[Feigen] Rockets consider amnestying Scola, as talks with the Magic grow "serious"

Rockets fan first. Laker hater second.

 

It's a Dwightmare we might not wake up from for 5 years

 

i share your frustration. That's why i'm leaning towards going the old fashioned rebuilding route ...through the draft; developing young talent, sensible trades, and free agent signings. But you get your franchise player through the draft. It's cheaper and provides your organization with better long-term stability. Whats more, it doesn't make your mortal enemies better in the process.

 

This is crazy, but can we amnesty Scola and sign him back at the minimum? He would be a good pairing next to Howard or Bynum.

 

I realize pHoops isn't the most credible source. but this would explain why Orlando hasn't pulled the trigger on our offer

 

You said it yourself, he tried to scare Houston off. That doesn't sound like a guy that is going to do what he can to win a title in Houston. Sounds like a guy that even if we sign him long term is going to whine and complain, have nagging injuries (back?) until we go through 3 years of frustration and trade him for pennies on the dollar.

 

No reason for Orlando to stall much longer, then. Whether it be Houston or someone else, waiting until later in the offseason would make a deal all the more difficult because suitors would have less cap room to accept Orlando's bad contracts.

 

People, pay attention here.

1. If no Rafer for Lowry, no Lowry for Toronto's Pick. If no Lowry for Toronto's pick, we're not in the conversation.

2. If no buying a draft pick, no Buddinger. If no Buddinger, no Terrence Jones trade chip.

3. If no 2nd rounder for camby, no Camby for 2 second rounders.

4. If no Tmac for Jefferies and picks, . . . .

. . . .

Impatient idiots are the ones that want stupid impulse buys, like signing Ben Gordon or Charlie Villanueva to stupid money. It might feel good and exciting for a day or two, the you realize, crap, my wife spent our mortgage money on uncomfortable shoes and an ugly purse.

 

No. You cannot resign a player you amnesty for a full year.

 

I thought it was longer than that.

 

So say it. Type it out. If the Rockets don't do a sign and trade to send him to Brooklyn or LA he will sign there for $3.5 million for 3 years and risk his career earning potential. Type it out. To be clear, in a sign and trade he'd still lose the 5th year.

It's so ridiculous it's not even funny. He would be an absolute moron to sign for that exception. What if his back acts up and he can't get a max deal after that at age 30? He's thrown away nearly $100 million. No shoe deal can compensate for that.

But if you think so, put it out there. Dwight Howard will sign for the $3.5 exception with the Nets if he is not traded there.

 

The Lakers have 2 years, and then have to rebuild, either around Bynum or Howard.

 

It's actually for the life of the contract I believe, not one year.

 

Josh Robbins:

What did you make of Rob Hennigan's PC? You've stuck to the facts all the way [along this].

Thank you. I think the Magic decided not to take a bad deal, yet there are 2 risks at the moment: they might go into TC with Dwight[I don't think it's likely but still a possibility] and do the Rockets offer maybe a little less in their breathless pursuit of Dwight? Magic determined the Nets deal was not good enough. Seems to me they were correct.

What makes most sense from here on out with Dwight? 2 team trade, multi-team trade, do you think moving him still makes sense before the season?

One thing we know, Nets won't get him before January 15th. It cannot happen. The rest of their roster, they aren't trading Williams, Magic don't want Joe Johnson. The Nets cannot acquire Dwight now. The Rockets are desperate for a star. They want Dwight. The Magic don't like Bynum in the sense they are worried about his knees [and will also be a FA]. There is a chance he'll come to TC. They could do a deal with the Rockets but maybe they don't like that deal either.

...

With the new CBA, we'll have shorter windows of opportunity for NBA championships for NBA teams. Guys could be on the move in a more frequent sense. With Dwight in the lineup, should the Magic roll the dice this season and try to win a championship?

He would need significant help. They need additional help to be contenders. Ryan Anderson is gone. He's best with a dominant big man. Dwight also feeds off [a guy like Ryan who stretches the floor] Ryan. Dwight is a great, game changing player. No player is close to where he is defensively. If he is heathy, he makes this team better. If something changes and Dwight is excited to come back and a new coach captivates him and he wants to stay, that is the best scenario for the Magic. I would have to throw a wet blanket on that by saying the relationship between Dwight and the franchise is very tenuous right now.

No coming back?

I'm tempted to say yes. Part of what makes this intriguing is there have been dramatic reversals. Could a 3rd be on the way? I'm so fried right now. I won't count anything out right now.

So many other holes on the roster and still no HC.

They have six candidates. The new HC will come out of those. There has been talk about Cheeks and Budenholzer but they aren't candidates. All indications are Curry, Malone, Shaw, Vaughn, Hunter or Hornaceck. They can hire a coach without the roster being set. These six individuals would accept the job without the roster being set.

Hennigan says no finalists list. Who stands out.

Unfortunately I'm not sitting in on those interviews. They're not done with all of them yet. They're not tipping their hand. The perception from the outside is that Malone and Shaw are the front-runners but many people thought Jeff Bower was the front-runner for GM. Shows you how silly it is to annoint a front-runner. Worthless.

Magic SL--biggest surprise or good story from there?

Nicholson and O'Quinn have certainly not hurt their stock as far as the Magic are concerned. Nicholson has shown flashes of real steadiness along with his ability. Both smart players and good people. O'Quinn very gritty. Tough competitor. Early returns on both have been very good.

Moves still to make in FA?

They'll have spots to fill on their roster. I'm surprised Nelson's signing wasn't announced yesterday but that's imminent. If this team is rebuilding, no splashy signings so I wouldn't expect any breathtaking moves in FA.

What other story-lines you following this week?

The DH possibility of getting traded is still on the table. Can the Magic play the Rockets offer off the Hawks? The Rockets are desperate to get a star in there. Desperate. They'll do it even if Dwight says he won't re-sign there. Don't rule a trade out with the Rockets this week. I'm not saying its close or imminent but a possibility.

 

Thank you

 

I agree. Tried to rep you but Auto-Clutch says your love needs to be spread around before you can get more!!:grin:

 

If other teams are seriously involved then I think the Rockets are out.

 

By the way, as much as Bucher is a clown, I think we can trust him on Dwight's rejection of Hennigan's plea. It's obvious to me that most of his mistakes this week were because he blindly believed everything presented to him by Dwight's agent and people around him. That makes him unreliable in reporting actual trade negotiations, but for Dwight's own personal reactions to things... I think he's plugged in.

 

1.) It's Hoopsworld.

2.) All of those teams mentioned have junk to offer, save maybe the Warriors (who are on record as saying they don't want Dwight as a rental). Even then, I think the Toronto pick trumps almost everything.

 

"The Rockets are desperate".

Desperation is not a good way to go into a negotiation. The Magic are the ones who are "desperate". Houston does have another alternative. They can take their chips and go home, focusing on rebuilding through the youth movement.

It's called BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement). Houston's BATNA is much better than Orlando's. Therefore, we have the leverage. If we pull the trigger on a deal with Orlando, we need to come out way ahead, commencerate with our bargaining advantage.