Official Speculation Thread (Pt.XL Off-Season Edition)

[rcklsscognition]

If we get Bynum, do you guys think we can win a Championship around him and Jameer Nelson?

No which is why anyone who prefers Bynum over Hou's youth need to realize this. Even if we get one of Josh Smith or Monta Ellis, it wouldn't be enough

So what is the answer then? Anyone have a 5-year plan comparison?

[Skin]

If we get Bynum, do you guys think we can win a Championship around him and Jameer Nelson?

Depends on who we surround them with. Two players can't win a championship.

If we are able to clear cap and continue making solid draft choices - then yes a team with the skeleton of Jameer/Bynum/FA wing player/Nicholson/More Henny draft choices can contend for a championship.

Can we add better players than Kobe, Artest and Pau Gasol?

[Carlos Arroyo]

If we get Bynum, do you guys think we can win a Championship around him and Jameer Nelson?

Depends on who we surround them with. Two players can't win a championship.

If we are able to clear cap and continue making solid draft choices - then yes a team with the skeleton of Jameer/Bynum/FA wing player/Nicholson/More Henny draft choices can contend for a championship.

Can we add better players than Kobe, Artest and Pau Gasol?

We are in the East Completely Different situation

[Def Swami]

Mark Spears was on 710 Espn reporting that Dwight seems to be warming up to playing in LA.

Remember that time we all called that Atlanta radio station and thought we were getting Josh Smith.......

[OrlChamps2030]

If we get Bynum, do you guys think we can win a Championship around him and Jameer Nelson?

Depends on who we surround them with. Two players can't win a championship.

If we are able to clear cap and continue making solid draft choices - then yes a team with the skeleton of Jameer/Bynum/FA wing player/Nicholson/More Henny draft choices can contend for a championship.

Can we add better players than Kobe, Artest and Pau Gasol?

I see what you're trying to do here but I'll still go with it... 2008-2010 Kobe/Artest/Gasol or 2012 Kobe/Artest/Gasol? The former - probably not. The latter - possibly. But the game of basketball is much more than just names on a roster. Look at the Lakers coach, Mike Brown. Horrible fit for their team. Look at the depth of big men in the west versus the east, who is stopping Bynum in the east?

[RickB-Orlando]

If we get Bynum, do you guys think we can win a Championship around him and Jameer Nelson?

No which is why anyone who prefers Bynum over Hou's youth need to realize this. Even if we get one of Josh Smith or Monta Ellis, it wouldn't be enough

So what is the answer then? Anyone have a 5-year plan comparison?

People seem to think Bynum would be a bad move, but you have to start with the first piece before you add pieces two, three, and four. Even a trade that brings us three first round picks guarantees nothing. Next year's draft appears to be quite thin, and despite people talking about the Houston rookies as if they are the next coming of Larry, Magic, and Michael, the truth is we have no idea how good they will actually be - the most likely scenario is one of them is a decent starter, one is a solid bench player, and one busts.

So from my perspective you make a trade for Bynum, a young 7-footer with great offense and room to grow, as the first building block. Hopefully you resign him or extend him. You make moves to target some draft picks and cap space in 2014 - not next offseason, but the one after. If a trade can be made to improve before then, you weigh it against a plan for cap space in 2014 and you work toward either signing someone then as the second piece, or trading into another piece - either drafted or established 0 in the 2014 offseason.

You groom Nicholson as a potential starter - assuming he pans out. You work with Bynum to recruit some talent to either demand a trade here or sign as a free agent, and you keep building.

The key point right now is, we aren't likely to get three top talents this year - so why not start with one, and move forward from there?

[TheMagicOne]

it is kind of amazing the amount of teams that may have cap space next summer.

Cap Room in 2013

Atlanta - $40 Million max
Boston – NO CAP ROOM
Brooklyn – NO CAP ROOM
Charlotte - $5-$18 Million max
Chicago – NO CAP ROOM
Cleveland - $12 - $22 Million max
Dallas - $23 Million max
Denver – NO CAP IF McGee signs
Detroit - $20 Million max
Golden State - $10 Million max
Houston - $50 Million max
Indiana – NO CAP ROOM
LA Clippers - $25 Million Max but has to sign CP3
LA Lakers – NO CAP ROOM
Memphis – NO CAP ROOM
Milwaukee - $30 Million Max, but has to sign Jennings & Ellis
Minnesota - $30 Million Max
New Orleans - $40 Million Max
New York – NO CAP ROOM
OKC – NO CAP ROOM
Orlando - $20 Million max if Howard Walks
Philly - $30 Million max if Iggy walks
Phoenix - $20 Million max
Portland - $20 Million max
Sacramento - $25 Million max
San Antonio - $25 Million max
Toronto - $30 Million max
Utah - $50 Million max
Washington - $15 Million max


We would not have much leverage if we Kept Dwight, so the deal needs to be done before training camp.

[cedric76]

Bynum must get pissed of seeing LAL trying to move him for D12, i have the feeling that he has told LAL that he wont extend there, this might be why LAL is trying hard to get D12

[OrlandoMajinBuu]

If we get Bynum, do you guys think we can win a Championship around him and Jameer Nelson?

lol

No man We need to rebuild all the way by that damn draft. The draft is our savior.

[Def Swami]

If HOU offers the house, they still have the best deal imo.

Not feeling Bynum. I just feel like that's too much mediocrity and too much uncertainty about his future with us. Unless we have a chance of surrounding Bynum with good players, which I don't know would make us contenders, it doesn't seem wise. And I'm not sure how we'd get those players. We wouldn't get draft picks, no youth, and little cap relief.

I'd prefer to rebuild from the bottom and land our horse in the draft. I get that Bynum is proven, but what are we going to do to convince him to stay? I still say he could easily bounce to the Cavs and play with Kyrie. We're not going to suck enough to draft a Kyrie caliber player. Gasol has to be included to be flipped to give ourselves that chance.

Financially it only makes sense for Bynum to become a FA. He's going to exercise that right. Seems like a huge risk imo.

[chrpri84]

anybody heard Life Is Good yet?

[cvMagic]

If we get Bynum, do you guys think we can win a Championship around him and Jameer Nelson?

No which is why anyone who prefers Bynum over Hou's youth need to realize this. Even if we get one of Josh Smith or Monta Ellis, it wouldn't be enough

The Spurs got Duncan - then drafted Parker and Ginobli with non-lottery picks.
Hasn't everyone been raving about Henny's draft acumen pedigree.

I have total faith that Henny will be able to clear some cap room and draft well if we were to land Bynum.

If this were to happen - it is the first of many moves to follow.

[InFlames]

That thread on the Knicks board.......mother of god.

[AdamTheGreek]

[rcklsscognition]

anybody heard Life Is Good yet?

Yeah, just streamed it all this morning. Not a bad return. Gotta give it a second listen. You like?

[Def Swami]

anybody heard Life Is Good yet?

Yep, been spinning it all day. Pretty good album. Probably best since Streets Desciple/Gods Son.

[rcklsscognition]

If we get Bynum, do you guys think we can win a Championship around him and Jameer Nelson?

No which is why anyone who prefers Bynum over Hou's youth need to realize this. Even if we get one of Josh Smith or Monta Ellis, it wouldn't be enough

The Spurs got Duncan - then drafted Parker and Ginobli with non-lottery picks.
Hasn't everyone been raving about Henny's draft acumen pedigree.

I have total faith that Henny will be able to clear some cap room and draft well if we were to land Bynum.

If this were to happen - it is the first of many moves to follow.

Very good point. If Henny can produce a couple miracle 16-24th picks, we could get it done.

[Skin]

Depends on who we surround them with. Two players can't win a championship.

If we are able to clear cap and continue making solid draft choices - then yes a team with the skeleton of Jameer/Bynum/FA wing player/Nicholson/More Henny draft choices can contend for a championship.

Can we add better players than Kobe, Artest and Pau Gasol?

I see what you're trying to do here but I'll still go with it... 2008-2010 Kobe/Artest/Gasol or 2012 Kobe/Artest/Gasol? The former - probably not. The latter - possibly. But the game of basketball is much more than just names on a roster. Look at the Lakers coach, Mike Brown. Horrible fit for their team. Look at the depth of big men in the west versus the east, who is stopping Bynum in the east?

Interesting... you think it's possible that we can get better talent than Kobe, Artest, Gasol (version 2011)?

Cool, I'll hear ya out. What's the plan? Remember, you got no picks and not a lot of cap space.

[Bensational]

To win a championship wing with Dwight OR Bynum, history has shown that your need to partner them with a high scoring wing/perimeter player. There isn't really an abundance of them going around right now to hope to partner either of them with, unless guys grow into that role. Harden, Wall, Jennings, Evans, Monta, Gordon, Gay, Mayo, Chandler, Turner have all shown a propensity for it but they all also have limitations - whether that be efficiency, health or reliability. I'd put these guys at the top of the pack, best positioned to take on a primary scoring role the way Durant, LeBron, Wade, Rose, Westbrook, Kobe, Manu, Parker have done so on their Finals runs.

That's not to say I think they'll all become big time scorers or MVP caliber players like the guys mentioned above, I just think they've shown the tools to do more than they're currently showing.

[Def Swami]

Jason Lloyd
Team executive involved in Lakers/Magic talks regarding Dwight Howard said not to travel too far down path of latest Yahoo! report. Teams have been talking for weeks, not making much progress.

Jason Lloyd
Different Eastern Conference executive believes Magic in no hurry to move Dwight, holding out for Houston to up its offer. Plenty of people in Vegas this week believe DH will ultimately wind up in LA, I'm still betting he either starts the year in Houston or Orlando.