Dwight update: Not close to a trade with Rockets

[t0mdotcom]

David Aldridge

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2012/0...-with-rockets/

Friday came and went, and just like all the other days that have passed since June 24, 2004, Dwight Howard was still a member of the Orlando Magic.

Despite the Houston Rockets using the amnesty provision to waive forward Luis Scola, there was no trade of Howard from Orlando to Houston, and sources briefed on the talks between the two sides said the teams weren’t nearly as close to a trade as many have speculated. That can change in an instant, of course, but late Friday, there was no deal.

Talks between the two sides are “not active,” one source said Friday.

“There’s nothing happening,” another source said.

The Rockets, according to a league source briefed on the discussions, are willing to take one bad contract back from the Magic, not two or three, as has been speculated. And in return, Houston will give up one of the their three first-round picks in last month’s Draft– Jeremy Lamb, Royce White or Terrence Jones –but only one.

The Rockets would be willing to send a future draft pick to Orlando –presumably the Lottery-protected first-rounder Houston received this week from Toronto for guard Kyle Lowry — and send a veteran player to the Magic, helping Orlando clear $10 to $15 million worth of cap room, in exchange for the six-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year.

Orlando has several high-priced contracts it would like to clear if it opts to trade Howard, including forward Hedo Turkoglu (two years, $23.4 million remaining, though the last year of the deal is not fully guaranteed) and guards Jason Richardson (three years, $18.6 million) and Chris Duhon (two years, $7.2 million).

Waiving Scola, who was due $20.6 million over the next three seasons, was not done just to give Houston a better shot at Howard, according to the source. With the Rockets in full pursuit of Howard, however, keeping a high-priced player like Scola on the roster didn’t make much sense going forward — especially if Houston isn’t successful in getting Howard.

By cutting Scola now, the Rockets will be able to take a big contract back at any point this season if it suits their rebuilding plans. After spending the last three years trapped in NBA mediocrity following the injuries to and eventual retirement of franchise center Yao Ming, the Rockets are determined to land a star or construct a roster of players with the potential to become stars.

To that end, the Rockets officially tendered a three-year, $25.1 million offer sheet on Friday to Knicks restricted free agent Jeremy Lin. The Rockets reworked their deal from the original offer they had negotiated with Lin, eliminating a year of the offer but raising Lin’s third-year salary up to $14.898 million, in an attempt to make the offer sheet as difficult as possible for New York to match.

League sources continue to indicate that the Knicks will match, however, feeling Lin’s potential both as a player and as someone whose marketability is unlimited are too important to pass up. But with a roster that currently only has veterans Toney Douglas and Shaun Livingston as point guards, Houston felt it had to do whatever it could to get Lin.

The Rockets are still expected to tender a similar three-year, $25 million offer sheet to Bulls reserve center Omer Asik.

Meanwhile, Orlando continues to take a methodical approach toward dealing Howard, who has indicated the only team with whom he’d be willing to sign a contract extension after this season is Brooklyn. Howard has been adamant that he would not re-sign in Houston if traded there.

However, the Rockets remain convinced they can change his mind once he gets to town. He has a strong relationship with Rockets legend and Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon, who told FoxSportsFlorida Friday night that he’d been asked to reach out to Howard if and when a trade is made.

Orlando is determined trade Howard on its own timetable, when it gets the combination of picks and young players it wants. The Magic, who are still looking to hire a new coach and just hired new general manager Rob Hennigan late last month, may be trying to replicate the formula used by the Nuggets in 2011, when Denver held onto forward Carmelo Anthony for months and months until the Knicks offered a package featuring Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Timofey Mozgov for a Denver package featuring Anthony and Chauncey Billups.

Orlando is continuing to talk to other teams, including the Lakers. But after sending two future firsts and two seconds to the Suns in the sign and trade deal for Steve Nash, Los Angeles is out of Draft picks to offer in the near future. The Nets are out of the picture for the foreseeable future after re-signing center Brook Lopez, who was supposed to be the centerpiece of any offer to Orlando for Howard, to a four-year, $60.8 million deal earlier this week. Under league rules Brooklyn cannot trade Lopez until Jan. 15.

[t0mdotcom]

Every time Aldridge comes out with an article, it always seems as if he's going against what everyone else is saying. Buzz kill.

[J.R.]

Bad news: Nothing's happening! (You can take that as, nothing is really going on or nothing is going on because we're waiting on Lin/Asik offer sheets to play out.)

Good news: People can stop freaking out about the Rockets swapping rosters with the Magic.

The Rockets, according to a league source briefed on the discussions, are willing to take one bad contract back from the Magic, not two or three, as has been speculated. And in return, Houston will give up one of the their three first-round picks in last month’s Draft– Jeremy Lamb, Royce White or Terrence Jones –but only one.

The Rockets would be willing to send a future draft pick to Orlando and send a veteran player to the Magic, helping Orlando clear $10 to $15 million worth of cap room, in exchange for the six-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year.

[clubberclyde]

thats ma boi murray

[getbloodyred]

see? there you go, i hate that everyone on this board was pretty much PMSing about how Morey is giving up the entire team for a great player + 3 bad contracts. i've seen way too many "fire morey" and "what the hell is morey doing?" threads to the point i question our intelligence as a fan base. hopefully, people will come to their senses and realize that morey, contrary to the board's opinion, is not an idiot and has a plan. let the guy make a mistake before you badger him.

[Houst0ne]

Rather keep all the rookies..give them Patterson + Morris lol

[Fullcourt]

We stock pile assets to trade for a star, yet when the time comes we offer only one? I don't buy it.

[saleem]

I would have kept either Lowry or Dragic instead of throwing money at Lin.
It would have been better to get a pick for Luis.

[LonghornFan]

ANOTHER DWIGHT THREAD IS SO AWESOME! THANK YOU 8 oz 15/16" inch baby Jesus in a Tuxedo suit BECAUSE YOU LIKE TO PARTY FOR THIS!!! W00T!

[liveguy]

Sounds good to me.

Only one of class of 2012.....take ur pick.

Draft picks, etc.

Sounds much better than what is being speculated.

I kinda hope the one they pick is white.

I was wrong about jones.

Would rather him than Royce if a choice had to be made.

[Raven]

I hope the part about Morey not going all in is true. One bad contract, one youngster, and one draft pick. That sounds about right. Otherwise the Rockets won't have enough talent to make a serious run.

[Hakeemtheking]

Originally Posted by clubberclyde thats ma boi murray

Yes!

I coming around to Morey. He is probably playing hardball with the Magic now.

Attaboy, Murray!

[RiceRockets]

I never believed we would give up all of our young prospects and take 3 bad contracts for Dwight...

I'd be willing to take 2 of the bad contracts if it means keeping more decent pieces like Lamb, White, DMo and Parsons.

[tokenbk]

Continue playing hardball Morey, take Hennigan to school.

[JayZ750]

This article makes a lot of sense. If the trade mentioned happened, and the rockets were not matched on Lin or Aski gets actually have a solid though young team.

[teebone21]

its from David Aldridge

nuff said, he never says anything good about houston. Doesnt even mention them on nba tv

[Amel]

now that deal is more than reasonable.

[jmwilliamson]

Not only do I find this very interesting, but it rings more true. If the Rockets were truly offering to take on every single bad contract in Orlando, give up all of our young talent and throw in every 1st round pick we have to spare, what the hell would be holding up the trade? Hennigan would jump on that faster than Artest jumps on a fan in Detroit.

[OremLK]

So the current offer is this:

Kevin Martin
Toronto Draft pick

PICK ONE TO OFFLOAD
Duhon, Richardson, Turk

PICK ONE TO ACQUIRE
Jeremy Lamb
Royce White
Terrence Jones

Are you guys still panicking about Morey giving up too much based on dumb@$$ stupid-as-f*** ESPN speculation?

Huh?

[LelWestbrick]

Originally Posted by LonghornFan ANOTHER DWIGHT THREAD IS SO AWESOME! THANK YOU 8 oz 15/16" inch baby Jesus in a Tuxedo suit BECAUSE YOU LIKE TO PARTY FOR THIS!!! W00T!

Jesus Christ stop bawwing about the number of threads, it's like people here have never been on a damn forum before. Having multiple threads lets you avoid 60 posts of schlock to only discuss and see stuff you want to discuss and see.

BUT LAWD KNOWS WE NEED MORE ROOM FOR THREADS TO DISCUSS CHANDLER PARSON'S HAIR M I RITE?