Why do you really want Dwight Howard??

I'm pretty much agree with this sentiment. No quality team (without desperation) is going to risk trading for Dwight Howard and not have some kind advantage card over him.

Which is why OKC and LAC are not interested in entertaining any trades for Howard?

It's not such a big risk for LA or even NY/Brooklyn, because there's a good chance that he'd stay, because the teams under the cap look like this Sacramento, Houston, Cleveland, Portland, Charlotte, and etc. That would be like going back to Orlando. Howard is going to be the incumbent face of the franchise for the "Hollywood" Lakers and Nets. That's probably what he wants. Outside of Dallas, Howard doesn't seem all that interested in other teams and will very likely play the free agency market (don't know why).


I hope he doesn't end up here in all honesty. It's embarrassing to be one of the only teams chasing after a player who has given indications that he doesn't want to play for them (and will exercise his free agency rights at the end of the season). Allegedly, opted-in to his old team (the one he is desperately trying to leave), because he saw that he might have been traded to the Rockets or Warriors.

He's a self-righteous, obnoxious, back-stabbing, selfish, cooning, ego-consumed prima donna.

 

The Clippers aren't going after him because they have a stupid, scumbag cheapass owner. That's about it. They SHOULD go after Griffin. But they won't because lol Sterling.

The Thunder won't because they already have a championship core. We don't. But Dwight Howard will be the first, major step to getting him.

hahaha no.
In all of the drafts since Dwight Howard... there has been ONE dude who has reached Dwight Howard's level - Durant. One. One star out of five years of drafting ( I'm not counting 11 or 12 yet) and over twenty high picks.

I do think that there is a much better than a 5% chance that Howard stays with us.

 

quoted for emphasis. The way people talk in here you would think you have a 50/50 chance of drafting a star in the top 5. *Waits for everyone to say Morey is smarter than every one of those gm's so he'll get the star we need and we will rebuild "THE OKC WAY".... smfh

 

All the better .. just means we're due

 

I'm sorry but this post only enforces the fact you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about and would rather dabble in fantasy than numbers and facts.
This league is Superstar driven. All you have preached all summer is building around role players. Excuse me for not wanting to be Denver south...

Grow a pair and dare to be great.

 

The only deal that has been rumored that makes any semblance of sense for the Magic was Brook Lopez and filler along with three first round picks. One of them a lottery protected pick from the Clippers (likely in the 20s) and two Nets first rounders (mid to late 20s). As we know, the Rockets had three picks in the teens in one draft and were not able to move into the top ten, so the picks that Orlando would receive from the Nets are not valuable at all. Guaranteed contracts for players unlikely to contribute.

If the Magic were to accept that package, they would essentially be treading water for the next few years, similar to the Rockets predicament. Hennigan knows that he needs high draft picks in order to rebuild.

A package of Kevin Martin and Patrick Patterson + the Toronto pick and a second rounder for Howard would give them a guaranteed lottery pick (likely somewhere around 8), a lottery pick from two years ago, as well as a significant expiring trade asset in Martin that could net them additional picks at the deadline. The Rockets could send an additional $4M in nonguaranteed contracts in exchange for Jason Richardson. This could clear nearly $15m off the Magic payroll this coming season and would help the chances that their own pick gets into the top 10. Two potential top 10 picks, Patterson on a cheap contract for a few years, cap savings and whatever they can get for Martin at the deadline is a very good deal for them.

This deal is infinitely better than the rumored deal from the Nets . It gets the Magic in a better position to rebuild than any other offer could. At the same time it leaves the Rockets with the Charlotte second rounder, the Dallas pick and around $6M in nonguaranteed salary to swing an additional deal. I think Tyreke Evans would be a good gamble that might not cost that much, but there could be any number of players available with even more impact.

And so I don’t have to go into it again, I posted here why I think there is a good chance Dwight stays.

 

You could say it applies to Orlando to - I understand the logic there - but Howard has burned so many bridges in Orlando - he just said he couldn't come to the kids basketball camp that he was supposed to run because his back is hurting him - he has just written Orlando off. I think he would walk from Orlando - outside chance he would stay after a season, but I say he would give up the money and walk from Orlando, just because of all the bad blood.

Houston and Howard don't have the bad blood. I would put Houston's chances of keeping Howard at over 80%. I'd put Orlando's chances of keeping Howard at about 20%. Orlando can't take the risk with how Shaq left.

You could say it is the same thing - I think it is really a lot different - Howard needs a change of scenery.

 

Again, I see your Logic, but bridges are so burned with Orlando that I do not see Houston as slightly better - I think Howard is done with Orlando - he is just done in Orlando. When Stan did the press conference saying Howard wanted him fired and Howard came up acting like Stan's pal not knowing what Stan said - Howard looked like a complete idiot.

Martins probably told Stan and broke Howard's confidence - we don't have the details on it, but I think that was the breaking point for Howard. And, Howard is pissed that he couldn't force his way to NY and now he is pissed that he can't force his way to LA.

I would not say these are similar situations at all given the history, the emotions, the burned bridges, etc. - it is over for Howard in Orlando even if he has to give up money - he will walk to Dallas, Atlanta and possibly even Cleveland over Orlando.

It is not the same thing going on with Houston - no bad blood, no burned bridges, etc. This is hugely important given the last year and all that has happened.

If Dwight didn't have such a bad relationship and already committed to leaving Orlando then your premise would work, but it isn't the case - these are not similar situations. Take all the emotion, history, etc. out of it then they would be similar situations - but Howard is so done with Orlando and Orlando is so done with Howard.

 

Anyone would want to build a team around a talent like Howard, but considering the circumstances, I'm sure it's almost a relief to Hennigan to that this is occurring and he can build the team in his own mold. That's why I don't think he sees a deal for the Nets' late 20's picks and Brook Lopez as very attractive. It locks up his salary and doesn't provide him with high-potential picks. Ultimately, I think he looks forward to Howard being gone. He just needs to make sure he gets the most he can for him.

 

I see this going until the end of september. Only way a deal happens before it will be unexpected. Meaning no leaks.

 

So you're saying, let's just get him here and we he realizes that no team in a big market can sign him outright, then he will either sign with us or we could do a S&T with a big market team and get something in return?

Ok, that has some logic to it, but I still am very leery about forcing a players hand to sign because lack of options. Someone who has already shown the lack of character it takes to fulfill a contract. Someone who has basically made a mockery of an organization who has spent money (however ridiculous the contracts were and to whom and with lack of vision and scouting, seemingly) to try to build around him. Someone who, I still am not convinced, can actually lead a team to a championship. I don't see him as your everyday 1st option, you "go to" guy or even have the fortitude to get us deep into the playoffs. He has good size and has some talent to go along with it, but I don't see him leading a team by himself. And I get that we could stil have cap space to entice another start to play here, but from everything I am seeing, it is highly questionable if DH would even assist in recruiting. And on top of all of that, we still don't know how it will play after recovery. High risk / questionable reward

And as for the S&T, this option has some merit, but this is a high risk in that DH could sign with ANY team other than the Rockets.

WE ARE CHASING A LOT OF "WHAT IFs?" And I am very skeptical about the Rockets (Morey's) idea of this whole DH thing. I like Morey's drive and determination; it just seems like an act of desperation. It's one of those things if it works out, he will look like a genius and if it doesn't, well, who knows....

 

Was it embarrassing when the Kings went after Chris Webber in the late 1990s? He said many of the same things. Or do most folks not even care about that, since he ended up staying and they had several contending teams? I think it's the latter. You need to man up - the VAST MAJORITY of sports trades have at least someone in them that, at least at first, "doesn't want to play" for the team they're going to. Only difference here is Howard is a star, so he and his agent have a bigger megaphone to use than most. If you want players that will love Houston unconditionally (even before they've spent one day as a Rocket) and sing Kumbaya all over the place, you need to stick to scouting UH/Rice/local talent and give up trying to contend for an NBA title.

As for the opt-in, IT WASN'T ABOUT THE ROCKETS. Are you really that dense? One report said he opted in fearing it was the Rockets or Lakers, and now he's supposedly agreed to re-sign in Los Angeles. Do you really think he flip-flopped that much?

Dwight's playbook is rather obvious. His plan A, all along, has been to get to Brooklyn via trade, thereby preserving his Bird rights and giving him max money. He had ONLY SIX WEEKS left on his former deal (pre-opting in), then he could sign with Brooklyn for the non-Bird max. Why would six weeks in HOU/LA/GS bother him in the least, if he were truly about to leave and get what he wanted? That's almost nothing! Fact is, it had nothing to do with the Rockets in particular... it could've been any of the 27 other teams. Dwight's team thought they could strong-arm the Magic over the summer to deal him to Brooklyn and preserve his full Bird max, and that is why he opted in.

 

This... Why would we buy someone else's problem? Makes no sense. Very good point @bleedrockets, on the one hand, if he is still that injured, then why do we want him or if he not that injured and using it as leverage, why do we want him?

 

Yes, and that's exactly what the Rockets are trying to avoid. All of those teams are essentially screwed (maybe Jazz have an outside chance, if they get lucky with Favors' development), as it pertains to winning an NBA title over the next decade.

 

so your goal is to simply make the playoffs?

 

For starters, if he's still that injured, it's August 7. He's barely past the halfway point between his surgery date and when the season opens.

If he's not that injured, comparing missing a youth basketball camp in a city that's openly hostile to him to skipping NBA games is apples and oranges. Dwight has every incentive in the world to play and play well in Houston or wherever he is. He's already basically destroyed his off-court reputation throughout the league. If he combines that with not playing and goes a year-and-a-half (following back surgery) without showing top form, he's not going to get the money and options he craves. Period.