NBA Analyst Bomani Jones examined the recent Houston Rockets offer to sign C Omer Asik to a 3-year, $25 million contract. The unusual max contract offer to a player who has started only two NBA games appears to be the emblematic backlash from the new collective bargaining agreement, argues Jones:
According to Jones, the Asik offer does not fit the apparent talent level the Rockets are trying to hire:
[Jrue Holiday] averaged 13.5 points per game. Asik average 14.5 -- minutes. If [Asik] is so damn good, why was he getting 15 minutes a game while Carlos Boozer was getting 30?
Jones also argues the offer represents an unusual diversion of funds:
This is the problem with the NBA. These executives, who put us through a lockout that was supposed to stop contracts like Asik's from happening, can't help themselves. Since they can't blow their cash on a really good player, they burn it on a regular dude.
The Bulls will have a chance to respond to Asik's offer, but given their tight financial standings and the limited productivity of Asik (who had only a 13.47 player efficiency rating in 2011-12), the Bulls may not be able to keep the 26-year-old center.
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