I'll take this as: I blindly believe an anonymous poster on a message board over Woj, common-sense logic and statements from Dwight himself, and anyone who disagrees is a douche.
If Dwight signs with us - good. We can shape and mold our team around Harden and Howard. If Dwight resigns with the Lakers - good. Let him flounder with the LA spotlight on team with an older Nash, a busted Kobe, an older MEP, an older Pau with no bench and no new picks. Meanwhile the FO/Owners pick up a monster tax bill to watch their beloved purple and gold come in behind the Sterling's Clippers...again... I think I'm sitting in a win-win.
Not sure if posted. Woj on Dwight 9:25 http://d24edc7kaf4agn.cloudfront.net/1598203/6-20-13-wojnarowski.mp3?rhihttphost=audio.weei.com
First time I am gonna disagree with ya cat. Your wrong... search his posts. It was weeks before anyone else said anything. Then everyone started saying the EXACT things he was saying. He absolutely had the scoop on that and broke it before any media outlet. If you cant see that one your just being blind on purpose. Nelieve in him or not but quit wasting posts reiterating the same point. We get it you dont like everyone believes in him so much and you question him. Great...we get it. Now move on and post about something else. It just clogs up our forum with garbage and brings all the newbs/flakes out to jump on your bandwagon.
What's surprising is Fegan even needing to make this demand. Are the Kings hesitating?? If so, time to step up to the plate with an offer.
thats interesting...He says he thinks Howard goes to Houston. I love ya cybrex, but I will maintain my optimism on our chances with Howard. Woj is the most credible source on the nba bar none.
WOJ is credible, but recall that last summer he said "when, not if" about the Rockets trading for Dwight.
It depends what you mean by bounce back. I think they could get someone noteworthy in 2014 free agency, certainly. But unless it's LeBron -- and I have serious doubts about that -- I think it's more likely that they'll go the Knicks/Bulls route and end up signing a Stoudemire/Boozer type. If that happens, their only hope for contention is for a 36- and 37-year-old Kobe to stay in peak form, all while coming back from a torn Achilles. I don't see a core of Dwight, old Kobe and a non-top-10 star as a true contender. They'll be exciting, sure, and they'll win a few more games... but ultimately, they would peak around the same level this version of the Knicks will. In theory, trades are an option, but keep in mind that the Lakers had kept the cupboard stocked in recent years. The Pau deal had Marc Gasol. The Dwight deal had Bynum, who at the time was highly regarded. The roster is fairly barren now of young talent, and they traded away several future picks last summer. They'll have cap space, but even in the recent "leveraged trades", the team receiving the star (LA with Dwight, Houston with Harden) surrendered something of value in addition to simply absorbing the contract. I think the Lakers will struggle to meet that criteria going forward.
Just because Orlando got blasted doesn't mean the trade was worst. Because if you look at how the trade turned out, they received better talent than what the Rockets were offering
Next year is a waste no matter what they do. Howard and LA better hope Howard doesn't hurt himself for no reason. Now the next year they can pick up a new FA if they release Kobe and Pau but they are still stuck with Nash's 9+ mill. So it will be Howard, a very old Nash and 1 FA. Better yes, but even if that FA is Lebron, which I don't see him leaving, that still smells 1st round KO as it takes time to gel (look at the Heat). Once they lose Nash's anchor contract, then the good FA crop consists mainly of young players most likely chopping at the bit to sign their 1st true max contract which LA can't offer. But even if they get lucky, it will be another 3 years to gel IMO, so that puts Dwight at 31. And 31 for Dwight is not like 31 to most NBA players. I see his shelf life taperring off sharply after 30 if not before from injury from being road hard and put up wet. Meanwhile the young Rockets will have players, time, cash, a coach and FO to please. The table is set for building something special.
Thanks for the info Cyberx, always fun to know how the wind is blowing on the free agency front. Don't let the haters get to you.
Especially people on this board. Because how quickly they forget we went from nothing to something with the addition of one player (Harden)... And if Howard is as good as many of the fans on this board make him out to be _ LA will be just fine if he stays.
Harrington was a complete bust. Afflalo had a PER of 13. Oh, and those two are still on their payroll for two more years. Moe Harkless was run of the mill. The only asset of value they got was Vucevic. Sorry, I'd take Lamb, the Toronto pick, Jones, whatever they could flip Martin for and cap flexibility this summer over Vucevic.
Obviously you think that's the only player you think Orlando received in that trade. So you keep thinking that