THE MORNING AFTER RECAP - For C's, little changes after Asik flirtation

By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com

The Boston Celtics appear to have made the best bid for Omer Asik's services. Continuing our eBay analogy from Wednesday, the Celtics simply didn't meet the reserve price.

Hey, it happens. The Rockets set a Thursday deadline for their Asik auction and hoped to create a bidding war for a proven defensive-minded center. One never materialized and sources told ESPN.com that Boston's offer of Brandon Bass, Courtney Lee, and a future first-round pick was the best offer on the table, but not enough to convince Houston to make a deal.

Here's what Celtics fans should take away from Boston's interest in Asik (if it wasn't obvious enough given the way the team has competed this season): The Celtics are not content to sit back and let the ping-pong balls dictate their rebuilding process. If there's a way for Boston to get better now -- and not hinder the team's future plans -- then the Celtics must consider it while attempting to accelerate through this transition process.

Maybe the Celtics and Rockets will chat again down the road. There are 63 days until the Feb. 20 trade deadline and plenty can change before then. Center remains a position of need for the Celtics, their lack of pure size maybe the most glaring need once Rajon Rondo returns from ACL surgery in early 2014.

It's too early to know exactly what direction this Celtics team is headed in. While some see them as overachievers with a 12-15 record (and sitting atop the Atlantic Division), first-year coach Brad Stevens has noted his team "is not lighting the world on fire." Another month of basketball should tell us if Boston can stick around in the hunt for the division title.

For those Celtics fans with no interest in losing games in order to better the team's draft position, not being able to close the Asik deal is likely a sore issue. Adding Asik's defensive talents to Boston's frontcourt could have turned a top-10 defense into a formidable unit. Asik could have helped against the East's established bigs like Brooklyn's Brook Lopez and Indiana's Roy Hibbert.

Both Lee and Bass are pros and didn't let rumors about a possible swap impact their play the other night during a visit from Detroit. The two showed up at the Celtics' off-day holiday event at a local hospital on Thursday with smiles on their faces as any chance of a deal evaporated. Being able to keep players focused on the larger team goal even when their individual names bubble in trade rumors is an encouraging sign for Stevens. Maybe those two will operate with a chip on their shoulders. Ultimately, all Boston can do now is remain focused on the future.

Despite the crowds at shooting guard and power forward, Stevens has said he likes coaching this group. He's gotten maximum effort out of numerous players and that's helped Boston remain competitive in almost every game this season.

The Celtics can throw Asik on their Watch List, but there ought to be virtually no fallout from Houston ending the bidding process without a winner. Boston will look to continue their development on the court, and the front office will keep monitoring ways to improve the team utilizing the team's stockpile of future assets.

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I think Chris Forsberg did a good summary of the morning after Asik especially on what I copied in red.  Danny will move any time anywhere to improve the team and accelerate the process of rebuilding.

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The Celtics are fortunate to have two solid professionals whose names were tossed around like a sailboat in rough seas.  They came to play the other night.  I think we can assume they're breathing sighs of relief right now.  And there's no reason to believe they won't be giving it their all as long as they remain Celtics.  Neither is a defensive slouch; they can also contribute heavily in those games against very good bigs when there's no alternative but to outshoot the competition; and they seem to be model citizens.

Considering all the potential upheaval associated with all the rumors, the Celtics are in the most enviable possible position going forward.

Glad you're still here, Brandon and Courtney.

Sam

On one hand, Brandon and Courtney should feel good that other than the untouchable few (Green / Bradley / Sully), they are the most coveted talents on the team to other GMs. The other however shows that they may not be asked to be part of the long term future of the team.

I hope they can keep their heads in the game and continue to play hard, as IMO - they are both very close to making themselves indispensable parts of the future. They are both having break out years and fit the Celtics mold of hard workers/ nice guys who are great teammates very well. I would be happy to see them both in Green for a long time.

Look at it this way, if they continue to do well their value would continue to go up I would think.
They might fetch an even better talent that Asik perhaps when and if the time comes.

But as I believe BobH has mentioned we sort of have grown fond of them and their scrappyness and would hate to see them go.

beat

Listen,

They (Bass/Lee) may have an attachment to Boston & their fan base because they have been here a number of years and it is a pain in the ass to pick up and move........so yes in one way they feel bad...........BUT............

Being traded to a true contending team.......................They cannot feel bad  when they have a chance to earn a ring!

However.........If they are traded to a weak play-off team or a total non- contending team out of the play-offs entirely...........I am sure they would be pissed......................So what does this all mean....................

Bass & Lee will continue to play hard and perform at top level so they would be attractive to a true contending team............Celtics would be in the best of both worlds where they get 2 players trying to perform to their peak performance.

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So, the trade didn't go down. I won't even pretend to be bummed out about it. They'd be trading 2 role players for one, and I think that Asik is overpaid by several million anyway. In my eyes, he is only marginally better than Perkins in that he is taller and is a little better at scoring. This trade wouldn't have been worth it in my eyes.



KJ

KJ

IT WOULD HAVE HELPED THE CELTICS AGAINST BIGGER TEAMS BUT ASIK I THINK MAY HAVE BEEN A TEMPORARY STOP GAP.

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Yeah, he'd help their interior defense but that's an awful lot of money for a "stop-gap player."

I just don't think it's worth it. Asik isn't worth any more than $6M/year. The real kicker is that Houston had to bribe him from the Bulls with a contract worth more than he is.



KJ

All conversations in the media have his true salary between $8-11 million.

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