Is New Orleans Pelicans’ Omer Asik one of the top four centers in NBA?
Omer Asik had been a piece of Rockets trade bait for what felt like years. He was a wanted commodity. He got paid like a wanted commodity with a three-year, $25 million deal. But they didn’t pay him like a top center in the league. In fact, his entire contract is worth just $4 million more than Dwight Howard makes in a year.
But New Orleans Pelicans general Manager Dell Demps thinks Asik is one of the top four centers in the NBA.
Given the choice to upgrade C or SF decision, Demps said they chose C and signed Omer Asik. He called Asik a top 4 center in NBA.
— Nakia Hogan (@nakiahogan) August 19, 2014
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The GM’s statements should be taken with a grain of salt. It is intriguing, however, because it means that the Pelicans have, arguably, two of best four centers in the NBA, depending on the position of Anthony Davis, which is generally center. However, if Asik is also a top four center, by Demps’ standards, then perhaps it would be advantageous for Davis to play power forward more often. 7-footer Asik can sit pretty beneath the rim, and Anthony Davis can pull a Kevin Garnett and use a center’s body at the four spot.
Last season with the Rockets, Asik accounted for 5.8 points per game, 7.9 rebounds per game, .8 blocks per game on 20.2 minutes per game. He shot .532 from the field.
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