David Aldridge: Source says not a chance Dwight stays in Houston

Well I said it yesterday that its odd that Dwights camp hasn't come out and said this, and bam... here it is today. The only thing I was wrong about was who would leak the source. I picked Broussard, but I guess he must be on vacation or something since he worked the finals.


-That being said, Dwight never said this EVER last season when he knew good and well that Houston was in the mix

-Melo, the year before, never publicly leaked this out this negotiation tactic as well when he clearly dissed other cities that were trying to get in the mix.

Obviously there has been a respect level for Houston that these guys have had in the past that you dont see when other smaller markets try to get in the conversation for a marquee name.

This tells me that Houston must be way closer to a deal than I once thought.

If Im Morey I still continue the course of aquiring those draft picks, and calling Dwights bluff to continue to pursue him.

Knowing the slimeball Dan Fagen, and his already known rocky relationship with Dwight, there is a VERY, VERY good chance that Dwight himself never said this, and its his agent trying to force Orlando's hand to get him where he can maximize his money in Brooklyn. No way his camp wants him playing out the rest of his contract in Houston. They want the extension and extra year on his contract now.

Stay the course. Even if your just giving up two lottery picks this season, and maybe one or two players, you still have the ability to aquire him, and make a separate move to aquire someone like Gasol, and a free agent like Ray Allen in the Summer.

At this point there is no reason to back away, keep the deal on the table, and seek out alternate deals you can make for someone like Gasol right now. You never know what alternate moves might make this team a contender overnight for NEXT SEASON with or without a guarantee that Dwight is staying.

If you put together a team overnight with Dwight, Gasol, Rockets role players, and a key free agent, its worth taking a one year shot at winning a title either way.

 

I don't know what to believe anymore.

I want to hear what Dwight has to say.

 

Yeah, I agree, that number is based upon 2 max contracts at 5 years.

Jerry West was right, call his bluff.

DD

 

I think if Morey is going to do this, he's got a plan to go after Deron too. He knows that's the best chance to keep Dwight here after next year. No matter what either of them says, if we pull off the Dwight trade there is not a more feasible situation for them to play together and make max money while having a decent team around them.

It's either us or NJ and the Nets don't have nearly as much to offer Orlando.

 

Dwight probably gets traded here and walks after the season.

 

If Morey trades for him and stands his ground, I will completely flip into his camp.

IE, if he gets him and refuses to trade him in a S&T deal - he will be my hero.

DD

 

Dont worry about that. Worry about the alternate move or moves they are planning on making after the Dwight aquisition first.

If you put him alongside someone like Gasol, you instantly make this team a contender next season.

Let Dwight walk away from that and show the world his true colors.

 

Exactly. If you take this risk, don't reward the guy by giving him an S&T deal.

 

This is a rare occasion where I agree with DD. If we trade for Dwight and he wants to walk, I tell him to walk. Walk away from any extra money and go. Start breaking these players with their "we don't want to stay with the team that has our rights but we want the benefit of the money that we'd get if we did stay." The CBA is designed to encourage players to stay with a franchise, not to be used to get them money on the way out.

 

Getting Dwight, taking a shot and refusing to S&T him if he walks is also a great method of forcing Les to tank as well, because you can blame him for any tankage.

 

Yes. It also gives you one really fun season of following the team. Kind of resets the fandom if you have to tank. Better to tank after a good year with Dwight than after so many mediocre ones where the fans are burnt out.

 

And Clutchfans finally get what they want without taking out a mortage on the future.(There was worry from some that the Rockets would give up future picks in a Dwight Howard deal)

The picks in this years draft would almost be wasted picks anyways on this roster. IE no playing time with crowded roster, duplication, etc.

Its worth a one year shot, especially if you have alternate moves to make to put someone alongside him, and if all else fails you have the ability to wash your hands clean and start from scratch in 2013/14.

 

Oh he wants to win alright - it's just that he wants to win on a bigger stage and Houston ain't it. Howard knows that this ain't San Antonio he's coming to but Houston - a team that hasn't done diddly in the playoffs for 17 years now. Howard wants a ring BADLY. Especially after he just watched the Superfriends win theirs. He wants a title and he wants to be the reason why his team wins that title. And he knows that if he comes to Houston, all he'll end up doing is joining the rest of us as we watch other teams pass the Rockets.

I am against this move simply because fate has handed them an opportunity they may never see again for the next 10 years: the opportunity to completely reshape this team with high quality young players. They currently have 3 first round picks plus Motiejunas on the way. At some point, I'd like to see Morey earn that genius label. If he's the wizard everyone says he is, then he should be able to find young players who will develop into the stars the Rockets currently don't have. And if Kevin McHale is indeed a bonafide NBA head coach, he should be able to develop them given enough time. Either you believe in these guys to get the job done or you don't. I do know one thing: there are no shortcuts to success. This pursuit of Howard for the sake of having a star player (and a disgruntled one at that) on the roster for one year is simply another quick fix (in a long line of quick fixes) that I fear will blow up in their faces...again.

 

I'd be curious to see just how long your hero worship will last if Howard makes good on his threat not to resign, walks and in the end, all Morey will have accomplished will be to accelerate the rebuilding in Orlando.

 

Doesn't matter, Morey took the chance, and stood his ground....

DD

 

Rockets Brass is smoking crack if they think they can get Howard to stay. He won't. Every team will gun for him as a FA. He will be a one-year rental and then gone. L.A., Boston, NJ, it doesn't matter. There are plenty of places he can go to and have a much better shot at fame and fortune than in Houston.

He doesn't want to come here. Why do it? It's a huge mistake. We aren't the Hakeem era Rockets that free agents want to come to. We don't have Rudy T anymore. It's just not going to happen folks.

People say it doesn't matter, we can take a gamble on Howard and then rebuild.


But right now we have 3 picks and an opportunity to get younger by trading away Lowry and perhaps even Martin. This is a golden chance to start fresh as HillTop is saying.

No, we won't get a super star, but we will have a solid foundation for rebuilding and a place that is ready for a superstar to come in and take over once we hit our magic number in the lottery in the next few years. Let's go that route, instead of being disappointed with Howard.

 

Lou - saying he won't stay is a huge guess.

If he comes here and Morey puts a roster around him that can compete THIS year, you don't think he would reconsider?

I do.

DD

 

You scared? You sound scared.


Man up.

 

So, I see that you are now content with Morey just making the effort even if it is the wrong effort. So you now agree that results aren't important? When you watch OKC or whomever hoist that Larry O'Brien trophy over their colloective heads, you'll be cool with that because Morey "stood his ground" and really showed em.

 

Perhaps, but I hope it scares the stuffing out of Les.