Omer Asik has no hard feelings for Houston Rockets
By Bryan Rose
You may recall during the 2013 offseason (and in the early weeks of the season), then Houston Rockets center Omer Asik asked to be traded. Finally thinking he had a starting role, Asik was taken back by the Rockets addition of Dwight Howard and didn’t want to be sent back to the bench.
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Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said he attempted to trade Asik but thanks to his unique contract, few teams were willing to absorb his poison pill contract. That led to Omer Asik finishing out the season with the Houston Rockets before eventually being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans last month.
So are there any hard feelings towards the Houston Rockets organization? Not at all, says Asik.
“I just really want to thank all the fans and all the support I had in Houston,” he said. “I want to thank everyone in the organization and especially my teammates. I really enjoyed my time in Houston.”
In addition, Asik said he would miss the coaching staff but thanked the organization for making him a better player.
Frankly, he has no reason to be upset with the Rockets considering they gave him a rather impressive contract when they plucked him out of free agency and attempted to trade him away when he asked out. Sure, he understandably felt slighted when the team added Dwight Howard but what franchise wouldn’t take D-12 over Asik?
Still, nice to see a player wish his former team well in an age where it’s all about revenge and wanting to throw the front office/fellow players under the bus.