Omer Asik and Rockets agree to deal 3 years 25 million

[DJhitek]

I don't think it's possible to S&T Omer for 3/$25m under the CBA.

As a 2nd year player, we only have Early Bird rights on Asik.

A team may use the Early Bird exception to re-sign its own free agent for up to 175% of his salary in the previous season (not over the maximum salary, of course) or 104.5% of the average salary in the previous season, whichever is greater

The estimated average salary for 2012 was $5.38m, so 104.5% of that is $5.62m

Early Bird contracts can be up to four years in length, with raises up to 7.5% of the salary in the first season of the contract

So the max we could offer him (without matching Houstons offer and having it backloaded) is 4 years / $25m

Yr 1: $5.6m
Yr 2: $6.0m
Yr 3: $6.5m
Yr 4: $6.9m
Total: $25.0m

So basically the only way to offer him a contract more than that is to match another teams offer sheet. But once we match an offer sheet, we can't trade him for a year.

Personally I am not a fan of matching this deal. It was what I feared all along, but I guess we'll have to deal with it now. Omer plays 15mpg. We have a well-paid stud playing the center spot already. Not to mention that Gibson needs more minutes as well, and played pretty well next to Boozer when Noah went down against Philly. I'd be ok letting Gibson eat up 5-10mpg as backup C, and finding another big body like Pryz or some other cheap option to play 5-10mpg. Let Asik walk and use that money to fill a need with the MLE, like Jason Terry.

Interesting read. I find it a bit odd that realistically, despite early bird rights, that another team can offer more then the residing team.

And again, if that final year is BYC, that means the value of that final year is not nearly 14 million when matching salaries. I'm not even sure there has ever been a player that has ever been traded on a BYC year. Like, ever....I might be wrong though.

[Jeffster81]

It's an easy decision..........let him enjoy the Texas lifestyle. I like Asik but if GarPax is considering matching this offer sheet with the purpose of keeping Asik then they should be fired RIGHT NOW before they make a stupid decision in which they will come to regret. If letting Asik go means the Bulls get to keep two of Brewer/Watson and Korver, than I am cool with it.

Now if GarPax is considering matching the offer (as in a bluff) in a attempt to get Houston to the negotiating table for a trade, then I am cool with it. But in no way should the Bulls match that offer and keep Asik.

[dimez]

I think you have to match that deal and just worry about it in year 3. Who know, maybe by then, Asik might actually learn how to catch a basketball.

[Blue Note]

Bulls will match it according the score. Year 3 they are in trouble and they will have to dump salary.

Can't bash this decision. If Asik maintains his stock, which is a reasonable expectation, I don't think he's an albatross in yr. 3.

I would think this means Taj or Boozer is gone next season.

[biggestbullsfan]

Larry Coon ‏@LarryCoon

Avg of contract in each year. For Chi, it'd be actual salary in each year. RT @dogmanx23: What's Houston cap hit with Asik?

This makes it less painful for the Bulls. We have two years to do something with him. The offer doesn't kill us immediately this year, tax wise.

The main thing is what if he signs and we keep him but he doesn't improve or actually gets worst. We wil have boozer times ten in a few years. That's a high risk.

[U boj]

Basically losing three years to get #2 with paying the tax for the next two seasons. Paying the tax for all the wrong reasons because teams will be worse next two years in comparison to the last two.

No tax in 2014/2015 but also no room to improve the team.

[coldfish]

Easy decision, we match a three year deal.


This front office and coaching staff believes Omer is DPOY talent. They're not letting that walk.

The Bulls will be cutting players left and right in year 3 of this deal if they match. They won't be able to move him, just like they weren't able to move other big expiring deals (PJ Brown).

Obviously you pay him. You pay him reasonably and play him for two years and then use his huge expiring as a trade asset. Someone else said this earlier and I couldn't agree more.

I believe that in year 3, he will be BYC due to his big raise. If true, his deal won't be a very good trade asset. It won't be a $15M expiring for trade purposes.

Beyond that, I believe that in the years before that, he will be a "poison pill player".

Maybe sham or doug can pipe in, but I'm pretty sure that as structured, this will be a very difficult contract to move.

[fleet]

Bulls will match it according to the score radio.

Year 3 they are in trouble and they will have to dump salary.

like I said, Ah knowowowow.... big changeisgonnacome. Mirotic, Rose and a bunch of young kids will be running around the house, pitter patter of big feet. Deng and Noah and Boozer outee. This match signals the end of this team as we know it.

[bullsnewdynasty]

Can someone tell me why my team is offering this kind of deal to a guy who doesn't play 20 minutes a game??? I honestly know nothing about him, and I'm kind of puzzled about this.

One of the best defensive big men in the league.

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

We should have traded him when we had the chance.

[AirP.]

Easy decision, we match a three year deal.


This front office and coaching staff believes Omer is DPOY talent. They're not letting that walk.

Obviously you pay him. You pay him reasonably and play him for two years and then use his huge expiring as a trade asset. Someone else said this earlier and I couldn't agree more.

Or you keep him and amnesty Boozer when it balloons?

[jStuNNa]

Easy decision, we match a three year deal.


This front office and coaching staff believes Omer is DPOY talent. They're not letting that walk.

They're fools and overvaluing him then. Omer will never win DPOY. Nor will he make any Defensive First Teams.

[Ctownbulls]

America - the only place where you can make $25M to play a sport when you can't even catch a ball. The contract is a joke, he is not worth it. When will Bulls management learn? Stop falling in love with your players and signing them to stupid contracts that ruin future flexibility. Just let him walk.

[Jerry Krizause]

America - the only place where you can make $25M to play a sport when you can't even catch a ball. The contract is a joke, he is not worth it. When will Bulls management learn? Stop falling in love with your players and signing them to stupid contracts that ruin future flexibility. Just let him walk.

Oh yes. The truth - this man speaks it.

[DJhitek]

Easy decision, we match a three year deal.


This front office and coaching staff believes Omer is DPOY talent. They're not letting that walk.

The Bulls will be cutting players left and right in year 3 of this deal if they match. They won't be able to move him, just like they weren't able to move other big expiring deals (PJ Brown).

Obviously you pay him. You pay him reasonably and play him for two years and then use his huge expiring as a trade asset. Someone else said this earlier and I couldn't agree more.

I believe that in year 3, he will be BYC due to his big raise. If true, his deal won't be a very good trade asset. It won't be a $15M expiring for trade purposes.

Beyond that, I believe that in the years before that, he will be a "poison pill player".

Maybe sham or doug can pipe in, but I'm pretty sure that as structured, this will be a very difficult contract to move.

Noah just got off the poison pill status and again, if that's the case. We will eat that contract for every minute its signed for.

[AAU Teammate]

America - the only place where you can make $25M to play a sport when you can't even catch a ball.

Except "other countries" and "soccer"

[step]

He's going to be BYC in the last year of his contract. It's not nearly as tradeable as you think.

Not from my understanding.

The 2011 CBA mostly eliminated BYC -- in fact, the term "Base Year Compensation" was removed from the agreement entirely. The rules formerly known as BYC now apply under just one circumstance -- during sign-and-trade transactions

...
In lieu of the previous BYC rules for ordinary trades, teams are now prohibited from trading players for three months or until January 15 (whichever is later) when the signing satisfies the BYC critieria

From Larry Coon's FAQ

[ChicagoLegend]

America - the only place where you can make $25M to play a sport when you can't even catch a ball. The contract is a joke, he is not worth it. When will Bulls management learn? Stop falling in love with your players and signing them to stupid contracts that ruin future flexibility. Just let him walk.

Asik is 7 feet tall, can block the ball, and Thibbs loves him.

[PistolP]

No one is trading for Asik @ $15m in year 3 unless they are trying to dump a bad contract. They would just wait a year for him to become a UFA. If Bulls match they better be prepared to pay $45m for 3 players in 2014-15 (Rose, Noah, Asik), two of which are duplicative.

[DanTown8587]

Easy decision, we match a three year deal.


This front office and coaching staff believes Omer is DPOY talent. They're not letting that walk.

Obviously you pay him. You pay him reasonably and play him for two years and then use his huge expiring as a trade asset. Someone else said this earlier and I couldn't agree more.

So are you keeping Noah or moving Noah for a legit two guard? If you keep him, then Omer's value is simply as an expiring contract which means that you have to take back salary that matches Omer. Meaning you're paying Rose, Noah, Deng, Gibson and now Omer or the guy he's bringing back. That's the luxury tax right there. And you've already amnestied Boozer.

Now let's say you're moving Noah for a two guard. Again, you're paying Rose, this two guard, Deng, Gibson and Omer close to 70 million. In a completely new CBA where tax penalties are massively high. There is no way the Bulls can afford Omer or anyone else for that matter at Omer's salary.

Note: Omer wouldn't be BYC (basically eliminated in the new CBA). However, the point remains that the salary you'd pay him or anyone else is too damn high with regards to everyone else.