Omer Will He Be?

I've often been told by certain people I strikingly resemble Omer Asik.  He's a restricted free agent, so the Bulls still control his fate.  But weekend events are going to, as my good friend and 670 The Score producer Nick Shepkowski told me, make it "tough to keep your much taller twin around."  The Houston Rockets have signed Asik to an offer sheet worth three years and $25.1 million.  Once free agents are allowed to sign with new teams on July 11, the Bulls will have three days to decide whether or not they want to match that.  If they don't, Omer joins Hakeem and Yao in the long line of Rockets centers.

As you might imagine, I like Omer.  Not because he looks a bit like me, but because I admire his grittiness and hard work he brings to the floor game in and game out.  The Turkish Hammer is usually good for one two-handed slam every 48 minutes.  Beyond that, his offensive skills are limited.  The biggest evidence of such is the two missed free throws at the end of the game that knocked the Bulls out of the playoffs.  He can rebound and block shots, often doing so with authority.  He just about embodies everything Tom Thibodeau preaches and the type of player the Bulls have come to embrace ever since John Paxson joined the front office.

However, professional basketball is a business.  As such, personal feelings have to be set aside.  Averaging  3.1 points and 5.3 boards per game over an average of 14.7 minutes is decent for a bench player, but those numbers aren't worth $25.1 million.  Frankly, I'm shocked anyone would offer him that money, but sometimes, a team badly needs a cog in the middle to play lockdown defense when asked.  The Bulls are trying to remain a championship contender.  If they match this, it'll cripple their chances to land a decent free agent.  It'd be best if they just let their backup center walk.  Both parties will benefit in their own way.

Shepkowski believes if this change happens, one of C.J. Watson, Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer is likely to stay.  Losing Asik would certainly free up a bit of cap space to sign one of them for a year or two.  My money's on Brewer as a defensive specialist, but I wouldn't be surprised if Korver returned instead.  I know I've been hard on him for his postseason disappearing act, but some offense needs to come from the bench in the interim.  Who knows?  Maybe he finally gets it together with the stakes raised next year.  While C.J. Watson has made hiis desire to return to the Bulls clear, I still think he's the least likely of the trio to wear a Bulls uniform in the fall.  Somebody needs to fill that one position while Derrick Rose recovers and he's not it.  Let him start on a rebuilding team or maybe even one in the middle of the pack, but not the top playoff seed in the East two years running.

In their mission to solve that temporary starting point guard dilemma, the Bulls have reached out to Derek Fisher and Brandon Roy, even though the latter is actually a shooting guard and more likely a candidate for the team's leading sixth man.  While the reasonable choice is Fisher, Roy could be intriguing in that the potential is there for a player who just couldn't stay healthy in Portland and finally had to retire thanks to a bad knee.  Both players could serve a purpose here, but it may not mean a thing if they re-sign Asik for the price Houston is offering.  He certainly has intangibles you just can't find in other players out there, but you have to focus on overall improvement if you're Gar Foreman.  Sometimes, that means letting your own go.  It may not be easy, but if there's a better option out there, you have to make sacrifices.  You want to win it all?  Don't let personal feelings get in the way of your job.  I trust Foreman won't.

Omer, you've had a great two years here and won't be forgotten around these parts anytime soon, but if there's a better opportunity out there, you go for it.  I know you're ready to make more money in this league, so don't let us force you to stay.  It's all business and there's no way to fault you for that.