Omer Asik and Rockets agree to deal 3 years 25 million

[MrSparkle]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong ... But the summer leading into Asik's salary jumping to 15 mil is the SAME summer that next big free agent class hits the market. The one with LeBron, Melo, Chris Bosh, Granger, Rudy Gay, Wade, Dirk, and more.

That same summer Deng expires, along with Rip, and the Bulls can amnesty Boozer ... freeing up some room to be players in free agency. At that time, Rose will be fully recovered and just entering his prime. That would be a great opportunity to add a true second star to the team. But that can't happen if Asik's 15 mil salary is on the books ...

Free agency missions are tiring me. I want to acquire someone via trade, so I know what I get. This move (matching) continues our piling of trade assets.

Just want to say... After NYK essentially traded an entire YOUNG starting line-up for Melo... do you really think they're not going to extend him, or in worst case scenario, trade him, and not let him walk? Why in god's name would they do that?

Same goes for Lebron. I can hardly imagine Lebron thinking "eh, my time in Miami was fun, let's just ship to my rival the last 3 years!" Riley isn't letting **** walk for free. Look at that payroll. He can care less so long as they're winning rings.

Dirk and Kobe are going to be 38 years old.

Gay and Granger... wasn't I arguing with half the board about why you might want to trade Deng for Gay, and being called out of my mind??

The 2014 FA class is a long-shot.

[fleet]

What team is going to trade you a really good player for a $15M backup center?

You make a constant point of calling him that, but the Houston Rockets don't agree with your terminology. Neither do I but my opinion is worth less than the Rockets.

Both points are valid. He is to us, a backup center. To the Rockets he will be more. Is he worth the same to us as to them?

well no, but this probably forces the Bulls to trade Noah. Thats elementary now.

[Jordan45822]

this is nothing to what Gibson will get

[boogydown]

We have to give Korver 500k if we buy him out as well.

[DanTown8587]

The Bulls have twelve million in free cap money now and they didn't use it to get talent so what makes you think any team wants Omers fifteen million in 2014? You know how hard that is to match?

And oh yeah, he would be BYC, meaning that the Bulls can only take back 50% of Omers salary but the incoming team has a trade hit of the full fifteen million. Its not even a useful expiring contract to take back.

Sometimes in life you say no to something you want. Omer Asik at that cost is something you turn down.

[johnnyvann840]

Why can't you match and trade him during the 1st 2 years when he is making 5 and 5.2 million?

That way at least we get some value out of it. Letting him walk means we get nothing.

Letting him walk for nothing means we avoid a horrible three-year contract for a backup center. It's significant compensation in its own right. Why do we have to bend our team over for Omer Asik?

Do you know difficult it is to match up a $15M contract, especially one for a guy who plays 12-15mpg? Who do you think the Bulls are going to get for that?

Exactly red. It also enables us to go after someone like Jason Terry right now with the money. Which is where the Bulls should be thinking already. People act like this $15 mil albatross is so easy to trade just 'cause it's an expiring". We still have to take that $ back then. It is poison. Period

[U boj]

Everyone just talking in ifs and buts. What about giving some historical example of a back up centar as a huge expiring traded for something great? Has that ever happened? Ever?

Kwame Brown and Aaron McKie were 2 expirings that added up to $15M and Lakers traded for Pau Gasol. *shrug*

Zebraca and Sura's 2 expiring deals which added up to $14M or so got Rasheed.

Interesting to note... both teams went on to win championships, and a total of 5 finals appearances after those trades.

Does it make a difference if it's 1 or 2 expiring players? $15M is the equivalent of a max contract... let's say Melo, Bosh, Love, Gay, etc. want out... That's your trade piece.

Easy as pie IMO. Just a matter if Reinsdorf is serious about adding salary to the long-term payroll. This is even better than 5/5/10/11. It leaves you to a 2-year trial and a 1-year expiring.

Screw cap-room. If it's 2015 deadline, the Bobcats still suck, and Asik is playing OK, the bundle of Bobcats/Asik = prime all-star in return.

Oh, why didn't that work with Korver, Watson and Brewer? So, it's Asik+Bobcats pick for an all star? Which one may I ask?

[Wonzo23]

Why the **** didn't we trade him? Bulls FO is screwing up big time, my goodness. Also, according to Hollinger the format of the contract at most could look like this.

Year 1- $5 million
Year 2- $5.2 million
Year 3- $12.9 million

[PJ Brown]

Can't the Bulls negotiate Taj's extension this year (kicks in year after this upcoming one)?

[organix85]

For people thinking we can trade him to Houston one day... we can't.

[bulletbill]

easy match IMO. I'm confident Bulls can pump-n-dump Boozer by then, even if they can't, both are expiring at the same year...I'm positive CHI can get at least 50% non guaranteed $ in return. it aint that bad, better than 4 yrs 30+mil.

[HomoSapien]

Well, this sucks. I'm guessing we won't match. If we do, then we'll have an expiring contract, the Charlotte Pick, and our pick to offer as bait in a few years.

[Mech Engineer]

Free agency missions are tiring me. I want to acquire someone via trade, so I know what I get. This move (matching) continues our piling of trade assets.

I am in your boat. I know that 3rd year money is crazy. But, I am sure the Bulls FO kind of knew this last month that Asik will get this kind of money from some team especially when they had talked to Houston last trade deadline about Asik.
They made the statement of matching him by probably knowing something like this would happen. If they thought that Asik would get 4 yr/20 mil deal and match-it, that would be naive.

Also, doesn't the new CBA provide a provision of almost something like a 3 mil $ difference in trades. So basically, the Bulls have to pay 3 mil cash and get a 12 mil contract in the worst case. As a fan, as long the Bulls are not losing their MLE for repeat tax penalties, it is worth to match it plus not having the 4th year helps too.

[boogydown]

Agree with Mr Sparkle.

The 2014 Free Agency Class I see being 2010 All Over Again. None of those guys have ever said they want to come play here and most of them will be in their 30s by now.

The 2015 Free Agency Class is the class we should target. Boozer and Asik expire by then.

[blumeany]

Bulls' best move now is to announce their intention to match (before Asik signs)- then hope Houston approaches with a sign and trade.

Sent from my VS840 4G using Tapatalk 2

[Red Larrivee]

Why the **** didn't we trade him? Bulls FO is screwing up big time, my goodness. Also, according to Hollinger the format of the contract at most could look like this.

Year 1- $5 million
Year 2- $5.2 million
Year 3- $12.9 million

That doesn't match up. The value of the contract is $25.1. The value listed right there is 23.1.

[ChicagoLegend]

I can see why Paxson retired from being a GM.

Asik $15 million

The world has gone mad.

[BigUps]

Why the **** didn't we trade him? Bulls FO is screwing up big time, my goodness. Also, according to Hollinger the format of the contract at most could look like this.

Year 1- $5 million
Year 2- $5.2 million
Year 3- $12.9 million

I've read this a lot. Seems as though people are forgetting we were trying to win a championship last year and Omer was a large part of us trying to do that. It was the correct decision by management to not trade him last year.

[red222]

Ken Berger ‏@KBergCBS

In Year 3 of Asik deal, Bulls have Rose ($18.9M), Boozer ($16.8M) and Noah ($12.2M) on books. And Chicago has historically avoided tax.

[Chikes26x]