NBA Trade Rumors: Omer Asik To New Orleans Pelicans! After Asking For Ryan Anderson, Rockets Take First Round Pick In Salary Dump For Melo!

The NBA Trade Rumors will run at breakneck speed right at the draft. After spending half the season trying to trade Omer Asik, the Rockets had to settle for a consolation prize.

Asik demanded a trade after he saw his playing time diminish immensely because of the acquisition of Dwight Howard. Rockets GM Daryl Morey thought that Asik was a major asset being one of the top defensive centers in the league. While that is true, not too many teams were willing to give up top assets for him-considering his steep 2014-15 salary of about $ 14 million.

Morey failed to get any asset as most teams decided to look elsewhere at the trade deadline.

Asik played out the rest of the season until their first round exit at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers. Now, with their intended run at prime free agents LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, they need to dump salary like they did for Dwight Howard.

From ESPN:

"The Houston Rockets have agreed to trade defensive specialist center Omer Asik to theNew Orleans Pelicans in a deal aimed at clearing salary-cap space to chase LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony in free agency, sources told ESPN.com.

In exchange for Asik, the Rockets will receive the Pelicans' 2015 first-round draft pick. The Rockets also will include $1.5 million in cash as part of the deal.

This maneuver by the Rockets also sets up the team to trade point guard Jeremy Lin, which would open up enough cap space for the Rockets to make a run at James and Anthony."

The draft pick is said to include certain protections, rumored to be Top Three. 

The Houston Rockets still need to execute other salary dumps like Jeremy Lin, who has an identical contract with Omer Asik. 

The competition for the top free agents is getting tighter. More teams are expected to clear cap room to join the fray.