Sessions has a player option. He won't get more than he's making right now. Thing is, lakers have the pieces and ownership, portland has the picks and ownership,gsw have the players and picks, lac got the market and players, and the rockets have wishes and faulty dreams. Even for a rental, gsw can beat the rockets. Even for a rental, portland has a better package. Am I missing something besides homerism?
I think If Dwight does get traded to Houston, it could be like a Chris Webber situation when he was traded to Sacramento. Webber didn't want to play for the Kings at first either, but ened up staying with the Kings after him and Jason Williams found success playing with each other. Same situation could possibly happen in Houston if we do luck up and get D12.
While I agree those teams can put together better packages, Portland has never been linked to the Dwight chase and could not sign Deron if they got Dwight and took on Hedo. The would have over $45 tied up between Dwight, Hedo and Aldridge. Then another 4 Million tied up in cap holds meaning they could only offer D-Williams $9 Mil and would have to renounce rights to Batum. Chicago can offer a better package than us to but have not been linked to any real interest so could Sacramento with Cousins and the #5 pick but they have not been linked to any interest. A few other teams can offer better packages but none has been linked to any interest. I think the order of realistic scenarios of teams who would go after Dwight is: The Lakers- if they offer Bynum and Pau or take on Hedo they will get Dwight but will have nothing to offer to get Deron Williams. Golden State- if they offer Bogut, Curry and the #7 pick and take on Hedo they can get Dwight Houston is running in 3rd and Brooklyn in 4th. Unless a surpise team that has not pursued Dwight jumps in I think thats where it stands.
There are always teams lurking who don't get into the rumor mill. Portland can sign williams, then offer 6,11, crawford,and babbitt for howard. Gsw will offer 7 and bogut for howard. They won't give up curry cause that assures howard will leave.
No they cannot. The salaries do not match up and Portland could not take back all of Howard's salary after signing Williams without going over the cap which they cannot do without adding more salary meaning Aldridge or others would have to be added. Also Crawford is opting out so he cannot be included in the trade.
Crawford has a player option and he said he is going to opt out. Also, if the Blazers want to resign Batum they would not be able to afford Derron Williams. Golden State is not under the cap, so wouldn't they have to throw in more than Bogut and the #7 for Howard?
Please consider these facts: 1. Dwight wants to be paired up with a dominant point guard that is his age. That means CP3 or DWill. 2. If the Lakers give up all that for Dwight, they have no way of adding a point unless Nash comes along for the MLE. And then they are running out Nash, Kobe, Hedo, Dwight, Artest. Do you think they get by OKC and Miami with that? 3. Golden State will not have a point guard after doing that deal. He's not going to extend there. And they aren't going to trade for him and give up all that without an extension. 4. Look, the Rockets are in the lead here to acquire Dwight. Their main competitor is..................Orlando. Orlando is trying to keep him. They are gonna hire a guy that applies a lot of psychological pressure to Dwight to get him to sign an extension.
We need someone devious. We need someone merciless. We need someone who will not take no for an answer. Inventive, intelligent, resourceful, forceful. We need DD!!!!!!:grin:
Just asking a ?, if ur portland is it worth the risk to renounce all the rfa and ufa for a chance to sign williams and howard? If they renounce batum,hickson, and crawford opts out,they will have a payroll of 24m or so. That would leave them with 31m in cap space.6,11 and babbitt for howard leaves them with 15m in cap space. Williams Matthews ? Aldridge Howard How do that starting lineup look in the west? They could do what miami is doing except add young vets and they have the richest owner in sports. In regards to gsw with bogut and the 7,gsw could throw in a random 3m player to get to the 25% + 100k. They could also amnesty biedrens and free up 9m to make it easier or add players.
I think it will be more like Rockets: Send: Scola to LA; 14th pick to Orlando Get: Gasol Magic: Send: DHoward & Turkoglu to LA; Get: Bynum, 14th pick Lakers: Send: Bynum to Orlando; Gasol to Houston Get: DHoward & Turkoglu In this way, Orlando will clear a dead weight contract in Turkoglu and get a promising young star in Bynum along with draft picks. Lakers will get themself a superstar and a much needed SF. Rockets will get.... well... Gasol... who they wanted from last year....
And I want to add to my point that by doing this trade, Houston will still keep most of their trade assets (Lowry, KMart, 16th pick), and if we can resign Dragic, we will have a promising young core in PG Dragic, Parson, DoMo. And we can certainly use the trade assets to get another good player or a higher draft pick to pick up some promising young SG like Austin Rivers.
Dwight just got a back surgery that sat him out for the rest of last season. We don't even know how his health would hold up. As we all know, we already dealt with the bad health of our last all star center, we don't need to go through another one. Plus having Howard here means we have to give up a lot just to get him and it is highly unlikely that he would resign here in Houston. So it is a big risk for Houston so I would have to say no. I would much rather trade for a higher lottery pick than have Dwight here. Drafting a high lottery pick is much better in the long run than having Dwight stays here for one year. Plus having him here would not help the Rockets compete in the playoffs. It would help us make it to the playoffs but another first round exit is not worth the trouble. Its no point having a one year rental just to go through another first round exit. He is not good enough to carry this team in the playoffs. He couldn't do it with Orlando so there is no way he can help the Rockets in the West.
Your cap figures for Portland are way off, man. Even if Crawford opts out and the Blazers renounce their rights to all UFAs & RFAs (including Batum) and even forfeit the draft rights to--or at least get a waiver from--Victor Claver and Joel Freeland (two former first rounders playing in Europe a la Motiejunas), Portland will have a cap figure of about $36 million or so. That includes the 7 guys under contract (Shawne Williams will exercise his player option), cap holds for the #6 and #11 picks, and 3 roster charges. The Howard trade you describe would leave Portland with a cap figure of over $50 million, leaving Portland with less than $8 million in cap room with which to attempt to sign Williams in free agency. Don't get me wrong. There are ways that Portland could possibly get both Howard and D-Will; but it will be far, far more complicated and difficult than you make it out to be. And the Blazers would likely lose Batum in the process of trying to make it work, likely being left with neither Batum nor D-Will in the process. leebigez, your point about other teams being able to implement the Rockets' desired strategy is well-taken, but please get your facts straight on the cap before making particular assertions like the one above. People here read your stuff and follow what you write (for good reason). Please don't negligently throw around incorrect cap figures that will just give others bad information and incorrectly color people's opinions. Thanks.
Glad we can count on somebody for reality around here. On a non-sarcastic note, I've said it before on here and I'll say it again. While getting Dwight seems very unlikely, it is equally intriguing. Here's to Daryl Morey and his staff!
Maybe something like this? http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=76yq9vu Plus Orlando gets #14 and #16 via HOU. Dwight Howard is the key to getting deron Williams.
**** it I guess I'll be the one to say it ... I don't get this obsession with Dwight Howard. The guy won't sign the extension with the Rockets. He's a diva whose days as being called "the best center in the league" are numbered. Not to mention he's coming off of back surgery and we don't know if he will be the same player as before. This rental just isn't worth the amount assets he'll cost. PS. IF your'e one of those people that think we can convince him stay by having a good playoff run, then you need to get your head examined.
