial role in the team’s season.
After his seeing his role and his production decline during the last several seasons in Golden State, Andris Biedrins says he’s happy to get a “fresh start” with the Jazz, tweets Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle.
The Jazz are one of eight NBA teams carrying the maximum 20 players, meaning they’ll need to make at least five cuts before the regular season begins. However, coach Tyrone Corbin says no roster moves are imminent at this point, according to Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter).
Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic takes an extensive look at rookie guard Archie Goodwin, who the Suns hope will become a part of the team’s long-term core.

Rockets Notes: Morey, Asik, Howard

September 27th, 2013 at 7:36pm CST by Chuck Myron

For the Rockets, "Everything is all-in on right now," GM Daryl Morey said to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle and others as training camp begins, hinting that more moves are to come after a summer in which Houston landed Dwight Howard. Here's more from the Rockets boss and other news on the team as it begins training camp:

"Our young guys have to step up," Morey also said. "We’re not there. We’re not a finished team. We’re not a finished product. We’re focused on we want to be great come mid-April. That’s our focus. We need to get ourselves homecourt in the first round and making sure we’re humming come mid-April with guys stepping up or whatever is needed."
Omer Asik's summer trade request seemingly makes him a candidate for the team's next move, and the 7-footer offered up a "no comment" today, telling Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com and others gathered for media day that he just plans to do his job (Twitter link).
The happy-go-lucky James Harden and the rest of the Rockets are a much better fit for Howard on and off the court than the Lakers and straitlaced Kobe Bryant, opines USA Today's Sam Amick.

Odds & Ends: Seattle, Expansion, Thunder

September 12th, 2013 at 5:35pm CST by Ryan Raroque

There has been speculation that Chris Hansen's contributions to an anti-Kings-arena movement in Sacramento could hurt Seattle's chances of eventually landing an NBA franchise. However, current commissioner David Stern and future commissioner Adam Silver both recently downplayed concerns about the league or its owners holding a grudge, according to Percy Allen of the Seattle Times. You can find more of this evening's miscellaneous news and notes below, including more from the above article:

Allen also points out that Hansen still has around four years to secure an NBA team and finalize an agreement with Seattle and King County to build a $490MM arena in Sodo with $200MM in public subsidies.
Given that there currently aren't any teams for sale, Silver had this to say about possible expansion within the near future: "I would never say it’s never going to happen. There’s nothing in the works at the moment…Obviously the league has grown over the years and there may come a point to look at it…But right now coming off of our new collective bargaining agreement, we really want to make sure we have 30 franchises that are all financially sound."
RealGM's Jonathan Tjarks makes a case for why the Thunder's core still has enough time to win a title.
Mark Willard and Arash Markazi of ESPN LA talk about what Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni has to accomplish in order to keep his job in Los Angeles.
Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com discusses the ten players most likely to be dealt this season (Insiders only). Among the more notable names on the list include Luol Deng (who we recently heard is set to hit free agency next summer), Rajon Rondo, Omer Asik, and Danny Granger.

Central Notes: Cavs, Asik, Dunleavy, Bulls

September 2nd, 2013 at 12:16pm CST by Zachary Links

Here's a look at today's news out of the Central Division..

In today's mailbag, a reader asks Mary Schmitt-Boyer of the Plain Dealer if the Rockets could be open to dealing an unhappy Omer Asik to the Cavs for Anderson Varejao. It's unlikely for a number of reasons, but a source in Houston says that while Asik is not pleased with backing up Dwight Howard, the Rockets still insist they're not going to trade him. Even if the Rockets changed their minds, they'd likely be looking for a better shooter than Varejao.
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com looks back at the offseason that was for the Bulls. Their big get, obviously, was adding Mike Dunleavy on a surprisingly light two-year, $6MM deal. The Dunleavy signing gives Chicago a solid shooter who should be more consistent than Marco Belinelli and Nate Robinson, who signed elsewhere.
Over the weekend, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe spoke with Bucks GM John Hammond, who spoke glowingly of Larry Sanders. The big man signed a four-year, $44MM contract extension with Milwaukee this offseason.

Kyler On Asik, Rockets, Suns, Gortat, Adelman

August 26th, 2013 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Continuing a series that got underway last week, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld examines a few more teams that could explore trade options either before or during the 2013/14 season. Let's dive in and check out what Kyler has to say about the Rockets, Suns, and Timberwolves….

The Rockets listened to offers on Omer Asik earlier in the offseason, and there were teams with interest, but given the health questions still surrounding Dwight Howard, Houston was reluctant to part with Asik and put everything on D12.
Jeremy Lin's future in Houston also isn't entirely set in stone, but the Rockets figure to give Lin and Asik a chance to establish roles with the club early on, says Kyler. If Lin, Asik, or anyone else isn't fitting into the team's system, trades could be explored.
While the Suns have been adamant that Marcin Gortat is a core piece for this season, Kyler thinks it's inevitable that the veteran big man is shopped and/or moved by the trade deadline, considering he's in a contract year.
Eric Bledsoe is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, but the Suns may want to see how he adjusts to a bigger role before making a long-term commitment, says Kyler. If Bledsoe emerges as the long-term answer at point guard, it could make Goran Dragic a trade candidate down the road.
The T-Wolves' roster looks solid entering the 2013/14 season, but there's some uncertainty surrounding head coach Rick Adelman. Sources tell Kyler that Adelman isn't retiring, but his wife's health problems mean that the coach's future in Minnesota remains up in the air. It's not clear what will happen if Adelman has to miss a significant chunk of time again, Kyler notes.

Daryl Morey Talks Asik, Howard, CP3, Lottery

August 16th, 2013 at 8:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Rockets GM Daryl Morey has had an eventful offseason, landing the top big man on the free agent market, adding a handful of free agents around Dwight Howard, and losing his annual Las Vegas ping pong match to Bobcats GM Rich Cho. He addressed all of those topics today in an "Ask Me Anything" session at Reddit.com, and the questions and answers in full can be found here. We'll round up a few of Morey's more notable responses below….

Asked whether Omer Asik will be happy with his new role in Houston, Morey acknowledged that Asik would prefer to be a starter, but added that the big man is concerned with winning first, and will like being on a competitive team. According to Morey, coach Kevin McHale will also experiment with a lineup in training camp that includes Asik at center and Howard at power forward.
According to Morey, the Rockets' pitch to Howard centered around three main factors: The opportunity to join a rising star in James Harden, McHale's presence on the bench, and the fact that, among the clubs D12 was considering, Houston has the most assets and flexibility to continue improving the roster around him.
Chris Paul reportedly had interest in the Rockets before re-signing with the Clippers, but Morey says he believes Houston was "always on the periphery of where [Paul] might choose to go."
Morey says he'd love for every NBA team to send all trade offers Houston's way, whether those offers are "ridiculous or reasonable," since even the ridiculous ones can eventually grow into something real.
Asked to reply to Steve Kerr's suggestions for how to improve the NBA's draft lottery, Morey indicated that he thinks the league rewards losing too much, and that potential alternatives are "something we need to work on." Morey went on to say that "bottoming out" is the highest probability strategy for rebuilding, and that he thinks a team like Philadelphia took the best path available, given the current CBA and draft rules.
Morey had nothing but praise for future commissioner Adam Silver, who is "very forward-thinking" and has plenty of great ideas for how to improve the NBA, according to the Rockets GM.