Houston makes Asik and Lin available

[Smitty77]

They are correct Lucky 17.  Shamsports just averages the salary over the length of the contract.  They structured the contracts like they so the Bulls and Knicks simply could NOT match.

Smitty77

[BudweiserCeltic]

They are correct Lucky 17.  Shamsports just averages the salary over the length of the contract.  They structured the contracts like they so the Bulls and Knicks simply could NOT match.

Smitty77

From what I understand, the cap hit, which is what interests us, would only be 8 million as it says in Shamsports.

[gpap]

Hmmm, not sure I understand where Houston is coming from with this.

Even if they land Howard (which still isn't a guarantee), why wouldn't you want to use Asik either as a back up 5 OR just shift him to the 4?

Is there a link to prove Houston is shopping both guys?

Probably not mobile enough to be a 4, and too expensive for a backup.

Well in that case, then I agree with GAR that Rondo/Bass for Lin/Asik would be a great deal for the Celts.

I know I am going to get ripped for saying this, but I still think Lin has something left in the tank, and remember the question with Rondo is will he be the same player upon returning from his knee injury?

I am not talking about whether he'll be ready to play the whole season, but I am talking about whether the torn ACL will limit his mobility (same fear I would have with Rose.)

Plus I think Asik is a very good center.

Only thing to keep in mind however is if Rondo is dealt to Houston, good chance Josh Smith follows Rondo and Howard there.

[oldutican]

Trading Asik is to clear cap space to sign Howard. Making Rondo part of a trade for Asik is NUTS. Rockets I think will want draft choices for Asik, something Celts now have plenty of.

[aporel#18]

Pick Brooks or Delfino up for little money if you can... avoid Lin/Asik.

[rondoallaturca]

Trading Asik is to clear cap space to sign Howard. Making Rondo part of a trade for Asik is NUTS. Rockets I think will want draft choices for Asik, something Celts now have plenty of.

Houston is a contender. Draft picks are nice to every team, but they'd much rather get back pieces that can actually fill out their team. As it stands, they have workhorses who can play big minutes on the wing in Harden and Parsons, but there's absolutely no depth behind them. They have a couple PFs who can play, but none of them are the ideal full-time stretch-4 they're looking for.

The C's just happen to have Bass, Lee, Olynyk, and draft picks (obviously, only some of these pieces, not all of them, will suffice). Ainge should definitely explore a potential trade.

Furthermore, they are already able to sign Howard without having to trade Asik.

[oldutican]

Didn't realize they have space to sign Howard. 

[rondoallaturca]

ESPN Trade Machine has Rockets less than $5 million under cap. It may be even more under with departing FAs. Howard will likely cost upwards of $18M. So they may not be able to afford salaries for Asik. And I'm surprised they would take on Calderon at $11M for Lin even if it is expiring.

Calderon is a free agent. The Trade Machine is 1 year behind when it comes to the contracts. I'm not sure if it's because the free agency period hasn't technically started or what.

[gar]

I remember reading about the strange structure of those Houston contracts. Obviously if we could get Asik and keep Rondo that would be ideal. My sense is that Houston will only trade Asik if they can get someone like Rondo (or J Smith)and Lin would help ease the pain.

Whoever said J Smith would also go to Houston assumes that he would be willing to take a huge pay cut - they would be looking at Rondo or Smith. As for bringing J Smith here, I would rather have Asik (if they would part with him and let us keep Rondo) and make do with the PF/SF lineup that we have.

[rondoallaturca]

I remember reading about the strange structure of those Houston contracts. Obviously if we could get Asik and keep Rondo that would be ideal. My sense is that Houston will only trade Asik if they can get someone like Rondo (or J Smith)and Lin would help ease the pain.

Whoever said J Smith would also go to Houston assumes that he would be willing to take a huge pay cut - they would be looking at Rondo or Smith. As for bringing J Smith here, I would rather have Asik (if they would part with him and let us keep Rondo) and make do with the PF/SF lineup that we have.

Asik isn't worth a Rondo or Smith, and Houston doesn't have the leverage to force a Rondo or Smith.

Furthermore, even if Houston would get Rondo, they wouldn't get Smith. Right now they're designed to be an inside-out team similar to Dwight's Magic. Surround him with as many shooters as possible, and let Dwight control the paint. Lin, Harden, and Parsons can all make the perimeter shot. Ideally, Houston is looking to acquire a stretch-4. If they replace Lin with Rondo, then they would be forced into acquire a stretch-4. Smith cannot occupy that role.

[TripleOT]

Houston should keep Asik.  Dwight Howard was at his most effective when he had a capable big backing him up,  in Gortat.  The Rockets probably don't want to deal with Asik's $14m deal for 2015, but he will be an expiring deal next season and some under the cap team would take him off their hands. 

ESPN Kevin Pelton is guestimating the 2014 cap line at $58.5 million.  Houston is at $34.5m now that they've dumped T Rob.  Throw in cap holds of $4m for all the second rounders that will fill their roster, as well as guaranteeing Parsons and Greg Smith, and the Rockets have enough room to offer Howard a max deal for 4 years without moving Lin or Asik.

The Rockets are scrambling to move one or both of them because they don't want to pay the poison pill salary of $14m for either of them  in 2015. If they can move both of them for expiring deals, they could sign Howard this summer and another max or near max FA next summer. 

If Houston wanted to get away from Asik's deal bad enough, they could take Bass and Melo for him.  Bass plays well with Howard, because he can spread the floor.  Melo would be a project with only one more year of guaranteed money.  It's a way better deal for Boston, who would be rewarded for taking on the $14m last year of Asik's deal.   

[oldutican]

I'll repeat there is no way I'd trade Rondo to get Asik and Lin. Not sure what combo would do it. Wish it could be picks and some combo of players we don't want (Bass, Lee, Humphries, Wallace.)

[oldutican]

@triple OT. I'd gladly throw in a 1st with Bass and Melo to get Asik.

[rondoallaturca]

Houston should keep Asik.  Dwight Howard was at his most effective when he had a capable big backing him up,  in Gortat.  The Rockets probably don't want to deal with Asik's $14m deal for 2015, but he will be an expiring deal next season and some under the cap team would take him off their hands. 

ESPN Kevin Pelton is guestimating the 2014 cap line at $58.5 million.  Houston is at $34.5m now that they've dumped T Rob.  Throw in cap holds of $4m for all the second rounders that will fill their roster, as well as guaranteeing Parsons and Greg Smith, and the Rockets have enough room to offer Howard a max deal for 4 years without moving Lin or Asik.

The Rockets are scrambling to move one or both of them because they don't want to pay the poison pill salary of $14m for either of them  in 2015. If they can move both of them for expiring deals, they could sign Howard this summer and another max or near max FA next summer. 

If Houston wanted to get away from Asik's deal bad enough, they could take Bass and Melo for him.  Bass plays well with Howard, because he can spread the floor.  Melo would be a project with only one more year of guaranteed money.  It's a way better deal for Boston, who would be rewarded for taking on the $14m last year of Asik's deal.   

To be honest, Dwight's peak years wasn't a result of having Gortat as his backup. It was because he was completely surrounded with sharpshooters, some of them who were having absolute career years (Turkoglu & Lewis specifically).

If we could get Asik for just Bass and Melo, I'd definitely do it. However, earlier I proposed Bass and Olynyk and some people felt it wasn't enough. If that's the case, Bass and Melo certainly wouldn't be enough.

[bobbyv]

Lin + Asik

for

Rondo + Melo

Works in ESPN Trade Machine and would save Boston huge money and get them under the Cap.

How so? Lin + Asik contracts are more than Rondo and Melo's combined...