NBA: Melo or LeBron on their minds? Rockets clear cap space by sending Asik to Pelicans

Looking to carve out salary cap space for a run at LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony, the Houston Rockets will reportedly trade center Omer Asik to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for a future first round pick, according to multiple reports.

Houston is finalizing a deal to send Omer Asik to New Orleans, league source tells Yahoo Sports.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 26, 2014
 

New Orleans will send a future first-round pick to Houston for Asik, league source tells Yahoo Sports. Deal will give Rockets cap space.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 26, 2014
 

Rockets will also send New Orleans $1.5 million cash as part of the deal.

— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) June 26, 2014
 

The Rockets will also send $1.5 million in cash as a sweetener.

Asik last season averaged 5.8 points and 7.9 rebounds in just 49 regular season games, as he struggled to play with Dwight Howard.

Rockets deal likely happens after July moratorium (10th) because NO will likely use players w/ nonguaranteed $ to match Asik's $8.3 million

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) June 26, 2014

Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick added that the deal will likely happen after the July 10 moratorium, as New Orleans will add a few non-guaranteed players to make the salary cap math work.

The team could clear even more salary cap space by dealing away point guard Jeremy Lin.

The Pelicans on the other hand get to shift former number one overall pick Anthony Davis to his natural power forward position, while adding additional rebounding and rim protection, thanks to Asik. - AMD, GMA News