Magic Posturing About Keeping Dwight Howard Until Feb. 2013?

Agreed.

 

Honestly, I believe Harden can be had for the max next year depending on Ibaka plays. I don't think a small market team like OKC invests that much in their frontcourt with the luxury tax implications coming up. There's a reason HUGE market teams like Chicago and New York didn't hang onto Asik and Lin.

 

Well...Chicago knows Rose won't be right this year. They've basikly admitted as much with the breakup of their great bench. The owner is notoriously frugal. They haven't paid luxury tax in a few years.

New York was going to get the smack down because of the "repeat offenders" tax and that's what would have brought down the tax hammer that made it cost 3X as much to be in the tax unlike years past.

I could see OKC keeping the band together if they get to the finals again. Don't forget about the flex exemption that would allow them to manipulate a big contract. All in all I think Presti will trade Harden if someone offers a ton.

 

I think this is something that the Magic GM agrees with. I reckon he wants D-Mo & Lamb based on potential and summer league play and since we are giving up Martin, Morey is on the fence about including Lamb. Thus, we shouldn't be suprised when D-Mo is included in a trade for Howard.

We are stacked at PF so even though I wouldn't like it, I could live with it. A combination of Patterson, White & Jones is fine with me if that means we keep Lamb. Morey is not stupid and trading away the only SG you have would be beyond stupid. PFs are on sale so even though D-Mo is special, it's understandable if Morey trades him.

 

Just be a little patient. Once our young guys prove their worth next season, good prime players will like to come. Now how many months will it take them to prove it, we don't know; in the very unlikely case they prove sometime during the season that we can go in the playoffs and make some noise, then maybe we can talk about adding some available stars via trade. no need to bring an Igouodala/J Smith type star right now, they will bring us nowhere, while slowing our young guys developpement. the FA pool wasn't that great this year. just have to wait until next.

 

Somewhat disagree with you. IMO, Donuts and Lamb are not included in any of the trades for Howard. They are our young guys with the biggest upside and I doubt it very much Morey has offered them to Orlando for what might turnout to be an injured superstar rental. I believe the point of contention between the two GMs is precisely the inclusion or non-inclusion of these two players.

Morey is a super smart guy. He knows he is taking a calculated risk by trading for an unhealthy Howard and therefore, will not give the farm for him, especially if he is taking back some of their trash.

 

This.

 

If rockets have horrible record no one would want to come here. The new trend is take less money and play for contending teams

 

I hope you are correct. Morey would be completely stupid to include them given Dwight's uncertainty and injury. It wouldnt make any sense.

 

Tony Mejia
@TonyMejiaNBA
Orlando, FL
Daddy, Orlando-based Sr. writer, ProBasketballNews.com, Nat'l NBA columnist- CBSSports '05-'08, PBN '08-pres., NCAA hoops & NBA Draft analyst since '01 CBS/PBN.

"@nikochanr3:Keeping him til deadline removes Houston as a rental possibility?" Magic aren't keeping him til deadline. 2 months to make move
1 hour ago

"@TamaronConseur: Thanks for enlightening the rest of us." No prob. Think LA winds up in 3way, but don't care where DH lands. Just relaying.
54 minutes ago

"@bigmoe1952:If Magic do 3 way with LAL/Houston will Bynum commit to re-sign with Rockets? Don't think Henny wants Bynum. Do Rockets?" Yes.
48 minutes ago

"@ktimmreck: Seems 3way has Rockets paying DH price to get Bynum, which sucks." It's not HR scenario, but he's Top 3 C - make KMart pay off.
47 minutes ago

"@wosnel: I doubt HOU agrees to 3way. Why help build an unbeatable LA team?" Rockets have been waiting for a DH/AB type. Great op long-term.
43 minutes ago

 

Sounds like we will settle for Bynum since it's more likely he resigns.Maybe we give up a lot less and only take back 1 bad contract.

 

Some of you need to think back to before the draft. The plan was to use at least two of the three picks (12 and 16/18), if not all three, to move up into the top 5 or 10, select Drummond or MKG and use that as the centerpiece of a Dwight trade (along with other parts). Some of you might not have agreed with that, but there were plenty of reputable sources who confirmed that as the general idea.

Now, based on a nice week of glorified pick-up ball, some of you seriously believe that Morey is balking at including just No. 12 in a deal for one of the three best players on the planet?

Superstars don't come available very often. Rob Hennigan and Daryl Morey know this, and a mid-round rookie isn't going to stand in the Rockets' way if that's what it takes to get a deal done. Now, acquiring the Toronto pick (post-draft) was a masterstroke and should reduce the quantity of players the Rockets have to deal. There's still an issue of quality, and the Rockets are going to have to give up at least one B-list prospect (Lamb, Parsons, Motiejunas). Otherwise, the reward is low enough for Orlando that they should just hold onto Dwight and see what happens.

 

I hope that is just what they do! Do not want an injured diva. There are no guarantees he will ever be the same after BACK SURGERY. Along with the circus of uncertainty that he would bring for the year(if he can play) he is not worth it.

If we wait until the trade deadline and see he is the same player post back surgery and can get him to commit to signing with us then yes, he is worth all of our young players and picks. He is WAY too much of a risk due to his injury and uncertainty of if he will sign to give away good young players at this time.

 

I haven't seen a single connected person express any doubt that Howard will completely recover and resume his career at the same level as before. The surgery wasn't "major" and he's 26 years old. I'm sure the Rockets would have access to his medical records and will take a look, but I'm not worried.

That said, you're certainly entitled to the other part of your opinion. I just disagree, and I'm fairly confident Daryl does as well. We don't know these young players are "good" any more than we know whether Dwight would re-sign. There's just as much of a risk to holding pat. Difference is, the potential reward with the Dwight risk is that you have a superstar who almost instantly transforms you into a contender. The reward to "staying pat" risk isn't nearly that great.

 

Agree generally about having to include one of the three of lamb, donuts or parsons. But ORL is not holding onto Dwight. ORL is tanking next year to get a good top 5 pick to rebuild. Having Dwight play only to trade at the deadline will kill that since he would make them top 8 in the east. The trade will happen by end of September. Dwight has really hurt ORL leverage. Unless OKC or Clippers step in, It is too risky for ORL to hold onto him until the trade deadline.

 

In reality, I agree completely. Orlando won't hold onto Dwight beyond this offseason. The offer from the Rockets is enough to eventually get a deal done. I was just responding to the growing (and silly) sentiment that we have so much leverage over Orlando that we could offer them some deal like Martin/Patterson/Morris + picks and get it done. If the return on a true superstar is that little, Orlando would be better served to roll the dice themselves and wait.

But I agree, a deal gets done by the end of September, involving at least one of our B-level prospects (Lamb, D-Mo, White, Parsons).

 

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There is no such thing as MINOR back surgery. I have had the exact same operation as Dwight twice on two different disc eight years apart. I am no where close to the same man I once was. I am not saying Dwight will not be, it's just that people just seem to dismiss this when it is HUGE. Even with doc clearance he may never be quite the same which is why I think it is better to see him play until the all star break first. I sorta doubt if you have ever had back problems or you would understand.

I understand why people want him because he is THAT good when healthy. I have to say this whole situation scares the hell out of me because I know what a bad back can do to a person. The jumping and running that come with basketball, especially with a power player like Dwight, will really test his back. A doc can clear him to play but can't predict if he will fell pain down his leg when he lands after jumping for a dunk, rebound, or blocked shot. Sciatic nerve pain can be debilitating.

 

I agree. If the offer is too low then they would hold or CLE can come in to get Bynum, so we have to beat CLE. I do think we need him for a year to convince him to stay (and I think we would convince him bc of bird rights and china market and fact that is we got him LA and NY would be gone to him at that point. I'm a little concerned that meija is now pointing to Bynum for us. His thinking has been right on for this so far. But I'm worried About Bynums knees based on the kenneth first interview.

 

Tony Mejia: "@bigmoe1952:Think Hou would give DM and Lamb to Magic, plus picks, in 3 way with LA for Bynum?" No, DH blew up over-spend w/ Dallas threat. 4 minutes ago