Hey....I'd take Blake Griffin. Not sure what moves would need to happen exactly, but he'd be a great fit with us, and say what you want about Blake Griffin, the dude is a career 20 and 10. He can be a very good player.
I agree. Dwight really doesn't deserve the media blame he's probably going to get. Dwight has been very open about looking at all possibilities before he makes a decision. It seems like he's keeping to his word. He's not just going to look at Houston and LA... so keep that in mind when all of these reports come out about Dwight talking to Cuban, Atlanta, and whomever else.
Except Griffin averaged more points and assist, 20.4 PTS, 4.9 AST and shot 46.7% for the 12 games when CP3 was not playing. Shooting percentage (still respectful) was down but points and assists went up. There goes that theory. <PRE>G Date Opp FG FGA FG% FT FTA FT% AST STL PTS 38 2013-01-14 MEM 3 8 .375 4 6 .667 5 0 10 39 2013-01-15 HOU 7 13 .538 5 5 1.000 8 1 19 40 2013-01-17 MIN 9 19 .474 2 2 1.000 2 0 20 41 2013-01-19 WAS 5 18 .278 7 10 .700 3 1 17 42 2013-01-21 GSW 11 18 .611 4 6 .667 8 3 26 43 2013-01-22 OKC 11 19 .579 9 10 .900 5 2 31 44 2013-01-24 PHO 5 9 .556 2 8 .250 2 0 12 45 2013-01-26 POR 10 19 .526 4 5 .800 10 4 24 46 2013-01-27 POR 9 15 .600 5 6 .833 9 2 23 47 2013-01-30 MIN 11 17 .647 4 4 1.000 0 3 26 48 2013-02-01 TOR 4 11 .364 9 12 .750 2 0 17 49 2013-02-03 BOS 8 14 .571 4 7 .571 5 1 20 ------------------------------------------------------------ </PRE>
http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/6/15/4433244/dwight-howard-lakers-sign-and-trade-rumors Not sure if already posted, and its sbnation...but was nice piece of news today. If LAL really holds firm to that, D12 is much more of a lock to come to HTown as CP3 + Dwight in Houston was a real longshot. And I kind of prefer our current team just adding Dwight/minus TRob. Something about not blowing up a team EVERY yr is kinda appealing...
Why can't we deal Asik & Lin for Chris Paul and have it be done with? It seems as if it would be more than enough. If Dwight comes without the need of a sign and trade everybody is happy. Dwight, CP3, and Harden team up. Parsons compliments perfectly. Anybody else should just compliment after that too. And I mean that team should compete for years and beyond. Why is this so complicated or am I missing something? Even if it meant losing everybody else on the roster. We can rebuild it after. Building around D12/C.Parson/J.Harden/CP3 just makes so much sense.
Because this isn't nba2k13 and we can't override trades w/ other teams haha. LAL will not take Asik and Lin for Howard, and LAC will not take Asik and Lin for CP3. LAL would rather maintain flexibility than take those players, having them eat up their super cap room in 2014. And if they WERE going to do a SnT, they would rather do it w/ LAC and get Griffin and Bledsoe back for Howard (assuming that was on the table). LAC won't do it because they have Bledsoe and DJordan so they'd have to start moving pieces after getting Lin/Asik. Why they'd help to move their star makes no sense either since CP3 will not come to Houston by himself. He'd only come to HTown if we had Dwight. But once we sign Dwight, there's no credible threat that we land CP3 since we've used up our cap space. To say that we could just send out DMo/TJones/Asik/Lin all for NOTHING in today's nba is wishful thinking. That is MUCH harder said than done. Almost everyone on these boards would love CP3/Harden/Parsons/Howard, even if it meant we had to lose everyone else. Problem is, getting the above is a SUPER longshot. It not only requires both CP3 and Howard first agreeing, but LAC or LAL to play ball when they have little incentive to. Going at them w/ a united front would have been our best chance (putting them in a prisoner's dilemma, w/ whoever did not SnT getting nothing as their player walked for free), but unlike in a prisoner's dilemma, LAL and LAC here CAN talk to each other and simply keep up their own united front. Furthermore, LAL is the key to the puzzle here -- we have to assume they prefer something over nothing. That is not necessarily true at all (esp. if the aforementioned linked article can be believed). Maybe they'd rather let Dwight walk for free than get Lin and Asik back. Very possible. That'd destroy any leverage we had to convincing LAC to SnT CP3 to us to play w/ Dwight as we would be capped out. For the above reasons, landing Dwight alone is a lot more probable. If the two were DEAD SET on playing together no matter what, I personally think our odds of getting Dwight drop (and would not be outweighed by the % increase of us landing both).
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Celtics are discussing a deal that will send Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce to the Clippers in exchange for 2 first round picks, Eric Bledsoe, and DeAndre Jordan. Presumably, the deal will be contingent on Chris Paul re-signing with the Clippers. Bad news is that CP3 will no longer be an option for the Rockets. Good news is that the Clippers and Hawks are no longer a threat to lure Dwight Howard using CP3. It's really just between the Rockets and Lakers now.
I had not read about the Paul Pierce part -- is that true? Talk about taking the Celts - Lakers rivalry to another level...bringing them to the same arena! Also, I read that this deal is either going to be made in 2 days or they will walk away from it (they want finality). I kind of want to see it go down just because it'd be darn interesting to see haha. CP3/??/Pierce/Griffin/Garnett would be scary for 2 seasons.
Let's just say the Boston-LA deal goes through. And assuming Dwight signs here. Clutch talked in the podcast of the possibility of going after someone such as a Kevin Garnett to improve the team in the offseason as well. What other moves do you see the Rockets pursuing if CP3 is off the table as well as KG. Is it starting to attempt to acquire a Aldridge or Love type of player? or possibly Granger?
I've been saying this for sometime now. He gets some things wrong sure but he seems to be right about some things as well, the guy seems to know a player or two very well.
How does this effect Houston's chances of getting Dwight Howard? Couldnt the clippers agree to a SnT, Griffin for Howard? I guess thats why we heard rumors of CP3 and Howard talking recently. Here's what probably is going to happen: Garnett, Pierce, Doc Rivers go to the Clippers. CP3 resigns with clippers and in a move of desperation, Lakers SnT Howard to Clippers for Blake Griffin. Thats your next superteam, smh.....
Because the Clippers don't want to trade Griffin for Howard. He's significantly younger, more popular and beloved by the owner. Go read a Clipper blog: they're laughing at the idea. The only reason the Clippers would even consider that proposal is if Paul is threatening to walk without it... and I'm guessing Rivers would already have a wink-wink commitment from Paul if he agrees to go there. Thus, leverage gone.
Morey said there were two categories of free agents they're looking at. Category 1 are the ones they're pursuing all out. There are only two players in this category, the "top two free agents," i.e. Dwight and Cp3. Category 2 are guys they'll look at and take only if the price is right. Morey said he's looking for Carlos Delfino type deals. Meaning players that you can get for tradeable asset because their contract is so low compared to performance. Guys in this category are probably Josh Smith, Milsapp, etc. He will only take them if they come on a "cheap" contract that he can trade to another team as a valued asset because the contract is so cheap compared to performance. So what I see is that he'll go after Dwight and CP3. If he strikes out on either or both, he'll look to acquire category 2 free agent on a value contract. Saving up assets (including this guy he just signed) in order to try to make another Harden-type trade for that second star in trade that he couldn't find in free agency. Keeping flexibility to go after someone in the 2014 summer free agency, or using the assets to trade for Aldridge or Kevin Love or someone that he thinks can be that 2nd star. Morey wants a 2nd star. Get him through free agency (Dwight, CP3 or wait for Summer 2014's crop) or get him through trade (using whoever he signed to a value contract after striking out on Dwight/Cp3 as trade bait arsenal due to cheap "carlos delfino-type" contract). I think it's reassuring that he means he won't over pay for Josh Smith or Milsapp or others. He'll take them only if they come on a tradeable value contract.
Theres has been reports that Paul and Griffin do not get along well. In fact, it's been said that they havent spoken to each other in months, due to Paul demanding too much from Griffin. I'm pretty sure if Paul had his way, he would trade Griffin for Howard. It makes too much sense, why else would they be talking everyday? Theres probably an secret agreetment between the two already set in place.
Thats assuming Garnett and Rivers is enough to keep CP3 in LA. If he wanted to leave before, is a year of old Garnett going to change his mind? I honestly am not sure.
It at least completely shuts out LAC of the Dwight sweepstakes. Not that it was a realistic possibility before, but if this does happen, LAC has no shot at pairing CP3 and Dwight.
Supposedly, it won't be part of the official transaction. Just like Doc Rivers won't be part of the official transaction. Coaches can't be included in trades, after all. But KG has a no-trade clause in his contract. He will agree to waive the no-trade clause only if the Celtics release Doc Rivers from his 3-year contract AND buy out Paul Pierce. Then KG, Pierce, and Rivers will just re-unite in Los Angeles. Officially, KG would be the only Boston player sent to L.A. in the trade. Rivers and Pierce will arrive there independently.
