DONE DEAL: Dwight Howard to Lakers, Bynum to Philly, Iggy to DEN, Garbage to ORL

this is the same guy who refused to match Shaq's contract which amounted to about an extra $15 over 6 years or something silly like that

 

I'm glad this soap opera is over. On paper, LA won the jackpot. The last time they had a Big 4, they got whopped in the Finals.

 

Tbh I'm surprised the lakers didn't somehow end up with Iguodala as well, they need a new defensive SF.

 

In the Dwightmare scenario.....

here's what I was right about.

1. Morey wanted Dwight bad. Dwight became his #1 target.

2. Morey wasn't interested in Bynum. That was just talk. Because he very easily could have had Bynum and given Orlando a better deal than what they got.

3. Morey was not going to help Dwight get to the Lakers.

4. Nets had no chance to acquire Dwight after they lost out on a top 3 lottery pick.

5. Morey had the best offer on the table to help Orlando rebuild.

6. The players that went out with Howard(JRich and Duhon) are the same players I thought would wind up going out with Howard to Houston.

7. Dwight ultimately wanted that 5-year contract. It was about the money first, winning second, and the whole fascination with being the face and builder of a franchise and establishing his own legacy was lagging behind the other two.

8. Orlando didn't want to trade Dwight to an EC team.

9. Orlando was never going to trade Dwight for Bynum, a player on an expiring contract not worth the same trade value as Dwight. That was all just a smokescreen.

10. All the Nets/Cavs/Magic talks were nothing.

11. All the Lakers/Cavs/Magic talks were nothing.

12. We were in the Twilight Zone for acquiring Dwight once the draft was past and free agency started. And boy was it ever the Twilight Zone. ( I should have remembered this when this thing kept going and going after the conclusion was sooo blatently obvious.)

13. Orlando really wanted our assets and both Orlando and LAL wanted us as the third team to help them complete a deal, provide Orlando the assets that the Lakers couldn't provide, and take on salary that the Lakers didn't want to take but that Orlando wanted to move.



What I was wrong about:

1. Dwight being traded to Houston.


Why I was wrong:

1. I missed one simple fact. The fact that Fegan had something on Martens and/or Devos that he was going to expose to the league that would kill their cred and ability to move the Magic organization forward in a positive manner.

Now, obviously, I can't prove this. But don't be surprised if during the coming months that slowly this information leaks out, little by little.

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Guys, just so you understand something about me. I'm a basketball speculator. I like to look down the road and see if I can figure out what is coming around the corner. Am I wrong a lot?? Yes. Speculators miss by a mile. But when a speculator is right, they're sensational. I like the thought process of speculating about the future. I do know a lot about basketball. I do know a lot about the NBA. I do know players, coaches, etc. I'm not saying I'm better than anyone else. But I have spent a lot of time in and around the game. For instance, I'm not better than Bima and CH on the cba. (And feel no need to be. Because they are here.) But I ain't no slouch on it either. I'm not better than Durvasa when it comes to stats and explanations using bball graphics. (And once again, don't feel the need to be. Although he has been sloughing off lately. But alas, it's the offseason.) But I'm no slouch either. I'm a pretty good evaluator of talent. I've watched a lot of players, thousands of players over the last 40 years. I'm a pretty good evaluator of quality coaching. And I have a very enhanced understanding of the game and I do have insight into how Morey operates from long observation, just as some of you do, and from a lot of reading and research about him (which some of you are incapable of). No, I'm not a former pro. I'm a basketball enthusiast. I've been around the game since I was a child, deeply involved in it. I am neither proud or boasting when I say those things. Nor am I intimidated by your criticisms when I am wrong.

With that said, I'm ready to turn the page on the Dwight saga. I was here at the beginning all the way to the end. And the obvious conclusion was staring all of us in the face. As little as 3 days ago, the vast majority of you believed Dwight was being traded here. And as little as a month ago, the vast majority of you probably believed he was going somewhere else. And you can keep bringing it up to me for a lifetime. I don't care. I'm a big boy. I can handle it. Just remember what you thought or what you didn't have the brains or kahonas to think.

For me, it's time to move on....to see if I can figure out what is coming next. Dwight is not coming here...............ever. It's over. Coulda, woulda and mostly....shoulda. Yeah, we may get him here when he's 38 and hanging on...but very doubtful and not meaningful.

I'm going to change my signature in a bit to reflect the players I feel are at the very top of Morey's "want" list, to reflect the next possible moves. And I'm going to be focusing on what is next for this team. At the bottom of all this, after all, contrary to what many of you think, I am a Rockets fan.

Now, I made this post intentionally long in hopes that one of you kindergardners would post that gif of the body builder dancing around saying "didn't read that ...". Because....that was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Here's your chance.

 

Or maybe Dwights threat to walk to Dallas made Morey lower his offer, as he should of?

You guys act as if trading for Dwight was a guarantee he would stick around no matter what.

I, for one, was willing to bet that IF we traded for Dwight AND we were able to trade for another complimentary piece, we had a decent shot of convincing him to stay. But perhaps another complimentary piece just wasn't available and it just wasn't worth the risk.

In the end, we will likely stink this year and have a good shot at two top ten picks to add to White/Jones/Dmo/Lamb.

Things could be a whole heck of a lot worse.

 

My new favorite. Probably NSFW

Spoiler

 

It's over bro, let it go. We'll be in the lotto hunt & draft our guy. It's OK. It's OK.

 

You're a good fan Jo but you missed something entirely. Right from the jump.

Orlando could NEVER get passed the fear they had of sending Howard to a destination where he didn't want to be. And the reason is obvious.

New GM who knew he was going to have to operate in small circles of elite players and their agents and all of them would have a long memory of this guy if he sent Dwight to Houston against his will.

It's not anymore complicated than that.

I still think Morey is bad news for the Rockets. He has no loyalty to any of his players. Consequently nobody great wants to be a Rocket anymore which is sad considering what a great sports town with great sports fans Houston is.

The Rockets will begin to rise again when and if they dump Morey. everybody outside of Houston knows it's true.

 

I ain't even mad.

 

No need to explain. This is a message board so most of us are opining and speculating. Most of it will be BS. Some better BS than others. Most of the time I enjoy your's. Your biggest mistake re: the Dwight saga was that you were too rational, too logical. Sadly, sometimes in life there are simply outside forces that run in the face of logic and rationality. Fegan, Stern, etc.

Some might harp on you because you were so adamant. Personally I thought it was admirable that you stuck to your guns the whole way.

 

Really? What about those others who said the Rockets wouldnt get Howard. Wouldnt you say they were the most rational and logical people at the end of the day? Certainly the most good looking group if they have me in it.

 

You're only saying that because you were wrong on Morris.

 

I just don't understand why couldn't have gone after Bynum... He's only getting better and is younger than dwight. Sure he has health risks but still...

 

simple and plain that is EXACTLY IT.

As far as Morey.....I think the lack of loyalty comes from his instructions to build a contender without going through te rebuilding process.

His directive always was get the star and he made moves with that thought in mind.

Never had a chance to build his castle from scratch.

Always had to add on to the existing castle, so to speak.

Now that it appears Les is giving Morey the keys, maybe Morey will now focus on acquiring, developing and.....wait for it.....KEEPING players around and building bottom up.

 

You keep posting on this. Makes me think you know what the offer was.

What do you think we offered, Clutch?

 

Funny. On this team as currently constructed, Morris may wind up being one of the top 3 offensive options and scorers. Gotta give it more time. Especially on a team like this.

 

To be clear, the line in the sand was for Dwight and Dwight only while Bynum was just not desired by Rox?

 

Well at least you admitted you were wrong....We're all human.