Kobe Injured - How does this affect DHoward's Free Agency? Houston?

Let see...

Nash is having one of his worst seasons. His trade value is at all time low. He is also approaching 40.

Gasol performed way below his $19M contract this year and is on a sharp decline. Trade value is also low.

MWP is the only one who is worthy of his $7M contract, but he is also on a decline. Later first rounder + filler? Maybe...

Kobe's future is unknown at this time, depending on severity of his injury and recovery.

They are capped out next season and making it tough to sign any FAs.

No 1st pick coming this year.

Looks like Lakers are in their nuclear winter. Future does not look good at all. No matter what path they take, I just don't see how they can be relevant for at least 2-3 years.

This is what Dwight is looking too....

 

I think we'll just have to wait and see how the Lakers do without Kobe. Are they better without him? Does Dwight become more comfortable as the main player in Dantoni's system? Will they even make the playoffs? What are the future prospects for the Lakers? These are all questions that have to be asked about this situation. It may just be a little too early to speculate. However, if Howard starts beasting and leads him to to the playoffs and they play well, I can see him staying.

 

I don't think Dwight is coming because i dont see him taking less money to leave LA, but if he wanted to be a Rocket, the move is pretty simple. Trade Asik for a high 1st round pick and sign Dwight to the max. We'd be top 3 next year with a strong chance to win the championship.

 

? No one cares about no jumpshot wiggins

 

Dwight isn't the missing piece to a ring . This entire team is still developing

 

Eh, I think some of you are reaching with the "Dwight wants his own team" stuff. That's exactly what he was terrified of the past two years. He couldn't bear the thought of Harden-less Houston. His list was always Brooklyn with Deron, Dallas with Dirk and Los Angeles with Kobe. He had his chance to be the man in Orlando and he wanted out. Dwight's a diva, but he definitely doesn't want to sacrifice winning to be the "head honcho" or to have "his team". That's the exact opposite of what we've seen. If anything, he wants a shortcut.

Now, it's not to say that the Lakers have no chance. They do. But this definitely makes it worse for them. Their 2013-14 is basically screwed. Even if they were to amnesty Kobe (they won't, but let's go through the hypothetical), they're still nowhere near having cap room to add pieces. And they won't be able to get "fair value" in a Gasol trade because they won't want multi-year contracts to compromise their 2014 cap room. Same for Nash and MWP, though they wouldn't have much value to begin with. They're basically stuck with this team, with only minor changes possible. The same team that was barely hanging onto the 8 seed WITH Kobe and will now be without him for months of the season (and not 100% when he does return).

That's one year of Dwight's 5-year deal (should he re-sign in LA) that is completely ****ed. They wouldn't even get to "develop chemistry" much, because basically every rotation player other than Dwight would likely be gone after the year. So basically, Dwight would be signing entirely based on the potential of who they might sign after 2013-14. That's a risk. Sure, LeBron is out there, but he most likely re-signs in Miami or goes to Cleveland. And more often than not, teams that go the "cap room" route end up overpaying for Amare Stoudemire/Carlos Boozer types (see 2010 Knicks and Bulls) rather than signing a truly elite player. Yes, even glamour teams.

Dwight might decide he trusts Mitch Kupchak enough to take the risk... but when comparing the above scenario to Houston with a locked-in Harden at 23, it's quite a gamble. It wasn't a slam dunk before that he re-signs, and this makes it even more difficult.

 

Sorry bro, if Dwight wants to come here, you've gotta make it happen. Fortunately for us, the only member of our core we'd need to part with would be Asik.

...but he's not coming. He loves money and attention. LA has more of both.

 

If anything it's going to allow him to stay with la it's finally his team now.

 

I agree with this. Nash,Gasol may be old, but he will be the man along with them.

 

Howard is a liability. Unless he could improve his FT or NBA making hack a Howard illegal, I do not see what value he would bring to the team.

 

Good morning!

No offense, I still don't really get the hype with dwight howard. Pros: Best center in the NBA, best rebounder, and great shot-blocker. Cons: Will get paid Max money, injury history (back and shoulder), "diva", and bad chemistry/locker room player. In Orlando, he's was quick to bash on his team and coach. I'm sorry, but to me I believe the cons outweigh the pros. I like our team. They have great chemistry and just simply enjoy playing basketball with each other, and they will get better with more experience. I don't want a guy that can come in here and cause tension and break up the chemistry. If he doesn't get his touches, he's going to complain to the media like he has in Orlando and LA. Asik for what he's paid to do is a bargain and this is only his first year as a starting nba center. If we can trade Asik for high first round pick or get some other solid players, then maybe I'd be okay with making a pitch for Howard. IMO, the position that needs the most upgrade is and always has been the power forward position, unless D-Mo, T-Rob, or T-Jones steps it up. With Dwight's injury past, that really scares me also. And with our luck in Houston with injuries, I don't want to take that chance.

Just my 2 cents.

 

Any chance Kobe gets amnestied and CP3 joins Dwight? Is it possible cap wise?

 

No. Not close.

 

Personally, Dwight is one lucky dude...he has so many options...stay and get paid, and be the #1 option again in arguably the best market ever...leave, and join a contender...There is no way in heck, that Dwight even competes for a title in the next 2-3 years in LA.

He got a coach fired, joined a team that he thought was destined for a title...he thought everything would be smooth sailing, and right now is clinging to the hope that they make the playoffs...

Personally, Dwight has a very small window left to win a ring...if he leaves LA, he has a chance to win at least one title...if he sticks around...he will forever be known as the only true big man to never win a title in tinseltown...and that will be a career embarrassment...bc even if Kobe comes back, they will not surplant anyone in the west...and will not overthrow Lebron in the East...so basically its now or never...

In the end, the nerd from Houston(Daryl Morey) wins...he is in cap heaven...and has the chance to still get his big piece for a title...wow...

 

I agree with this for the most part. In the coming days, weeks, months there will be plenty of trade scenarios thrown out for howard. Howard also gets what he wants (another summer of everyone talking about him). I'm not going to name all the suitors interested him because there are plenty, but I agree that he won't be back in LA unless they can pull off a hero trade, which is highly unlikely.

Rockets fans better believe Morey is licking his chops though. For all the drama D12 causes, he's still an elite player. And elite players is what wins championships. Pair Harden and Howard and look at the rest of the west and you see only OKC will be other legit threat in the next 2-4 years. No doubt in my mind Morey would pull the trigger on the trade because at the end of the day, when he looks back at his career, he will not regret this move because it's the new formula for winning an NBA title.

That being said, I'm thinking (haven't checked salaries yet) it'll be something like, Kobe amnestied, then d12 and pau or nash/mwp for Asik, Lin, picks, and a couple young bucks. The Lakers would immediately get younger and get a couple bad contracts off the table (it's the lakers, i cant imagine them completely rebuilding, the nba wouldn't let them do that) plus there is upside for the guys they get.

The rockets would look like d12/trob/parsons/harden/nash with mwp plus others coming off the bench.

Do i want this to happen? absolutely not, because this rockets team is one of the more exciting and rootable teams in the nba. plus they seem to play bball the way it's meant to be played. with camaraderie for your teammates.

but dm is smart and shrewd, the only way he doesnt get this done is if someone offers a better package for d12.

 

As a Laker fan I'm actually hoping the Lakers miss the playoffs in hopes that Dwight leaves the team. I can't stand the guy and the dude is not worth it. He has an awful post game and shoots awful % from the FT line but yet demands the ball so much in there. He has very low BBall IQ and will always commit dumb fouls or do something really stupid (Like the Hornets game where he inbounded the ball after walking on the court). So if Howard ends up going to the Rockets I would be elated. His ego has slightly tampered down because of Kobe and Pau but I guarantee if he goes to the Rockets it's going to go back to "being the man".

Having said all that, I don't see the Lakers letting Howard walk. For one thing I think the Lakers can offer more money to him. Also especially with Kobe being injured Dwight will get more spotlight on him which is what he really wants. The reason he wanted to leave Orlando was because he wanted to be in a big market. It doesn't get any bigger than the LA Lakers and now with Kobe down he'll have it all to himself.

 

I respect Kobe's professionalism. But I have to predict that LAL is better without Kobe if PJ is not the coach. Dwight and Nash will do better, and Dwight will be happier to stay.

 

It's really not. Dallas was always at or near the top of Dwight's "list", and they're no different than Houston in terms of market. They were on it because they were winners. That's a position of Dwight's that has only hardened this year, per Woj and other sources. He wants to win. He didn't ask out of Orlando until it was obvious the team had peaked and wasn't a serious contender in its current state (and had no reasonable route to get there). When they were seen as "on the cusp" in 2008 and 2009, Dwight was happy and you didn't hear a peep out of him.

Dwight's "list" was Brooklyn with Deron, Dallas with Dirk and Los Angeles with Kobe. He wants a 1A/1B setup. Now, I'm not discounting the Lakers -- Kupchak might be able to sell him on the possible free agent signings in July 2014, and that combined with the money might be enough. But that's what the Lakers will have to sell. I don't buy for one second that Dwight wants the spotlight of a big market to himself. With that comes enormous responsibility, and history shows us that's not his way.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Amazed @<a href="https://twitter.com/clutchfans">clutchfans</a> why BBS posters do NOT want best rebnder &amp; shtblkr in NBA to join <a class="hashtag" action="hash" title="#Rockets">#Rockets</a> ... <a class="hashtag" action="hash" title="#strange">#strange</a> <a class="hashtag" action="hash" title="#kobe">#kobe</a> <a class="hashtag" action="hash" title="#achilles">#achilles</a></p>&mdash; Doc Rocket (@Thedocrocket) <a href="https://twitter.com/Thedocrocket/status/323092772032753664" data-datetime="2013-04-13T15:18:14+00:00">April 13, 2013</a></blockquote>
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The whole Howard's list that went on during free agency I don't really buy. It kept changing every week from multiple reporters so I think it's impossible to know what he really thought. The fact of the matter is that he ended up in the LA which is one of the biggest markets.

Yes Howard wasn't complaining when he was at Orlando doing well but that was because he was the guy there and they basically built a team around him suited for him. It's very obvious to me from watching him the entire season that he wants to be the man on a team. He had a ton of issues with Kobe at the beginning of the season because of ego conflict. Only until recently did Howard start actually playing second fiddle. But I think your being way too optimistic that Howard is going to do that with the Rockets and all their young pups.