Rockets suspend trade talks for Omer Asik
After failing to find a suitable deal for center Omer Asik before a self-imposed Thursday deadline, the Houston Rockets backed away from trade discussions, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Houston general manager Daryl Morey informed Asik's agent Arn Tellem of his decision on Thursday afternoon, sources said.
"This gives [Houston] a chance to buy some more time," one source involved in the deal process told Yahoo Sports.
The NBA's trade deadline is Feb. 20.
Asik has a $15 million salary-cap hit next season, and that, combined with rival teams' unwillingness to package a quality power forward with an unrestricted first-round draft pick, pushed Morey away from making what he believed would be a bad deal now.
Boston had offered Houston a package of Brandon Bass, Courtney Lee and a restricted future first-round pick, but the sides never came to terms on an agreement. Philadelphia had remained in pursuit of Asik, but Morey found no deal there, either.
Asik demanded a trade out of Houston shortly after Dwight Howard committed to signing a free-agent deal, and has been anything but patient in awaiting the Rockets to move him. Asik has been moody – even insubordinate – over the Rockets' failure to trade him, and his reaction to Houston letting its self-imposed deadline pass without a trade could have an impact within the locker room.
