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According to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk, the Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets were locked in trade talks that would have brought Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin to Brooklyn. However, the talks never really got off the ground once the Rockets brought up Deron Williams' name.
According to a league source, the Rockets had preliminary talks with the Nets last week about Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin. Talks never gained any steam, but the source said the Rockets were doing their due diligence and Williams' name came up. The Nets balked because one of the main reasons Pierce and Garnett agreed to a trade to Brooklyn was to play with Williams, according to the source. Williams, who signed a five-year, $98 million extension in 2012, was playing well upon returning from an ankle injury, and the Nets were looking better.
A Nets insider suggests things were not as reported. "There were no 'preliminary talks' with Houston they asked and it was a quick no. End of discussion."
It's worth noting that the talks happened last week, prior to Brook Lopez's season-ending foot injury. So, the need for Asik wasn't so "great," considering.
Lin and Asik are each owed $14.8 million next season, the final year in their respective contracts, while Williams still has over $61 million owed to him over the next three seasons.
- Brooklyn Nets' pain of losing Brook Lopez is New York Knicks' gain - Ohm Youngmisuk - ESPN
