Houston Rockets center Omer Asik was scheduled to make almost $15 million next season. However, instead of keeping him around, the team traded him to the New Orleans Pelicans Thursday for a first round pick in next year's NBA Draft, according to multiple sources.
The most glaringly obvious reason this was done by the Rockets was to clear cap space. Asik is a good center, but he's not elite and the Rockets already have Dwight Howard. Why pay a backup center $15 million? The Rockets have shown time and time again in recent memory to be one of the busiest teams in the off-season free agent market. The team has acquired Tracy McGrady, Dwight Howard, Jeremy Lin, James Harden, and Dikembe Mutombo all in recent off-seasons.
By freeing up cap space, it could mean that the Rockets have a chance at obtaining LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony. Both superstar players have already informed their teams they will be opting out of their contracts.
But what does this mean for Lin? Much like Asik, the popular Lin is also set to make almost $15 million next season, and the Rockets may trade him as well. But is that a guarantee? Let's take a look at some good reasons why Lin may be on his way out, as well as a few good reasons why he'll stay.
Why Lin will be traded
The Rockets will be shopping Lin for numerous reasons. One, by jettisoning Lin's contract, they can clear up cap space for the possibility of bringing in superstar free agents like Anthony or James. Again, the Rockets always love to make a big free agency or trade splash in the off-season. And, let's not forget, Houston head coach Kevin McHale doesn't appear to be the biggest Lin fan in the world, so why keep him around?
Other teams out there could use Lin's services. Teams like the Indiana Pacers and Memphis Grizzlies, who are both in desperate need of a point guard. The Chicago Bulls may also want to take a look at Lin considering Rose's health. Lin will have an expiring contract and that one year will take a big cap hit, but it could be a great future investment. It's not a big risk at all despite next year's salary.
Why Lin won't be traded
The biggest thing prohibiting Lin from being traded is his contract. Even though it's an expiring contract, teams may be hesitant to trade for the highly skilled point guard. There may even be a possibility that the Rockets give Lin more playing time next season. If Houston plans on using Lin more next year as more than trade bait, this could be a great opportunity for a more balanced Rockets offensive attack.
Of course, the biggest hurdle is finding a buyer. The Rockets were able to find one with Asik to the Pelicans. Even though the Pelicans play in the Western Conference with the Rockets, they don't pose much of a threat. If Houston is going to trade Lin, they will most likely trade him to an Eastern Conference team or to a weak squad in the West. Lin is a very popular player who fans love to watch, so the Rockets will have to keep this in mind, as well.
Lin offers an appealing skill set that can benefit multiple teams in the NBA, but the question stil remains: will another team be willing to trade for him?
More Coupons for "+couponMerchantName+'';if((msSecurityFlag==1||msSecurityFlag==2&&mseEntry==1)&&programData!=undefined){moreCouponsContent+='Ads by '+programData+""}moreCouponsContent+='
