Dwight Howard Wants Jeremy Lin, Omer Asik To Stay; James Harden Does Too - Houston Rockets News Update 2013

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First Posted: Jul 14, 2013 03:29 PM EDT

If it were it up to James Harden and newly-signed Houston Rocket center Dwight Howard, Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik are going nowhere, according to team general manager Daryl Morey.

"The reality is James and Dwight want to play with Jeremy and Omer," said Morey, during the press conference officially introducing Howard as a member of the Rockets; who joked he has been demoted to assistant general manger since center's arrival. "When we didn't have Omer out there last year, we sucked. I mean, we were terrible. That was where we lost games."

Asik demanded a trade from the Rockets minutes after Howard agreed to sign his $88 million over four years with Houston, expressing a desire not to come off the bench or slide over to the power forward position. The Rockets are hoping they can convince Asik to look at the potential of teaming up with a former defensive player of the year still in the prime of his age.

"When we had Omer out there, we were a top-10 defensive team. Now we have a defensive player of the year and Omer," said Morey. "That position is so important if you're going to have a solid defense. Now we have two of the best in the league. I'm very excited."

While Asik is looking to leave the team, Lin has reportedly been shopped around for trade possibilities but the Rockets were having trouble finding a team willing to take in the $14,898,938 that are due to him during the 2014-2015 NBA season.

The Rockets did make the playoffs last year as an eight -seed, with Asik and Lin as starters, before being eliminated four games to two by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Howard feels that teaming up with both Asik and Lin can help the team push further into the playoffs.

"[Asik] and Jeremy Lin will be very good playing with me," said Howard to Houston Chronicle. "I'm going to do whatever I can to make those guys' lives better. I realize how much they mean to this team."

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