Omer Asik survived an offseason of multiple trade rumors. After the Houston Rockets signed Dwight Howard, it was clear the big man's roster spot was in question. However, the Rockets denied their intentions to let the center go and he remained on the roster to start the season. However, after losing his spot in the starting lineup, Asik is requesting a trade out of Houston and once again, getting denied.
According to the Houston Chronicle, the Rockets have denied Asik's request for a trade. The center ocne again sat out a game as the Rockets went on to beat the New York Knicks clearly showing the team has no use for the center, but they are unwilling to let him go.
This all comes just a year after Asik signed a three-year, $25 million contract extension to remain with the Rockets. The next year they signed Howard. Since joining the team as a free agent, Asik has started all 90 games until this year when head coach Kevin McHale pulled him from the starting lineup after keeping both him and Howard on the court failed to work. He played just four minutes against the Philadelphia 76ers and then saw his streak of 239 consecutive starts broken when he was not active against the Knicks.
This situation has been ongoing since the summer. Asik made it very clear that he wanted out of Houston if Howard was going to be the new starting center. The Rockets were concerned with depth on the roster and told Asik he was staying put. In the last 48 hours, the center has brought up the desire to move again and was shot down.
Sources say that if a trade were to happen, it would be months away. Both Asik and McHale have declined to comment on the circulating rumors while Asik's agent danced around the topic.
"I would say the situation is very frustrating right now, and we're trying to work through it," Miller said, via the Houston Chronicle. "For Omer, the objective has always been to continue to develop and grow as a player. That's why we came to Houston in the first place. If that objective can't be met, if we can't get the right platform to grow and contribute as a player, it's certainly frustrating."
In his limited role this season, Asik is averaging five points and 7.2 rebounds in about 20 minutes of game time. McHale noted that the center will start against bigger teams, but right now they are facing units that spread the court more, leaving Asik on the bench.
