The Magic are considering filing tampering charges against two teams for illegal contact with Dwight Howard.
Howard can become a free agent in 2012 and the possibility of a trade has been rumored for months.
SI's Sam Amick reports that the Nets and Rockets are the two alleged teams.
ESPN's Chris Broussard reports Howard allegedly met with Mikhail Prokhorov and Billy King on Thursday night in Miami, with the Magic unaware of the meeting.
Via David Aldridge/NBA.com (via Twitter)
Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/21 ... z1g3nvadNT
According to reports, Nets' GM Billy King and owner Mikhail Prokhorov secretly met with Dwight Howard in Miami on Thursday night to recruit him to the Nets. Howard is under contract with the Magic for at least one more season.
If true, the allegations would be a bombshell story and could result in the commissioner handing down severe penalties against the Nets.
Earlier on Friday, Chris Broussard of ESPN reported that Dwight Howard had made up his mind to join the Nets and would be demanding a trade to New Jersey, which Broussard stated could be completed as soon as Friday. Broussard did not initially mention the alleged recruiting visit which apparently was successful in persuading Howard.
Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/21 ... z1g43oKb8p
For all of those people who were on here last evening and late last night (and witnessed what we all witnessed)... you guys know exactly what's going on right now in this weird PR triangle
Give 'em hell Orlando. Oh and Dwight... big No No.
Discuss the situation here.
Edit*
DJRajX wrote:Okay to bring everyone (those folks who were not here yesterday evening and late last night) up to speed. Here's what's really going on. Short recap.
Afternoon: Ridiculous trade rumor involving LA, Houston, NOH
Evening: Trade with LA/HOU/NOH is confirmed, pieces and salaries confirmed. Lop-sided/gift-wrapped deal to the Lakers. Stern is the Hornets owner essentially. Hmm.
Later Evening: Owners (AND FANS) realized the deal LA was getting still allowed them to trade for Dwight or sign him in the summer [Dan Gilbert letter!]. Hmm. (Plans unveiled)
Night: Owners stop the trade (Yes, the owners, ask Marc Stein; Stern didn't stop it on his own volition. Dirty old man wanted CP3 in LA, and wanted to help formulate their plans to acquire Dwight later). Ethically irresponsible on the part of Stern making that move for NOH and LA.
Late Night: CP3 files lawsuit with Stern (lol bite the hand that feeds). Dwight watches this unfold. Realizes his Plan A for escape to LA (IF Orlando doesn't win a championship or he doesn't get star help, such as Ellis this season) went sour. Almost perfectly timed, Howard's people come out and confirm he wants to be traded to the Nets. (Remember this is midnight!)
Looks like Howard wasn't too happy about CP3 not going to LA. Plan went kaput, so he went to Plan B.
Today: Orlando recognizes the BS from all parties involved, Stern, LA, Houston, NOH, NJ, and Dwight. Howard reportedly had an illegal meeting with Nets' owner in Miami.
Uh Oh, hand caught in the cookie jar fellas. LOL
For longer explanations/reactions from last night:
FFBlitzace wrote:If Dwight doesn't report tomorrow, I will hate him. Truly.
Players were bitching about their right to play where they wanted. Well yeah, when you're a free agent, sure. But when you're under contract, teams have a right to your services.
For Dwight to peddle this persona he's donned for 7 years, and then pull a bitch move like that, he deserves no sympathy or excuses from any of us Magic fans. I know there will be a contingent that will pull the "Otis sucks and Dwight is right to leave this trash" card, but that's bull****. We tried. We paid an ass load of money, and will continue paying an ass load of money in our efforts.
If he's dissatisfied with the results and wants to exercise his right to free agency next summer and go elsewhere, okay. I will never like him again if he does, but I won't hate him. However, the moment he demands a trade is the moment that I officially hate him, and I dare anyone to question my reasons.
arkknight1988 wrote:i think it's hilarious that his plan to leave for la fell through. Now him and paul are crying about it. I hope the league stands strong on this.
DJRajX wrote:arkknight1988 wrote:DJRajX wrote:I'm glad you could see through all the BS and PR crap. The cards were shown on the table... everything was timed perfectly... LA, Stern, CP3, the salaries/players involved (LA could sign Howard in the summer still), Howard reportedly asking for a trade to NJ after the LA/CP3 deal fell through, etc...
i saw this the very minute la aquired chris paul and started to cut salary (gasol,odom,shannon brown) apparently the owners did too and are trying to put an end to end. Lost all respect for dwight
yeah i mean... i just want them to be honest... i know the players don't want the hate and backlash on them... but by being bullsh*tters and using PR tactics to put on a "fake smile, everything is all right" facade... it's insulting to our intelligence. CP3 saying he wants to play in New Orleans. Dwight saying he loves Orlando. It's just the "say the right things" tactic, then when their respective organizations trade them, the burden and hate is placed on the organizations and not on the players.
We all saw what was going on, and david stern, cp3, and dwight are terrible liars. The timing was so idiotically perfect, I had to laugh because that was the only reaction I could give.
CP3 wanted out, we all know that (before and after the trade bust). CP3 never outwardly stated it from his mouth, but now we all know how he really feels. It's all out there. Stern wants LA to be a powerhouse for many years. It's just good business for him. He owns the Hornets. That trade was complete BS, and the owners saw it, and we saw it as well. David Stern was hooking them up! Such crooked BS. Owners pressured him to stop, and then Stern went on the save face and cover his *ss by saying he was the one that stopped the trade, not the owners (BS, Marc Stein broke that).
All the while this was happening, Dwight was probably at home, watching and listening like all of us. Saw that his Plan A "escape plan" to LA went bust for the summer. See, unlike CP3, Dwight gave us one more chance presumably to right the ship. Chances were high we couldn't find Dwight help (Ellis, etc.) or win a championship. So when summer came, Dwight would have demanded a trade to LA, or just walked out and signed with LA.
See what makes this whole thing so shady, timing-wise, is the fact that the Lakers were shedding so much salary. The trade with CP3 was PERFECT. It set LA up! They didn't even deal Bynum or first round picks. Ridiculous! So they still had assets to trade to Orlando in the summer, and if Orlando said NO, Dwight could still walk and sign with them. Plan A went kaput for Dwight, and then Dwight went into frustration mode (reportedly) and is asking for a trade to the Nets AT MIDNIGHT lol. Come on now. You can't time it any better. Such BS.
I know it won't come out of Dwight's mouth, or CP3's mouth... because they pussyfoot around and won't man up to their decisions and honestly state where they are. See that's the problem I have with celebrities, politicians, and athletes... they are two-faced. Nothing is honest, all backdoor crap and public PR nonsense. It's insulting as a fan... EVEN WHEN THE CARDS WERE SHOWN ON NATIONAL TV, INTERENET, AND RADIO... lol all saw it yesterday... and they act like nothing happened. Typical.
arkknight1988 wrote:DJRajX wrote:Stern, LA, CP3, Dwight all were in on it... sorry, can't convince me otherwise... go after Stern, but that's a tall order to fill
NJ is leaking info from their end. Dwight won't say it (will never publicly state anything, that's just how he's going about things), but contact was made with him and NJ I bet (as much as reports deny it, or cover it up)
Now u see the light. They can't cover this up. Notice how orlando was never really mentioned in chris paul trade talks? Because dwight NEVER wanted him to come here
