The Houston Rockets reportedly traded center Omer Asik to the New Orleans Pelicans for a future first-round draft pick. The move was seemingly done to create financial flexibility to pursue either Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James in free agency, creating the possibility of creating a Big Three alongside Dwight Howard and James Harden.
Multiple news outlets, including Yahoo Sports and ESPN, reported New Orleans received Asik in exchange for their 2015 first-rounder. Per NBA rules, the trade cannot become official until after the league moratorium ends on July 10.
While the Pelicans gain a defensive anchor and the freedom to play star Anthony Davis at power forward, the Rockets create salary cap space by shedding Asik's $14.8 million contract.
The extra cap space gives the Rockets a shot in the offseason at convincing Anthony or James to sign in Houston. Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski and multiple ESPN reporters all peg Houston as eying one of the two superstars to pair alongside Howard and Harden, both of who are NBA All-Stars and Houston's biggest attraction to free agents.
If Houston is able to keep small forward Chandler Parsons from walking as a restricted free agent, Anthony would be the ideal complement to Howard by giving the Rockets a shooter at the 4-spot who can space the floor and consistently score.
The addition of James is more self-explanatory. By signing with the Rockets, James would essentially have a younger Dwyane Wade in Harden and a teammate who can dominate in the paint with Howard, something Miami lacked the last four seasons.
The Los Angeles Lakers, the Chicago Bulls, the New York Knicks, the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks are also among the teams expected to make a run at either Anthony, James or both.
Teams officially cannot begin pursuing free agents until July 1.
