The NBA . . . . . gone and forgotten

[PeteLFan]

D12 to lakers hearing up again, let's just get this done so we can move on with the all star team and get that ring.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Stupidest Dwight rumour to date...


From ESPN's Ric Bucher

The Cleveland Cavaliers may have inched ahead of the Houston Rockets as a facilitator in a potential trade that would send Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers, sources said Wednesday. One source familiar with the talks, though, cautioned not to make too much of that shift just yet…

The Cavaliers would land Lakers center Andrew Bynum for a package of draft picks and veteran power forward Anderson Varejao, according to one league source. The Lakers would receive Howard for Bynum. Orlando would get Varejao and draft picks. The source said this was merely the framework of a deal being discussed.

If Orlando trades the best center in the league, while simultaneously helping a team in its own conference, they probably should just fold the franchise.

[PeteLFan]

@Chris_Broussard: Sources confirm @JRudolphSports report that Dwight Howard is ready to join Lakers. If traded to LA DH will re-sign long-term with team

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Stupidest Dwight rumour to date...


From ESPN's Ric BucherIf Orlando trades the best center in the league, while simultaneously helping a team in its own conference, they probably should just fold the franchise.

But can the Cavs really resign Bynum after next year? I heard he was refusing to agree to an extension with Orlando, so I can't imagine the Cavs would be that appealing. I see him ending up with a big-market team with cap-space to burn and some stars already on the team... Houston or Dallas or Atlanta. But Irving, Thompson, and Bynum would be a nice core for the Cavs and could make noise. Still don't think Waiters was a good draft pick for them, though.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Bynum reportedly has said he would sign an extension in Cleveland, though obviously saying he would and actually doing it are two different things. Getting Bynum makes Cleveland arguably a top-4 team right away, as an Irving-Bynum duo has great potential. Cleveland just needs a true swingman (and we agree Waiters might not be the guy) and they are right there with Miami.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Bynum reportedly has said he would sign an extension in Cleveland, though obviously saying he would and actually doing it are two different things. Getting Bynum makes Cleveland arguably a top-4 team right away, as an Irving-Bynum duo has great potential. Cleveland just needs a true swingman (and we agree Waiters might not be the guy) and they are right there with Miami.

Unless that Swingman is a superstar I don't see how they would be right there with Miami.

As a Duke fan I love Irving but him and Bynum aren't close to the big 3 in Miami.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I don't think the swingman has to be a superstar, just somebody like a Kevin Martin, a consistent 18-22 PPG player. In this years playoffs the only team to really bother Miami was Indiana because the presence of Hibbert forced Miami away from the paint. Miami really has no one to stop Bynum and would have to put LeBron on Irving. Bosh would probably have to cover Tristan Thompson since I think Bynum would manhandle Bosh, and I think we can agree this season showed Wade is definitely slowing down (his body has clearly taken a beating all these years).

I don't know if it makes them better than Miami in a 7 game series, but I think they can give em everything they can handle.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Oh the Dwight drama apparently has an endgame...traded to Brooklyn or the Lakers, or he signs with Dallas next summer...

As appealing trade scenarios for his franchise player shrink, Orlando Magic general manager Rob Hennigan's mission of beginning to build trust with All-Star center Dwight Howard was met with an unmistakable response in a Wednesday meeting: Howard continues to rule out a future with the Magic, and wants a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers before the start of the season, sources told Yahoo! Sports.

"Dwight remained unchanged in his want to be traded," a source with knowledge of the meeting said. "And he has no intention of signing another contract extension with Orlando."

Without a deal that would deliver him to the Lakers in the near future, sources said Howard wants Henningan to revisit trade talks with the Brooklyn Nets in January, when center Brook Lopez is eligible to be traded.
If deals don't surface with the Lakers or Nets, Howard plans to sign with the Dallas Mavericks as a free agent in the summer of 2013.

While the Lakers and Nets won't have the salary cap space to sign Howard, nor the opportunity to execute a sign-and-trade deal under new CBA rules, the Mavericks will be flush with cap space next summer. Mavs owner Mark Cuban plans to make a run at Howard, and potentially another star player, to join Dirk Nowitzki.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--dw...oblematic.html

Not sure who else exactly Dallas could add (obviously a PG would be nice), but Dirk and Dwight would be a pretty wicked front line.

[PeteLFan]

Then dirk leaves in 1-2 years.

This thing needs to end its annoying now.

[bluejays]

A little bit of sad news: Neil Reed, who was basically famous for being on the receiving end of the Bobby Knight choking incident, died. Only 36 and he died from a massive heart attack. I remember the incident like it was yesterday. Sad really.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Well at least Dwight Howard isn't totally ruining all his credibility...

Dwight Howard is physically able to attend Dodgers games in Los Angeles, but he can't attend his own youth basketball camp in Orlando?

Really, Dwight?

Seriously?

According to an official at his annual basketball day camp for children, Dwight Howard will not attend this year, and families who paid the camp's $199 registration fee were sent e-mail messages Monday to inform them Howard will remain in Southern California in order to continue rehabilitating his back.

Originally, Howard was scheduled to be back in Orlando a few days after having out-patient back surgery, but he hasn’t been seen by the Magic in Orlando in more than three months. He has, however, attended at least two Los Angeles Dodgers games and a portion of the adidas Nations basketball tournament in L.A.

Howard’s annual camp originally was scheduled for July 1-2 at UCF, and Howard was supposed to attend both days. But it was postponed and rescheduled for Aug. 13-14 at Orlando Volleyball Academy. Although the camp still will be held next week. Andrew Nicholson, the Magic’s first-round draft pick, will fill in for Howard.

I’ve said it once and I’ll say again: It’s hard to believe Dwight is physically unable to attend a youth basketball camp, walk around the gym, offer some words of encouragement, take pictures and sign some autographs for the kids.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/...ngeles-dodgers

LeBron may no longer be the NBA's chief villain.

[Joborule]

Howard has really killed his rep these past several months. I used to like him.

[PeteLFan]

He needs to be a Laker ASAP.

[Senator Clay Davis]

This trade is just silly

There are multiple moving parts in the fluid talks, but the framework of a possible deal includes Howard and Denver forward Al Harrington going to the Lakers, Philadelphia guard Andre Iguodala going to the Nuggets, Los Angeles center Andrew Bynum moving to the 76ers, and Los Angeles forward Pau Gasol and Denver guard Arron Affalo going to the Magic, sources told Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic would have a better chance of moving Gasol in another deal to get further assets, sources said, and eliminate the risk of Bynum leaving them as a free agent in 2013. Nevertheless, there was still a sense that Gasol’s and Bynum’s destinations could be fluid in the talks. Either way, one would go to Orlando and the other to Philadelphia, sources said.

From Adrian Wojnarowski

Philly would win this trade in a landslide, but it sounds too ridiculous to be true

[darklord700]

"The Magic would have a better chance of moving Gasol in another deal to get further assets"

This does not make sense. An older and probably washed up Gasol with a big contract cannot be easily moved. Orlando doesn't not improve their situation replacing Howard with Gasol.

[PeteLFan]

The wolves want Gasol bad.

[Senator Clay Davis]

^ Still Mr. Laker fan, I can't imagine you'd be cool with trading Gasol and Bynum for Howard and Al Harrington. That's a terrible trade for the Lakers.

[PeteLFan]

No one is excited about getting al Harringtons bum ass for Gasol but Gasol will cost 20 million plus that new luxury tax is stiffer.

Gasol will have his role diminish with Howard here he can dominate both ends of the floor. Harrington and Jamison can fill the 4 I guess.

Not happy about Gasol going but to get a player the caliber of Dwight you have to make a sacrifice. Also I don't think that would be the final deal there has to be more coming our way.

[PeteLFan]

Looks like it could be done.

@ESPNSteinLine: Source close to talks tells ESPN that trade call with league office has been scheduled for Friday morning to process four-team Dwight deal

[socalwingfan]

ESPN is also reporting that somehow the Lakers are keeping Gasol - I really don't get the Magic GMs strategy - he should of been able to do better than what the reported return is