SI.com: Nets must clear salary to sign Howard to the max

Rockets won't do anything. They are to busy waiting for someone else to make the 1st move. Kris Hump and a pick would be perfect for this team.

 

I would be more interested in trading our 09ers for farmar,petro, and their unprotected first than dealing for okafor and a first

 

This is an extremely interesting scenario, and helps to illustrate why deals take so long to get completed. From the Rockets perspective, I'd agree to take on those salaries (Farmar and Petro) in exchange for, let's say, Hill and Flynn, since we have cap space (each player would produce a small trade exception that can make us buyers during the course of next season) if it meant we got back New Jersey's unprotected pick in addition to re-acquiring the rights to our own pick.

What makes these kind of deals risky is that players like the 09ers can be used to match salaries in potentially larger deals, which means either a) the offer of draft picks may evaporate when another team who isn't looking for the home run deal takes NJ's offer, or b) it takes away the ability to complete a different deal for an established player, unless of course the rights to picks are exchanged.

I'd do this deal if NJ gives us our pick back, and if
a) Utah could be convinced to deal us Jefferson in exchange for Martin and our own 2012 pick (lottery protected), or
b) if LA could be convinced to deal us Gasol in exchange for Scola, Dragic, Thabeet and our own 2012 pick (not the NYK pick).

 

NJ would be smart to just put the best deal on the table to Orlando. It won't benefit them that much to wait and Howard could change his mind - again. Like a car salesman close to a deal, you don't want your client leaving in the hopes that he/she will be back. You close the deal even if it means waving the cost of the "undercoating".

 

Nets don't need Lopez or Humphries if they get Howard. Both guys are goners.

 

True but I could see them trading one or both at the deadline for picks/lower contract youngs/etc. Helps their tanking this season and gets them something back in return.

What would you give up for Brook Lopez?

 

Would McHale and Morey want Lopez?

If yes, send Thabust's expiring and the NY pick.

Then watch Morey mealy-mouth Lopez in the offseason so no one will offer him big money, thus driving down his asking price etc etc...

 

Humphries is a free agent next year so he comes off their books regardless.

 

Humphries is expiring. Lopez is coming off a major injury. Neither guy has much trade value at the moment. Nets need both salaries to come off the books to get Howard and should keep them until the end of the season.

I've never liked Brook Lopez. IMO, it's hard for Cs that are soft, don't rebound and don't D-up to help a team win championships.

 

Not much. He's injured all the time and he constantly sucks when he goes up against better NBA centers. His stats are hollow. He piles them up against nobodies and then when he actually runs into a big that plays D, he sucks.

Here's the other thing. Do you really think if NJ threw Orlando their pick, plus our pick (14+) plus Lopez and expirings that that deal is going to beat what the Rockets are able to give them, which includes among other things taking back salary from them (either Hedo or Duhon/QRich). The NJ deal locks them into mediocrity. They wind up with a big man who they will likely have to pay $10 mill per season or more for and two draft picks, most likely outside the top 5, which weighs down their roster with more salary, and they're still stuck with all the other junk on their roster. It just doesn't make sense.

Now, look at it from Dwight and DWill's perspective.

If Orlando trades Dwight there, he's playing with DWill, and whatever else NJ can sign. Who is that going to be? Kirilenko? Okay. Then what?? This is Miami's situation from a couple years ago but the 3 players aren't nearly as good. They'll likely make the playoffs and peter out in the first or 2nd round. No depth.

For Dwight to sign there outright, he's gotta give up a good chunk of change since he can't use his Birds rights to get max raises and 5 years. Then NJ still has to clear the deck for him and DWill. They gotta lose Lopez most likely, because somebody is gonna offer the guy $10 mill per season. If they keep Lopez, they're basically locked in for next season with the rest of those pieces parts minus Kris. The article is right. For them to sign Dwight, they gotta dump salary, which means in all likelihood they lose their lottery pick.

And here's the other thing. Morey holds the leverage on Orlando. All Morey has to do is threaten to turn that deal with NJ and give them their cap space and Orlando is up a creek without a paddle. Orlando is already up a creek with not much of a paddle.

In my opinion, all signs are pointing to Dwight coming to Houston. The only thing that will change it at this point is:

1. Orlando decides to "roll the dice" and keep him.

or

2. Orlando finds a trade partner that will offer up significant assets because Dwight will agree to extend with that team.

 

It would be smart of the Nets to give the Magic whatever they want to get Howards bird rights.

1.Staying over the cap assures you of having the MLE to dole out to a player wanting to hop on the bandwagon,

2.Keeps Howard away from predatory teams like the rockets, that just may be able to actually convince him to stay. Maybe not likely, but are any of their players really worth taking that risk.

3.Thy are gonna have to dump basically their entire roster to sign him in free agency anyway.

What is the most Orlando could want
Draft picks (which are all gonna suck anyway with these two)
Brook Lopez (D-12 obviously makes him expendable)
Humphries (gonna be gone anyhow for cap space)

Are really gonna take this risk to keep Marshon Brooks

 

great post... well thought out.

You can certainly see how difficult it is to pull the trigger on a trade. However, Morey's just got to make a decision at some point.

I think DM would be stupid not to take the proposed NJ deal you point out, with our without the following trades. I understand that he has positioned the team for cap flexibility, but I don't think he truly believes that flexibility will help land him a Deron Williams type. He wants to and is most likely to land a "big fish" via trade. So I doubt he's as concerned about cap flexibility.

So a trade of Hill, Flynn for Farmar, Petro, NJ 2012 Unprotected first, Re-acqurie our own pick we traded them would be a steal.

It would give Morey so so so many assets to work with. In this upcoming draft alone, he'd have a VERY high lotto pick, and likely 2 early to mid-teen picks in worst case scenario. Plus all the future picks to trade. And, as your follow-up trades suggest, he'd still basically have all his real tangible assets to move for a player. Which means instead of Gasol he can target Josh Smith, or Carmelo (if he wants), or Jefferson/Milsap or whomever...

it'd be a steal of a trade with NJ, which is likely why, even given their need for increased cap space, they'd never offer it.

 

I think Morey should talk to NJ about doing that deal to get Orlando to trade us Dwight.