Omer Asik.
CHICAGO -- To keep or not to keep. That is the question.
The clock stops ticking for the Bulls today when it comes to free agent center Omer Asik, who has a verbal agreement with the Houston Rockets for a three-year deal worth $25.1 million.
The Bulls have only until today to match the offer or lose Asik's services.
It's no secret that the Bulls want to keep the affable, 255-pound Turkish. But the Bulls payroll is already bursting with the contracts of superstar Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim noah and Carlos Boozer, a core group that commands a hefty $55.7 million paycheck in the upcoming 2012-13 season.
The NBA salary for next season is set at $58.044 million while the tax level is at $70.307 million.
Asik's deal is heavily backloaded, one that pays him slightly over $14 million in the third and final year of his contract. The first two years is just over $5 million per, a figure the Bulls might be comfortable with. The issue is the third year, which is deemed too expensive for a 7-footer who averaged only 3.3 points and 4.7 rebounds which coming off the bench last season.
Last week, the Bulls already severed ties with CJ Watson, Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver. John Lucas III could still be re-signed, but he is listening to other team's offers. (Nader Taiym).
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