Asik's $3 million salary has been removed from the Bulls' salary books due to a career-ending injury/illness, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Asik's career essentially came to a close in October once he was waived in the wake of battles with arthritis and Crohn's Disease. With his salary wiped from the books, the Bulls now have about $23 million in salary space for free agency.

The Bulls officially requested that the league remove Asik's contract from the team's salary sheet, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Asik was waived back in October once it became clear that his basketball career was in jeopardy due to ongoing battles with arthritis and Crohn's Disease. The Bulls are now hoping to use a career-ending injury/illness exception to wipe Asik's contract off the books for next season, which would free up $3 million in additional cap space this summer.

Asik (illness) will be waived by the Bulls to make room for Shaquille Harrison, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Asik is dealing with inflammatory arthritis, and the Bulls are opting to sign a healthy player to take his roster spot. It seems unlikely he'll sign with another team in the immediate future.

Asik is dealing with inflammatory arthritis, and will be sidelined indefinitely.

EDGE Analysis

Asik is coming off his roughest season as a pro, as he played in just 18 games and produced career lows across the board. He is set to make about $23 million through the 2019/20 season, which makes him very difficult to trade. Thus, the Bulls will have to wait for him to work his way back to basketball activities, which there is no clear timetable for.

Asik averaged just 1.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.2 assists across 18 games played with the Pelicans and Bulls during the 2017-18 season.

EDGE Analysis

Asik had his worst season by far as he only appeared in 18 total games between the two different NBA teams. The Turkey native produced career lows in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and just about every other statistical category. Somehow, Asik is the second-highest paid Chicago Bull where he is signed through the 2019/20 season where he is set to make about $23 million total combined.

Asik managed two points and two rebounds in 15 minutes during Friday's 111-14 loss to Boston.

EDGE Analysis

Yes, Asik actually plays for the Chicago Bulls. In his first appearance since being traded from the Pelicans, Asik was predictably terrible. He shouldn't even be looked at in any format.

Asik will not be available Saturday against the Clippers, KC Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports.

EDGE Analysis

The big man is yet to undergo a physical since being traded from New Orleans earlier in the week and thus won't be available Saturday afternoon. Asik could make his debut Monday in Sacramento, though it's no guarantee that he'll have a spot in the regular rotation.

Asik, along with Tony Allen and a first-round pick, was traded to the Bulls on Thursday in exchange for Nikola Mirotic, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports reports.

EDGE Analysis

While a similar trade was reported to have happened on Tuesday, some complications with Mirotic's contract led to it falling apart. However, those have now been resolved, and Asik is officially on his way to Chicago with teammate Tony Allen. With the Bulls looking to continue building their young core, Asik's role with the team will likely be a deep bench role.

Asik had one point (1-4 FT), four rebounds, one steal, and one block in 24 minutes during Tuesday's 114-103 loss to the Kings.

EDGE Analysis

Asik picked up five fouls and was eaten alive by Kosta Koufos and Georgios Papagiannis, so this wasn't a positive performance for the almost-traded center. Nevertheless, if he does indeed remain with the Pelicans beyond the deadline, coach Alvin Gentry appears to trust Asik much more than he does sophomore big man Cheick Diallo, who saw just six minutes on Tuesday.

Updating a previous note, the trade that sent Asik and a first-round pick to the Bulls has fallen apart, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

Not even 30 minutes after it was reported that Asik was being shipped to Chicago, the trade fell apart due in large part to team's wanting the Bulls to guarantee his $12.5 million team option for the 2018-19 season. Asik will now remain the Pelicans, where he is expected to continue being a deep bench option in the frontcourt, even with DeMarcus Cousins (Achilles) out for the rest of the season.