Now that Lee is gone, how bout Bass+Bogans for Asik?

[fairweatherfan]

^i don't want Asik anymore, with each mounting loss at almost the halfway point of the season and Lee gone, if we're goin to bottom out let's just bottom out screw it. bogans, bayless and crawford will shoot us into the lottery.

You can bottom out with Asik. It's not like he'll drastically improve the team. (especially if we have to give up Green for him too)

The good thing about having Omer Asik is come next year (and hopefully few more) we are set at the the Center position. We will have a great rebounder and rim protector moving forward.

(again, as long as he doesnt quit)

Yeah, Asik is a complementary player whose impact increases as his teammates get better.  He'll help our interior defense and rebounding but he's not going to create 4-6 extra wins in half a season or anything.  We'd be positioning for the future without affecting this year's draft position much.

[BballTim]

The Rockets overvalue Asik so an average bench player an a dump contract will never work.. You can give up Green and dump Asik's contract after next season but I dont think that will happen... Danny is doing a nice job and I expect a 2007 esq season of trades to go down next year..

That, or you undervalue Asik. He's certainly worth more than an average bench player and a contract dump.

  The problem is there's an imbalance in Asik's value. Take Bass, for instance. If a team trades for him they're getting a reasonably priced serviceable power forward. If we keep him we'll still have a reasonably priced serviceable power forward. With Asik, a team that trades for him gets a somewhat overpaid decent starting center. If the Rockets keep him, though, they have either a vastly overpaid role player or (currently) a vastly overpaid malcontent. The Rockets don't want to trade a decent starting center for a serviceable power forward, even if they'd improve their team in the process.

[kozlodoev]

The Rockets don't want to trade a decent starting center for a serviceable power forward, even if they'd improve their team in the process.

In this particular case, they just don't want to trade for Bass, because he doesn't mesh well with Howard.

[BballTim]

The Rockets don't want to trade a decent starting center for a serviceable power forward, even if they'd improve their team in the process.

In this particular case, they just don't want to trade for Bass, because he doesn't mesh well with Howard.

  I don't know that that's true just because it was 4 or so years ago. Plus Howard doesn't play the entire game, Bass could always play the bulk of his minutes with Dwight on the bench. And are you sure the holdup to the trade was Bass and not Lee?

[Endless Paradise]

Bass' contract, fit with Howard, and game (midrange shots, which Houston actively avoids) were all probably factors in why they weren't too enthused in acquiring him.

[BballTim]

Bass' contract, fit with Howard, and game (midrange shots, which Houston actively avoids) were all probably factors in why they weren't too enthused in acquiring him.

  Bass wasn't their ideal target but at some point in time the fact that they didn't get *any* offers that interested them has to figure into the equation. A first rounder was also a priority for them, we have plenty of those.

[jay]

What about Bogans, Faverani, and Brooks for Asik?  They still get the draft pick they want.  Cap relief with Bogans.  Faverani is taller and cheaper than Bass? 

[fairweatherfan]

Bass' contract, fit with Howard, and game (midrange shots, which Houston actively avoids) were all probably factors in why they weren't too enthused in acquiring him.

  Bass wasn't their ideal target but at some point in time the fact that they didn't get *any* offers that interested them has to figure into the equation. A first rounder was also a priority for them, we have plenty of those.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the reason our trade offer was the one that Houston "leaked" to the press was that it was the best one they had gotten.  Which speaks well for our leverage going forward.

[BballTim]

Bass' contract, fit with Howard, and game (midrange shots, which Houston actively avoids) were all probably factors in why they weren't too enthused in acquiring him.

  Bass wasn't their ideal target but at some point in time the fact that they didn't get *any* offers that interested them has to figure into the equation. A first rounder was also a priority for them, we have plenty of those.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the reason our trade offer was the one that Houston "leaked" to the press was that it was the best one they had gotten.  Which speaks well for our leverage going forward.

  I think that if Danny's still looking for the deal, he could swap in an expiring for Lee in the original trade "for free" since he's already losing that future salary and thus improve his offer by adding in a smaller contract. That makes it more palatable for Houston and also allows them to save face by getting a better offer after that deadline fiasco.

  I think if Houston expects a better deal (without Lee) from Danny they'll want to wait until the trade deadline to pull the trigger in case a better offer comes along. Danny should probably make some noise about exploring other deals in order to pressure Morey, who won't be happy with either a lesser offer or with keeping Asik.

[PaulAllen]

The Rockets overvalue Asik so an average bench player an a dump contract will never work.. You can give up Green and dump Asik's contract after next season but I dont think that will happen... Danny is doing a nice job and I expect a 2007 esq season of trades to go down next year..

That, or you undervalue Asik. He's certainly worth more than an average bench player and a contract dump.

No i dont undervalue him... but Bass and a contract dump is pennies on the dollar... that would be like giving him away and taking on another year of salary..

[kozlodoev]

The Rockets don't want to trade a decent starting center for a serviceable power forward, even if they'd improve their team in the process.

In this particular case, they just don't want to trade for Bass, because he doesn't mesh well with Howard.

  I don't know that that's true just because it was 4 or so years ago. Plus Howard doesn't play the entire game, Bass could always play the bulk of his minutes with Dwight on the bench. And are you sure the holdup to the trade was Bass and not Lee?

I don't know it's true either. But given how volatile Howard has been over those 4 years, it seems like a patently bad idea to make a move that may not sit well with him.

[Endless Paradise]

FWIW, Houston (at least Morey) was supposedly ready to do the deal; according to him, trade talks for Asik fell apart "at a high level" (i.e. with ownership).

[the_Bird]

Dumping Courtney Lee tells me that Danny's given up on acquiring Asik, since Lee was a much more valuable trade chip than Bogans.  I'd love Asik, I think he'd fill a huge need on this squad...  but with the way the rest of the team seems to be falling apart, I'm not sure how much of a difference it would make.

[kozlodoev]

Dumping Courtney Lee tells me that Danny's given up on acquiring Asik, since Lee was a much more valuable trade chip than Bogans.  I'd love Asik, I think he'd fill a huge need on this squad...  but with the way the rest of the team seems to be falling apart, I'm not sure how much of a difference it would make.

Not sure why you'd think that. The Rockets appeared to want picks, not players.

[chambers]

Dumping Courtney Lee tells me that Danny's given up on acquiring Asik, since Lee was a much more valuable trade chip than Bogans.  I'd love Asik, I think he'd fill a huge need on this squad...  but with the way the rest of the team seems to be falling apart, I'm not sure how much of a difference it would make.

How is Lee a more valuable chip than Bogans?
It's all about opinion but I'd like to hear why you think the Rockets would prefer Lee's salary and game opposed to Bogans expiring deal that gives them another 5 million to play with after 2 million they'd have already saved by moving Asik.. essentially 7 million to spend on whatever they want next season- or they can have Lee for 11 million for the next 2 years....

I know what I'd pick.