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New Orleans Pelicans: 25 Best Players To Play For The Pelicans

By Phil Watson

Oct 23, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; A general view from the court during the second half of a game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Miami Heat at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Heat 93-90. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; A general view from the court during the second half of a game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Miami Heat at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Heat 93-90. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 13, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Omer Asik (3) dunks the ball past Minnesota Timberwolves forward Nemanja Bjelica (88) in the second half at Target Center. The Timberwolves won 144-109. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 13, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Omer Asik (3) dunks the ball past Minnesota Timberwolves forward Nemanja Bjelica (88) in the second half at Target Center. The Timberwolves won 144-109. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

16. player. 69. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Trade, Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards, July 15, 2014.. C. 2014-16. Omer Asik

The New Orleans Pelicans hoped to take some of the interior defensive load off Anthony Davis when, in July 2014, they worked a deal to acquire big man Omer Asik from the Houston Rockets.

The Pelicans also got Omri Casspi and cash in the deal from Houston, sending Alonzo Gee, Scotty Hopson and a 2015 first-round pick to the Rockets and also dispatching Melvin Ely to the Washington Wizards.

NOP_16_ASIK
NOP_16_ASIK /

But the returns have been steadily diminishing on Asik, who last season started 64 of the 68 games in which he played while missing time with calf and ankle injuries.

He averaged just 4.0 points and 6.1 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per game, shooting .533/—/.545.

Those were drastic reductions from his first season with the club, in which he started 76 games and helped New Orleans reach the postseason for the first time as the Pelicans.

In two seasons, Asik is averaging 5.7 points and 8.1 rebounds in 21.9 minutes a game on .522/—/.570 shooting.

Asik was taken by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round of the 2008 NBA Draft from Fenerbahce Ulker in his native Turkey and shortly after the draft, his rights were dealt to the Chicago Bulls as part of a three-team deal that also involved the Denver Nuggets.

He remained with Fenerbahce until signing a two-year deal with the Bulls.

After two seasons as a backup, Asik signed a three-year offer sheet with the Rockets as a restricted free agent that Chicago declined to match.

He was third in the NBA in rebounding in 2012-13 with Houston, but his production has waned significantly since.

He signed a five-year, $58 million deal with the Pelicans in July 2015 that is partially guaranteed for the final year in 2019-20.

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