Official Speculation Thread (Pt XVI, Mods Close)

[Bensational]

Alex Kennedy‏@AlexKennedyNBAReply
Sources in Orlando continue to say that the Magic likely won't trade Dwight Howard before the deadline. Ownership isn't ready to move him.


I really don't know how I feel about this. I have mixed feelings. I mean, if this happens, I just don't know how to feel. In one hand, I want Dwight with our team, on the other I don't want to be the Cavs next season. Tough

Yep, we're I guess we're THAT dumb for taking a chance (cleveland/lebron and shaq part II). All we can hope s that Martins has a master plan this summer...

i'm glad we're keeping him. but i'll be pissed off if we don't make other changes.

the most annoying thing would be if this team remained as is. if we're going to gamble on keeping Dwight, we should at least position ourselves to be able to offer him something in the summer, other than scrambling to try and find takers for Hedo/JRich/Jameer/BBD at the 11th hour.

[ADRajX]

Alex Kennedy‏@AlexKennedyNBAReply
Sources in Orlando continue to say that the Magic likely won't trade Dwight Howard before the deadline. Ownership isn't ready to move him.


I really don't know how I feel about this. I have mixed feelings. I mean, if this happens, I just don't know how to feel. In one hand, I want Dwight with our team, on the other I don't want to be the Cavs next season. Tough

Yep, we're I guess we're THAT dumb for taking a chance (cleveland/lebron and shaq part II). All we can hope s that Martins has a master plan this summer...

i'm glad we're keeping him. but i'll be pissed off if we don't make other changes.

the most annoying thing would be if this team remained as is. if we're going to gamble on keeping Dwight, we should at least position ourselves to be able to offer him something in the summer, other than scrambling to try and find takers for Hedo/JRich/Jameer/BBD at the 11th hour.

+1 exactly.. that's exactly what I meant (implicitly)... it's one thing to keep Dwight and at least have a PLAN to convince him to stay (and that means make changes to the team)... it's another thing to keep Dwight and just hope for the best and not make any changes to the team

[Davidm89]

I think Dwight opts in for his last year, CP3 is a free agent after this next year. Not sure how the bird rights work but if he opted in then walked in 2013 could he still get all his money? Along with a few other notable free agents or possible free agents maybe ownership showed their plan to free up space before then and making a play that summer? I just can't see him walking after this year, giving up 29 mil and an extra year guaranteed... that's just bad business. I wish no ill harm on anyone but at any time he could get a career ending injury, you don't leave 29 mil on the table ever.

[arkknight1988]

i honestly like the nelson/jj/Q/anderson/dwight lineup. jj and anderson have great chemistry and Q doesn't need the ball and is a better defender than turk. jj looked better in the pnr than turk. turk and to a lesser extent jrich bring down our energy.

if we can move turk somehow and get a scorer like beasley to backup Q and play big minutes i could roll with that.

[gp123]

Q doesn't need the ball and is a better defender than turk
if we can move turk somehow and get a scorer like beasley to backup Q and play big minutes i could roll with that.

IMO turk is actually a pretty good defender with 1 big exception: He can't handle physical players at all. (Im sure he still has nightmares about defending josh smith.)

i've seen him give dirk fits, durant to a degree, and he oddly enough has done well against pgs on the few occasions he's been cross matched.... he's good at using his length and great hands for steals.

Now the problem is he plays the same position in the division where almost all of the top physical 3-men in the league play so ya, there's a problem.

I think hedo would do wonders playing more minutes with the second unit, where he'd probably be a lockdown defender lol

[ADRajX]

I hate to bring this back up... but I really really hope Ken Berger is wrong... I actually respect the guy, which is why it's conflicting me... I had to go back and re-read the story from the last speculation thread... something just doesn't add up though.

My question is, why would Dwight want to go to Chicago? And secondly, what good would even come out of the deal that doesn't involve Noah and Asik, and only has Boozer as the main center piece? I know a lot folks have dismissed it and called "bull" on the story (including myself, that deal is terrible!!!)... but it's just so oddly timed and came out of blue nowhere that it is actually making me just a tad bit worried that it might be true. :-/ I hope it's not though.

[Driguez]

That Chicago deal is straight up ****, really hope is not true at all.

[Davidm89]

The only rumored or potential Dwight deal worth a dam is OKC or NY. But I can't see either actually happening.

[Relaxo]

So I read that OKC is not interested in Howard....no way they are giving up Ibaka and Harden????
I know OKC has a good/great thing going....but maybe it's a money issue b/c having a "Big 3" of Durant/Westbrook/Howard seems to spell Dynasty to me....I don't think Miami would be able to handle a trio at those positions....no one in the league would

[MagicFan32]

LOL at butt hurt nets fans

Brooklyn Nets ‏ @BK_Nets_Nation
@RGEEZY When is the last time some one has had a trade demand for the whole year and stayed with their team long term?

Tom Foolery ‏ @RGEEZY
@BK_Nets_Nation Kobe Bryant

Brooklyn Nets ‏ @BK_Nets_Nation
@RGEEZY I'm done talking to u if you're gonna be so close minded and biased
I

[G-Heel]

That Chicago deal is straight up ****, really hope is not true at all.

You can never know with our dumb management. It's trash, and I hope it's not true either.

[magic111]

From Bill Ingram of Hoopsworld...take it for what its worth.

Bill Ingram‏@TheRocketGuyReply

In addition to @AlexKennedyNBA's report, sources close to Dwight's business side also say they don't think he's going anywhere this week.

[MiracleBZop]

Where is a link that mentions the Thunder weren't interested in Dwight?

You should also post this rumor over at the speculation thread #16.
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=1167546

[MiracleBZop]

Well I've been gone for quite some time. What's going on? Any news. What's this stuff I hear involving Chicago and Boozer? That doesn't sound too great. I don't like Boozer.

[CKRT]

Where did you read that?

OKC fan here. I don't think Presti is a big fan of Dwight's character. That may be a big part of any non-interest.

IMO, it makes more sense for a package around Westbrook/Ibaka/Perk then Harden/Ibaka.

I'd prefer we sign a vet min PG with the rest of the roster as Harden/Durant/Collison/Howard, then Westbrook/Thabo/Durant/Collison/Howard

Both rosters amount to a champshionship, with the second having better defense. I've been a HUGE Harden fan since we drafted him, so I'm probably biased on keeping him.

[The Real Dalic]

Well I've been gone for quite some time. What's going on? Any news. What's this stuff I hear involving Chicago and Boozer? That doesn't sound too great. I don't like Boozer.

No one does. it makes no sense, we have Anderson, and they have Noah.

[ADRajX]

From Bill Ingram of Hoopsworld...take it for what its worth.

Bill Ingram‏@TheRocketGuyReply

In addition to @AlexKennedyNBA's report, sources close to Dwight's business side also say they don't think he's going anywhere this week.

Good... screw Chicago's deal, screw NJ's deal, screw everybody imo... let's make some other trades (not involving Dwight) to improve this team ASAP. We only have a few days left. If this is the route we're headed (keeping Dwight and taking a chance that he stays with us), we better go all in and make some significant changes before the deadline or during the off-season imo. And Martins better be prepared to "sell snow to an Eskimo" with his plan to convince Dwight to stay this summer/off-season.

[ADRajX]

Well I've been gone for quite some time. What's going on? Any news. What's this stuff I hear involving Chicago and Boozer? That doesn't sound too great. I don't like Boozer.

No one does. it makes no sense, we have Anderson, and they have Noah.

That's the part that gets me so mad. They had to nerve to skip out on offering Noah, but Asik as well. Boozer's age is pretty much in the "decline" territory, and his contract is an albatross. Just say NO to Booze kids.

[MiracleBZop]

Well I've been gone for quite some time. What's going on? Any news. What's this stuff I hear involving Chicago and Boozer? That doesn't sound too great. I don't like Boozer.

No one does. it makes no sense, we have Anderson, and they have Noah.

That's the part that gets me so mad. They had to nerve to skip out on offering Noah, but Asik as well. Boozer's age is pretty much in the "decline" territory, and his contract is an albatross. Just say NO to Booze kids.

I can't believe that deal was offered in the first place.

Glad we're hanging on to Howard, hopefully. We might as well take a chance. I completely dislike any of these rumored deals from every team we've heard thus far.

[drsd]

Where did you read that?

OKC fan here. I don't think Presti is a big fan of Dwight's character. That may be a big part of any non-interest.

IMO, it makes more sense for a package around Westbrook/Ibaka/Perk then Harden/Ibaka.

I'd prefer we sign a vet min PG with the rest of the roster as Harden/Durant/Collison/Howard, then Westbrook/Thabo/Durant/Collison/Howard

Both rosters amount to a champshionship, with the second having better defense. I've been a HUGE Harden fan since we drafted him, so I'm probably biased on keeping him.

I also read on ESPN that OKC would not trade for Howard, given the likely cost in personel.

As for Howard's character: he is one of the best character guys in the NBA. He is humble. And works his tail off. He is a motivator on and off of the court; in the locker room, in the hall-way with the press core, in practice, etc. he only "problem" with Howard is that sometimes the media fails to take him seriously with all the clowning around he displays. But no GM in the league would make a trade decision based on only the media's wishes.