Rockets seek deal for Omer Asik

[LarBrd33]

Why is Asik considered such a commodity?

Career averages of 5 points and 7 rebounds.  Horrible offensive player with stone hands.  Can't shoot free throws. he's not particularly young (27 years old).  He's only managed to start 92 of his 247 games. 

Last season was the only one he received big minutes.

They call him an elite shot blocker, but he was 33rd in the league in blocked shots (1.1). 

They call him an elite defensive player, but it looks like he was 110th in the league last year in defensive rating.  It's not like this guy had a Hibbert or Duncan level impact on defense. 

I legitimately don't get it.  Is there a different stat I should be looking at?  What measure are people looking at when they claim Asik is some game-changer?  Everything I look at just makes him look like a massively overpaid stiff.  I feel like this has major bust potential for any team that gets suckered into trading for him.

[pokeKingCurtis]

Why is Asik considered such a commodity?

From what I've read on here (looked it up on basketball-reference and the stats quite consistent with the article) and several other bits and pieces.

His defensive rating on the Bulls was good and he played good defense on the Bulls.

The recent Rockets are bad at defense (James Harden and Lin are bad at defending penetration). Asik made their defense acceptable last year (16th in defensive rating).

Edit: [dang] it messed up the link

Edit 2: double fail

[LarBrd33]

Why is Asik considered such a commodity?

From what I've read on here (looked it up on basketball-reference and the stats quite consistent with the article) and several other bits and pieces.

His defensive rating on the Bulls was good and he played good defense on the Bulls.

The recent Rockets are bad at defense (James Harden and Lin are bad at defending penetration). Asik made their defense acceptable last year (16th in defensive rating).

I mean... he played limited minutes off the bench for the Bulls.  The Bulls have consistently had one of the best defenses in the league during the Thibs era.  Even this year they are top 3 defensively.  Doesn't that slant the defensive rating a bit?   

Last year when Asik was a starting center, he wasn't even in the top 100.  Now he's on the bench pouting and throwing a tantrum.  I still fail to see why this guy is so valuable.

[pokeKingCurtis]

Why is Asik considered such a commodity?

From what I've read on here (looked it up on basketball-reference and the stats quite consistent with the article) and several other bits and pieces.

His defensive rating on the Bulls was good and he played good defense on the Bulls.

The recent Rockets are bad at defense (James Harden and Lin are bad at defending penetration). Asik made their defense acceptable last year (16th in defensive rating).

I mean... he played limited minutes off the bench for the Bulls.  The Bulls have consistently had one of the best defenses in the league during the Thibs era.  Even this year they are top 3 defensively.  Doesn't that slant the defensive rating a bit?   

Last year when Asik was a starting center, he wasn't even in the top 100.  Now he's on the bench pouting and throwing a tantrum.  I still fail to see why this guy is so valuable.

In the article, they posted the defensive rating of the Bulls before and after losing Asik, as well as that of the Rockets before and after the acquisition of Asik. The former dropped while the latter improved. The only variable was supposedly Asik.

Houston's DRtg with Asik off the floor was 107.5 vs. 101.5 when he was on. The article also suggests Houston's fast pace had something to do with the inflated numbers.

I'd agree with you in that some are hyping him up too much but I wouldn't say he's worthless.

[LooseCannon]

MySynergySports doesn't have last year's numbers and his limited playing time means he has a small sample size, but it currently ranks Asik 24th in points per possession allowed with 0.72 and 6th in post-ups with 0.52.

That being said, defense is difficult to quantify.  Asik's reputation is that he is good at post-up defense, rotating on help defense, defending the pick-and-roll, and closing out on perimeter shooters.  Other than that (and defensive rebounding), there's probably nothing special about his defense.

Asik didn't play that much in Chicago because he had an established, above-average veteran starter in Joakim Noah ahead of him.  If you don't understand how that explains his limited minutes, there's no hope for you.

[ManUp]

Why is Asik considered such a commodity?

Career averages of 5 points and 7 rebounds.  Horrible offensive player with stone hands.  Can't shoot free throws. he's not particularly young (27 years old).  He's only managed to start 92 of his 247 games. 

Last season was the only one he received big minutes.

They call him an elite shot blocker, but he was 33rd in the league in blocked shots (1.1). 

They call him an elite defensive player, but it looks like he was 110th in the league last year in defensive rating.  It's not like this guy had a Hibbert or Duncan level impact on defense. 

I legitimately don't get it.  Is there a different stat I should be looking at?  What measure are people looking at when they claim Asik is some game-changer?  Everything I look at just makes him look like a massively overpaid stiff.  I feel like this has major bust potential for any team that gets suckered into trading for him.

This.

All this fuss about a rich man's Perkins.

[oldutican]

I think Asik would be a nice addition, but given his contract and the Celts need for scorers, all I'd do is Humphries. He gives Rockets an inside replacement for Asik and his contract is expiring. Someone else will likely offer more, so I doubt he is headed our way.

[LooseCannon]

One thing that I think people are sleeping on is that Asik is probably one of the top five rebounders in the league.  He might be able to single-handedly solve every complaint you have had about Celtics rebounding in the past several seasons.

If Ainge could get him without giving up any key players, the Celtics could be a top five defense with significantly above-average rebounding next season.  That sounds better to me than acquiring that go-to scorer that some people crave as a magical fix for the offense.

[Vermont Green]

I think Asik would be a nice addition, but given his contract and the Celts need for scorers, all I'd do is Humphries. He gives Rockets an inside replacement for Asik and his contract is expiring. Someone else will likely offer more, so I doubt he is headed our way.

The rumor was Houston is looking for pick(s).  Would you go as far as Humphries and maybe the Clippers 2015 pick?  I think that is the fringe of the realistic range for something to happen.  Humphries alone they may as well just waive Asik, let someone pick him up (which they would) and save the money.

[pearljammer10]

I think Asik would be a nice addition, but given his contract and the Celts need for scorers, all I'd do is Humphries. He gives Rockets an inside replacement for Asik and his contract is expiring. Someone else will likely offer more, so I doubt he is headed our way.

The rumor was Houston is looking for pick(s).  Would you go as far as Humphries and maybe the Clippers 2015 pick?  I think that is the fringe of the realistic range for something to happen.  Humphries alone they may as well just waive Asik, let someone pick him up (which they would) and save the money.

Id make that trade but I think the Rockets could get a more valuable asset in the front court along with a pick for Asik.

[LarBrd33]

MySynergySports doesn't have last year's numbers and his limited playing time means he has a small sample size, but it currently ranks Asik 24th in points per possession allowed with 0.72 and 6th in post-ups with 0.52.

That being said, defense is difficult to quantify.  Asik's reputation is that he is good at post-up defense, rotating on help defense, defending the pick-and-roll, and closing out on perimeter shooters.  Other than that (and defensive rebounding), there's probably nothing special about his defense.

Asik didn't play that much in Chicago because he had an established, above-average veteran starter in Joakim Noah ahead of him.  If you don't understand how that explains his limited minutes, there's no hope for you.

How are Faverani's advanced defensive stats for us right now in limited minutes?  Think in a couple years the stiff will be worth 15 mil a year and two 1st round picks in a trade?

[Roy H.]

Why is Asik considered such a commodity?

Career averages of 5 points and 7 rebounds.  Horrible offensive player with stone hands.  Can't shoot free throws. he's not particularly young (27 years old).  He's only managed to start 92 of his 247 games. 

Last season was the only one he received big minutes.

They call him an elite shot blocker, but he was 33rd in the league in blocked shots (1.1). 

They call him an elite defensive player, but it looks like he was 110th in the league last year in defensive rating.  It's not like this guy had a Hibbert or Duncan level impact on defense. 

I legitimately don't get it.  Is there a different stat I should be looking at?  What measure are people looking at when they claim Asik is some game-changer?  Everything I look at just makes him look like a massively overpaid stiff.  I feel like this has major bust potential for any team that gets suckered into trading for him.

This.

All this fuss about a rich man's Perkins.

As we've seen first hand, a Perk-type player can be extremely valuable. 

[LarBrd33]

Why is Asik considered such a commodity?

Career averages of 5 points and 7 rebounds.  Horrible offensive player with stone hands.  Can't shoot free throws. he's not particularly young (27 years old).  He's only managed to start 92 of his 247 games. 

Last season was the only one he received big minutes.

They call him an elite shot blocker, but he was 33rd in the league in blocked shots (1.1). 

They call him an elite defensive player, but it looks like he was 110th in the league last year in defensive rating.  It's not like this guy had a Hibbert or Duncan level impact on defense. 

I legitimately don't get it.  Is there a different stat I should be looking at?  What measure are people looking at when they claim Asik is some game-changer?  Everything I look at just makes him look like a massively overpaid stiff.  I feel like this has major bust potential for any team that gets suckered into trading for him.

This.

All this fuss about a rich man's Perkins.

As we've seen first hand, a Perk-type player can be extremely valuable.

Faverani's stats are almost identical to Asik's in Chicago.   Is Faverani worth two 1st round picks too?

[indeedproceed]

Why is Asik considered such a commodity?

Career averages of 5 points and 7 rebounds.  Horrible offensive player with stone hands.  Can't shoot free throws. he's not particularly young (27 years old).  He's only managed to start 92 of his 247 games. 

Last season was the only one he received big minutes.

They call him an elite shot blocker, but he was 33rd in the league in blocked shots (1.1). 

They call him an elite defensive player, but it looks like he was 110th in the league last year in defensive rating.  It's not like this guy had a Hibbert or Duncan level impact on defense. 

I legitimately don't get it.  Is there a different stat I should be looking at?  What measure are people looking at when they claim Asik is some game-changer?  Everything I look at just makes him look like a massively overpaid stiff.  I feel like this has major bust potential for any team that gets suckered into trading for him.

I am genuinely surprised by this.

Here is a good (but long) read on the subject from a Rockets blogger making Asik's case for DPOY

Since the All-Star break, the Houston Rockets have had a better defense than the Chicago Bulls. Even after taking into account several significant factors, like small sample size, strength of schedule, and Chicago’s various injuries/overall inability to play like the same defensive juggernaut we’ve grown accustomed to watching, that statement remains most impressive.

Over the past 17 games, the Rockets have allowed 101.5 points per 100 possessions (9th best in the league), while the Bulls have allowed 102.4 (12th).

The only link that’s vaguely significant between these two organizations is Omer Asik, a seven-foot behemoth who was placed on Earth to prevent basketballs from falling through hoops. It’s something he’s really, really good at, and Houston is more than grateful to have him executing his ability on a regular basis for their benefit. This is his official case for Defensive Player of the Year.

In light of various injuries to Dwight Howard, Joakim Noah, Marc Gasol, and incumbent winner Tyson Chandler, Asik deserves some serious recognition for his contextual impact with the Rockets, as well as his individual skill, intelligence and undeniable dominance on all things defense.

Lost in the narrative of Houston’s incredibly exciting offensive pace, whether Jeremy Lin deserves crunch time minutes, and James Harden’s elite systematic scoring ability, is Asik, the big man in the middle who controls the boards on both ends, clogs the middle, defends the pick-and-roll, and has as much an impact on the game’s tempo as anybody on the court.

For the entire season Houston’s defense has been night and day with him on and off the floor. They give up 107.5 points per 100 possessions when he’s off and 101.5 when he’s on—a six point difference that ranges from what would be the third worst defense in the league to the 10th best.

The biggest reason for this? Asik, a brick wall with legs who always makes the other team do things they don’t want to do.

Since Donatas Motiejunas joined Asik, Harden, Lin, and Chandler Parsons in the starting lineup, the Rockets have allowed 99.3 points per 100 possessions. And earlier this season that same group with Marcus Morris instead of Motiejunas allowed just 95.8 points per 100 possessions in 38 games.

Whenever they share the floor (nearly 1400 minutes), the four-man combination of Harden, Lin, Parsons, and Asik has allowed 102.1 points per 100 possessions this season. When Asik is replaced with Greg Smith in that foursome (a much smaller sample size of playing time, but one that’s appeared in 36 games), the Rockets allow 111.1 points per 100 possessions.

These per possession numbers can only tell us so much about Asik’s impact. Here’s a closer look at why they’re so impressive.

Defending the pick-and-roll he’s comfortable all over the court, dancing well above the three-point line to force the ball from whoever’s dribbling it or sagging back (but not too far) to obstruct anything except a pull up jumper.

Here, Asik prevents Spurs guard Tony Parker from getting into the paint twice in the same possession. Even after his man, Tim Duncan, rotates to the weakside, Asik ignores him and focuses on Parker, who ends up settling for a mid-range jumper despite having Danny Green wide open on the wing for three.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-pkMneL0TA&feature=player_embedded

Once the ball is kicked back to his man, Asik is quick enough to rotate back and contest the shot, but more times than not, depending on who’s shooting, he’ll just plod towards the rim in preparation for a defensive rebound. (He’s grabbed more total rebounds than anyone in the league this season, and is second to Reggie Evans in defensive rebound percentage.) If it’s Dwight Howard, he doesn’t care. But if it’s LaMarcus Aldridge, he’ll close hard with one hand in the air.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii_6PNLNNZU&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_9VaSeNBak&feature=player_embedded

The Rockets typically trap pick-and-rolls near the sideline when Asik is involved, and they’re able to do so effectively because of his underrated quickness. Not only does Asik know where he’s supposed to be, but he can cover more ground than he lets on. In the clip below, Carlos Delfino is supposed to slide across the paint to contest Orlando’s baseline jumper, which is why Asik lets him drop so low.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdEmy2BFraE&feature=player_embedded

He’s one of the league’s very best safety nets, which allows pesky defenders like Patrick Beverley, Parsons, and Lin to aggressively play their men tight on the perimeter, not worrying about blow bys. (The Rockets are holding opponents to just 98.0 points per 100 possessions when Beverley and Asik share the court.)

If there was a weakness to Asik’s game on the defensive end, it was a habitual need to leave his feet on the perimeter whenever given a pump fake. He’s still prone to it on occasion, but much less than during the first half of the season.

In the post, where 40% of his defensive possessions end, according to Synergy Sports, Asik is bullish and nimble at the same time. Against smaller, quicker opponents, he’s smart enough to first body them as far away from the basket as possible before they get the ball, and then force them towards the middle of the court and into help defense, if they choose to drive (the middle of the court is a fine place to force any player who Asik would be defending. Chances are they aren’t too adept at making plays for others).

Here he is in a mid-February sequence against the Portland Trail Blazers, putting his impression on an entire possession before facing off against J.J. Hickson in the post—and eating him alive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duvgThHMvgI&feature=player_embedded

To reinforce points made throughout this entire article, Omer Asik is a big dude, but he’s also smart. Look how he reads this late game play the Warriors run to get Steph Curry an open three-pointer. Andrew Bogut (his man) and David Lee combine to form a wall designed to block Lin from following Curry out to the perimeter. Asik notices this and quickly ditches Bogut for the wide open Curry. If not for a momentary miscommunication between him and Lin that causes Asik to briefly falter on the close out, Golden State would’ve been in serious trouble. Regardless, Asik still makes the shot more difficult than it would’ve been.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zeJFJfcNfM&feature=player_embedded

Defensive Player of the Year is an award usually set aside for those who block shots or register an insane number of steals. Asik blocks an opponent’s shot about once every 27 minutes. Part of this is because he doesn’t jump. Another, more important, reason is the hesitation perpetrators have driving near Houston’s basket whenever Asik is roaming around. He deters shots long before they’re even possible.

Look at Wayne Ellington as he gets near the basket.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BVVoK_VWnQo

Houston has allowed the sixth fewest shots from five feet and in, out of all teams in the league, while also forcing the sixth most mid-range shots, according to NBA.com/Stats. (The further away from the basket opponents attempt their shots—inside the three-point line, of course—the better for the Rockets.)

Winning Defensive Player of the Year is likely a long shot given his relative anonymity on the national stage. But for making Houston’s defense so obviously better, Omer Asik is as good a candidate as anybody.

[BleedGreen1989]

Why is Asik considered such a commodity?

Career averages of 5 points and 7 rebounds.  Horrible offensive player with stone hands.  Can't shoot free throws. he's not particularly young (27 years old).  He's only managed to start 92 of his 247 games. 

Last season was the only one he received big minutes.

They call him an elite shot blocker, but he was 33rd in the league in blocked shots (1.1). 

They call him an elite defensive player, but it looks like he was 110th in the league last year in defensive rating.  It's not like this guy had a Hibbert or Duncan level impact on defense. 

I legitimately don't get it.  Is there a different stat I should be looking at?  What measure are people looking at when they claim Asik is some game-changer?  Everything I look at just makes him look like a massively overpaid stiff.  I feel like this has major bust potential for any team that gets suckered into trading for him.

This.

All this fuss about a rich man's Perkins.

As we've seen first hand, a Perk-type player can be extremely valuable.

I don't even think the Perkins-Asik comparisons are accurate.

Asik is much more athletic and is a significantly better rebounder than Perkins ever was.

Equally atrocious on offense though.