After weeks of negotiations and talks, Omer Asik is going nowhere. The Houston Rockets have spent plenty of time weighing their options in regards to the disgruntled center. They have talked with upwards of five teams about possible trade situations. However, as the deadline approaches to move Asik on Thursday, the team has backed off entirely, ending all negotiations for the foreseeable future.
Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Houston has called off all the trades and Omer Asik is staying exactly where he is. Sources say that while five teams were interested, Asik's contract was the deciding factor as many teams did not want to absorb the over-priced deal. General manager Daryl Morey has informed Asik's agent that there will not be a trade happening.
Asik still has one more season worth $15 million on his current contract. Any team looking to make a trade for the center would have to be willing to take on the deal. Most clubs like the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Atlanta Hawks were interested but only if a third team was involved to take off some of the financial burden. In the end, Houston just could not find the right deal.
Outside of the contract, Houston's asking price for the center was simply too high. The team wanted an impact player along with a first-round pick in exchange for Asik. The Boston Celtics appeared to be a serious player in these negotiations. They were willing to hand over both Brandon Bass and Courtney Lee, but they were haggling when it came to the draft pick.
The Boston Globe reported that the Celtics were still intending on doing rebuilding next year and was unwilling to give up a draft pick for the center. Boston has two picks in the 2014 NBA Draft and was not ready to part with one for a player that they would likely only have for a season. The Celtics have nine first-round picks over the next five drafts and plan on keeping all of them.
So for the holidays, Asik's gift is to stay put. The center has not been happy in Houston ever since the team brought in Dwight Howard which sent him to the bench. His stats have been down as he has struggled to make the most of his limited time. Asik first approached Houston about trading him away and the team denied it until recent weeks when there was some interest. Houston could still trade Asik come February, but for now he stays with the Rockets.
