Dwight Howard wants to stay in Orlando and add CP3/Ellis to the mix

I'm good with this if it somehow happens. Supposedly CP3 said he would accept a trade to Orlando.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ycn-10592591

 

IMO, Orlando would be as good a choice as the Knicks for CP3. He'd be teamed with the dominate center in the NBA instead of a very good pf playing the center spot & a very good sf who needs the ball to be effective. I really think that CP3 & Melo together in NY would create to a lesser extent the problems that Wade & James have with the Heat. CP3 & Howard would showcase some of the alley oops that have been missing since the P3 & Chandler days with the Hornets.

 

All very good but what does Orlando have to offer the Hornets?

 

Good question.

 

This is the truth. Dwight loves Orlando. Ideally, he wants to add CP3 to the Magic. If he can't get Paul there, he wants to get DWill there.

Here's the thing. The fix is in with Paul. It's as plain as the nose on your face what's going to happen here. The Knicks are going to tank this season and Paul is signing there as a free agent in the offseason and the Knicks are hoping to catch lightning by getting in the top 5 of the 2012 draft and keeping their draft pick. Write it down. Watch it happen. You can see it coming. And the NBA knows it's coming too. Melo and Amare are going to be dinged, throwing the ball around, complaining about Chauncey, etc. It's going to be a huge joke of an abbreviated season up there. One or both of them is going to miss over half the games. They're tanking. The fix is in there.

So, where does that leave us. Well, it leaves Howard and DWill on the open market. DWill isn't going to stay in NJ once he sees that big 3 or possibly big 4 going for the Knicks. And that's when the move West happens, in my opinion. How? Where's the leverage? The leverage for Howard is in his option. If Orlando doesn't make a deal for Paul or DWill (unlikely) or some other sub superstar (Monta???) that satisfies Dwight, then he simply notifies them he is exercising his option and walking if they don't trade him. He can walk outright to NJ at the end of the season if he wants to, hence NJ's offer of Lopez and junk for him. So, Howard holds the leverage (provided he's willing to give up some contract dollars, which I would be he is willing to do) to make things happen.

Then you've got the West. The Lakers. How can the remaining two superstars that don't wind up in NY make it to Lakerland? Don't think for a moment Kupchak and company can't see this coming too. They're going to unload one of Gasol/Bynum for young talent, picks, and expiring contracts if they can. My bet is they are going to move Gasol since they have the 2012 option on Bynum. They can dangle Bynum as trade bait to trade for one of superstars. In fact, I think that is probably Orlando's best move, get Bynum and some other picks/talent for Howard that LA acquires from the Gasol trade.


1. Knicks are tanking
2. Don't be surprised if Orlando tanks
3. Lakers are going to move one and most likely both of Gasol/Bynum before or during the season.

So, where are the Lakers going to get a good trade for Gasol????

 

Orlando is a MUCH better choice for CP3 than New York.

If he goes to NY, they'd still be a terrible defensive team, and he wouldn't have that much of an impact on them offensively because the other two stars that he plays with already dominate the ball so much.

If he goes to Orlando, he'd be joining a great defensive team, and he'd still have a major impact on them offensively because they'd count on him making plays.

 

As long as CP3 and Howard don't go to the Knicks, Lakers, or Heat I'll be happy.

 

Orlando has NO assets to send to New Orleans for CP3 and they can't sign him outright without trading away the roster for expirings which is nigh to impossible. The most likely scenario is Paul walks to the Knicks and then they add MLE and minimum salary guys to play D, board, and do all the dirty work. New Orleans best shot is to turn CP3 and Okafor into cap space and picks by sending him to the Lakers in some sort of convoluted multi-team trade.


I see our team possibly facilitating a trade between New Orleans and the Lakers if the price is right. That's why signing Nene will be very interesting. If we get Nene, we could make a move for Gasol and be very big in the paint while retaining plenty of talent on the perimeter. It would be a win now team capable of getting to the conference finals to battle the Laker juggernaut that we helped make happen with the 3-team trade. New Orleans has to trade CP3. They know it.

 

I wonder though, does Morey, in an attempt to bring the Lakers down and keep our NY draft picks high, try to assist in making a CP3 to Orlando trade happen? Assuming that there's zero chance of them coming here.

 

Well, what Morey has to evaluate is are we better off to let the Knicks tank all season and then facilitate a trade for CP3 to the Knicks versus taking the risk of the Knicks tanking and still getting that pick at #6 or lower and making a big deal with the Lakers to send Paul to the Knicks. I would think Morey is holding tight with the Lakers until they overpay for our assets. I would much rather see the Knicks fade and go into the lottery and take my chances with getting #6 or a little bit lower then to help the Lakers build a triple-headed juggernaut. Like I said, let all the East teams beat the crap out of each other and we'll keep building a complete team with reasonable and good value contracts that has depth at every position. And eventually a superstar or two is going to figure out Houston is the place to be. What Morey has to consider is what else the Lakers can trade Gasol/Bynum for? What other teams are out there that would trade considerable value for either of those two?

Cleveland, with their huge trade exception would be one possibility. Again, out East.

The key team we have to compete against is the Lakers. If we can build a class team that can dominate in the West and consistently get to the Conference Finals, everything is a crap shoot from there. The Lakers are always going to be there. They've got the money to compete. And they've got the onus to always stay several steps ahead of the Clip show. Even though Dallas is the current champion, the Lakers are still the class of the West and always will be. Morey has to always think of that in regards to trades, competitive balance, etc. He always has to keep one eye on the Lakers.

 

Ok, this looks like the best offer the Magic could offer:

Magic In: Okafor, Paul
Magic Out: Nelson, Magic 2012 1st rounder, 2014 1st round pick, 2012 2nd round pick, 2013 Cavs 2nd round pick, 2013 Magic 2nd round pick

Assuming I understand the amnesty clause correctly, this trade works if the Magic amnesty Arenas. If they amnesty Turkoglu, then they could send Brandon Bass to equalize it.

Why the Hornets do it:
If CP3 is set on going to Orlando or New York, than this is the best they'll get. Two 1st rounders and 3 2nd rounders isn't bad compensation, plus they dump Okafor's contract and should be able to send Nelson to another team (Heat, Lakers)

How do the Magic end up?

Probably with a 1st, 2nd or 3rd seat. They would match up against the Heat well (Okafor can take care of Bosh, leaving Howard alone on whomever plays Center for the Heat) and if they can get a perimeter defender they could shut down the Knicks. It would be fun watching this team take on the Bulls.

 

Howard & Paul -- no what's a superstar combo the would mesh. Orlando would be the team to watch out for in Florida not Miami. The best part -- you could plugin in any style of player around those guys too. And who wouldn't want to play with those goes?

 

One of us doesn't understand the CBA, that's for sure. Amnesty cutting Arenas does not put Orlando under the cap enough to take on $29 million in salaries.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but if this is true, about New York tanking, wouldn't this also improve our pick that we get from the Knicks (Top 5 protected 2012 first rounder)??

 

If it winds up outside the protected area.

 

Amnesty Turk.

Trade Nelson, Ryan Anderson, Bass to two 1sts, three 2nds to New Orleans.

Receive Paul and Ariza.

It works.

 

That would be the stupidest thing NY could do EVER. They would need to throw so many games it would be ridiculous and even then they could easily still get a pick in the 6-10 range making all that tanking completely r****ded.

I don't know where you get this idea as though it's obvious but until I see it, I seriously doubt it.

 

The more they tank the more likely the pick is in the top 5, hence the more incentive for somebody to make a trade with them for the pick. IF they can get in the top 5 and add Paul, then they could possibly wind up with somebody like the Davis kid to go with the big 3.