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

[woosah]

I must have missed it... was there a new rumor that says we're leaning towards the nets deal or that the lakers are no longer interested?

Brian K. Schmitz @MagicInsider

To Lakers, Rockets, et al: Dwight's back not so good. To Nets: Howard will try to qualify for Olympic springboard diving in London.

I think you were in that other thread. People are reacting to Jarrod Rudolph's comments on some radio station today that basically said if the Nets find a 3rd team the deal is done. It was speculation, but the sky is now falling.

[sonny_1313]

I am wondering if DeVos is behind this. I am thinking maybe he told Henny to try and accommodate Dwhiner.DeVos has gotten close to Howard and I wouldn't be surprised if sentiment and advanced age are clouding his judgement. Otherwise this makes no sense.

Or other teams are pulling out because they don't want to risk Howard not resigning or worse being "injured" all season. Plus Fegan represents a lot of players. He may be the one "blackmailing" the Magic by threatening to now work with the organization if they don't trade Dwight to Brooklyn. Who knows what is being said behind closed doors or what kind of secret deals are being made.

[rcklsscognition]

If we let Howard walk, we're at -20 million in salary next summer. All Henny has to do to break even is send out more players in addition to Howard that are equal or less than said players. If we could get Lopez (~12 mil) Brooks (2 mil) and an expiring, we'd be at a savings of 3 million next summer by getting rid of J-Rich and Turk. We'd have a center and a SG prospect and about 30 million in space. We'd have a starting center, PF, SG, and PG and a good draft pick.

[MagicMan89]

Love L.A.
Bynum has the Knees of a 50 year old running back and he is a healthy All-Star center. Dwight got injured and actually missed multiple games for the 1st time and now he is damaged goods.

[Skin]

The concept totally went over your head didn't it?

Is there a better PG out there that could mentor young PGs than Jason Kidd?

Then you consider how cheap is came, it's a no brainer. Give any young PG with decent talent, 3 years with Kidd at his wing and you'll have yourself a diamond!

So your idea of rebuilding and clearing space is signing a 39 year old PG to a 3 mill a year deal so he can mentor Chris Duhon?

And you actually think that Jason Kidd would sign his last contract ever in the NBA just for that opportunity?

Are you really that clueless?

Duhon is not young. ...and he is outta here asap. You seriously can't be that shortsighted to only see what's in front of your face, can you? Just because Duhon was the only PG on the roster, you assume that's all we'd have? We have some nice candidates on the SL team and/or we could acquire someone this summer, and/or we could draft a PG next season. In any case, we're rebuilding with youth and surrounding him with a legendary presence.

Kidd is a piece of the puzzle that would help towards young player development. Exactly what he's doing in NY. Lin is gonna turn into something even more special than what he's shown so far thanks to having Kidd at his side.

[Def Swami]

David Aldridge ‏@daldridgetnt
Veteran F Rashard Lewis, bought out by the Hornets after coming in Okafor/Ariza trade from D.C., will visit Miami this weekend, per source.

This offseason is going to hurt.

[Idunkonyou2]

One thing I will bring up is how bad are the Mavs going to be next year. They lost every one and gained no one. From NBA champions a year ago to probably lottery next year. People sure were right about them. One and done.

[Idunkonyou2]

David Aldridge ‏@daldridgetnt
Veteran F Rashard Lewis, bought out by the Hornets after coming in Okafor/Ariza trade from D.C., will visit Miami this weekend, per source.

This offseason is going to hurt.

He sucks so they can have him.

[bigmoe1952]

Love L.A.
Bynum has the Knees of a 50 year old running back and he is a healthy All-Star center. Dwight got injured and actually missed multiple games for the 1st time and now he is damaged goods.

I don't believe that. That is Howards and Fegans smoke screen.

[OrlandO]

According to Pincus fwiw:

Sources close to the Lakers say they are not bothered by Howard’s reluctance to commit long-term to the team. They understand that Howard stands to make significantly more money as a free agent after this season, signing a five-year deal vs. adding on just three years to his current contract.

LA is confident that once in Los Angeles, and in possession of his Bird Rights, Howard would ultimately re-sign with the team.

So what’s the hurdle?

The Lakers biggest concern is the status of Howard’s back which the source indicates they believe has been healing “very slowly.”

The Magic haven’t given a clear timeline as of yet but the team said they don’t believe it will be “an issue going forward.”

All things being equal, the Lakers would make a strong push to get Howard. The fear is giving up an All-Star center in Bynum for a player who isn’t entirely guaranteed to start the season on time (something Magic General Manger Rob Hennigan declined to comment on recently).

Howard’s surgeon Dr. Robert Watkins, out of Los Angeles, is affiliated with the Lakers. Under normal privacy laws, a doctor cannot reveal the status of his patient to an outside party but if the Lakers were doing their due diligence at the permission of the Magic and Howard, perhaps there’s something they saw to scare them off.

lol you can't blame them for trying. Translation: we'll trade you bynum for howard, but we don't want any bad contracts back.

[woosah]

One thing I will bring up is how bad are the Mavs going to be next year. They lost every one and gained no one. From NBA champions a year ago to probably lottery next year. People sure were right about them. One and done.

They should trade us Dirk and just rebuild.

[mhectorgato]

The concept totally went over your head didn't it?

Is there a better PG out there that could mentor young PGs than Jason Kidd?

Then you consider how cheap is came, it's a no brainer. Give any young PG with decent talent, 3 years with Kidd at his wing and you'll have yourself a diamond!

So your idea of rebuilding and clearing space is signing a 39 year old PG to a 3 mill a year deal so he can mentor Chris Duhon?

And you actually think that Jason Kidd would sign his last contract ever in the NBA just for that opportunity?

Are you really that clueless?

Duhon is not young. ...and he is outta here asap. You seriously can't be that shortsighted to only see what's in front of your face, can you? Just because Duhon was the only PG on the roster, you assume that's all we'd have? We have some nice candidates on the SL team and/or we could acquire someone this summer, and/or we could draft a PG next season. In any case, we're rebuilding with youth and surrounding him with a legendary presence.

Kidd is a piece of the puzzle that would help towards young player development. Exactly what he's doing in NY. Lin is gonna turn into something even more special than what he's shown so far thanks to having Kidd at his side.

Says the poster who said that we can't win a championship for 3 years simply because of Nelson's contract.

[SolidSnake008]

I believe Rob's plan is pretty simple. He is asking the Nets to get him a 3rd team to not only take KH, but also take JRich and Hedo (we may very well take KH and move BBD). In return we get 3 to 5 1st round picks, Lopez (10 million) and Brooks. In total we take on about 12 million in salary. With Hedo and JRich gone, the Magic are still in position to have around 30 to 35 million in cap space to spend in the summer of 2013, along with a couple of 1st round picks. We would already have Nelson, BBD or KH, Nicholson, Quinn, Lopez and Brooks on the roster.

I think this is his vision of rebuilding the team with a quick turn around if we indeed have to deal with the Nets, plus get youth in the process. Whether it happens or not is another thing all together. He may just get sick of it all and tell Howard to prepare to play for the Magic in 2012-2013, pretty much daring him to leave a ton of money on the table by walking. We'll see.

i agree with this....i don't see why people are so up in arms....Dwight made it clear he doesn't want to be here in Orlando....it has to end somehow....it seems people are not using logic and instead is letting their feelings cloud their judgement.......and don't want to make a deal simply out of spite.......The Nets route might be better than the Lakers route imo because the Lakers would try to fleece us and give us some of their trash.....

The Nets route if they can get a third team then things get a bit better for us....we get back young decent players and we get to unload our bad contracts but i will acknowledge that it's not the greatest deal in the world but as far as we know the Nets seems like they want to get a deal done and will try to accommodate us as best they can and the Lakers seem like they want to work an angle.....i could be wrong though...i could change my mind tomorrow...like Dwight

[ShowTimeERA]

I believe Rob's plan is pretty simple. He is asking the Nets to get him a 3rd team to not only take KH, but also take JRich and Hedo (we may very well take KH and move BBD). In return we get 3 to 5 1st round picks, Lopez (10 million) and Brooks. In total we take on about 12 million in salary. With Hedo and JRich gone, the Magic are still in position to have around 30 to 35 million in cap space to spend in the summer of 2013, along with a couple of 1st round picks. We would already have Nelson, BBD or KH, Nicholson, Quinn, Lopez and Brooks on the roster.

I think this is his vision of rebuilding the team with a quick turn around if we indeed have to deal with the Nets, plus get youth in the process. Whether it happens or not is another thing all together. He may just get sick of it all and tell Howard to prepare to play for the Magic in 2012-2013, pretty much daring him to leave a ton of money on the table by walking. We'll see.

When you put it like that... Not really as bad as I first thought. Still would make me furious, buy that is the kind of 'making the most out of a pile of poo' thinking that I would want from a gm.

Its not this simple. There's a reason why a 3rd team hasn't come up to the plate. In order to find a 3rd or 4th team to take on Kris, Jason, and Hedo - either Orlando or Brooklyn must send them compensation in a form of young assets or draft picks. Remember the ORL-NJ-POR trade in which it was rumored that Orlando was receiving 4-5 picks, then reports surfaced that it was Portland who was indeed acquiring those picks for giving Wallace up. Same deal now in the sense that those same picks Orlando supposedly is obtaining need to go the 3rd team to take on these "Bad" contracts. Hump at $10M is a disaster, not to mention Jason and Hedo...

[Nemesis21]

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA
Orlando plans to pick up $6M option on final year of J.J. Redick's contract, league sources tell Y! Sports. Magic have until week's end

[Darth Magic]

It disgusts me to no end how smaller teams have become feeder teams for large market teams. In the Media all we hear is how the Lakers can get even better by getting Dwight, or the Nets can become a super team by acquiring Dwight and they go nuts over the idea. While the hardcore fans of small market teams have to sit and watch their teams get bullied into trading away their stars for crap.

[Nemesis21]

**** the Lakers and Nets I`m not trading him to those teams.

[Idunkonyou2]

LMAO!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJtDUZMSOBw

[OrlChamps2030]

The concept totally went over your head didn't it?

Is there a better PG out there that could mentor young PGs than Jason Kidd?

Then you consider how cheap is came, it's a no brainer. Give any young PG with decent talent, 3 years with Kidd at his wing and you'll have yourself a diamond!

So your idea of rebuilding and clearing space is signing a 39 year old PG to a 3 mill a year deal so he can mentor Chris Duhon?

And you actually think that Jason Kidd would sign his last contract ever in the NBA just for that opportunity?

Are you really that clueless?

Duhon is not young. ...and he is outta here asap. You seriously can't be that shortsighted to only see what's in front of your face, can you? Just because Duhon was the only PG on the roster, you assume that's all we'd have? We have some nice candidates on the SL team and/or we could acquire someone this summer, and/or we could draft a PG next season. In any case, we're rebuilding with youth and surrounding him with a legendary presence.

Kidd is a piece of the puzzle that would help towards young player development. Exactly what he's doing in NY. Lin is gonna turn into something even more special than what he's shown so far thanks to having Kidd at his side.

Even though I'm literally laughing at you out loud right now, what would be the draw for Jason Kidd to come to Orlando?

We're not a contender anymore

[bigmoe1952]

I believe Rob's plan is pretty simple. He is asking the Nets to get him a 3rd team to not only take KH, but also take JRich and Hedo (we may very well take KH and move BBD). In return we get 3 to 5 1st round picks, Lopez (10 million) and Brooks. In total we take on about 12 million in salary. With Hedo and JRich gone, the Magic are still in position to have around 30 to 35 million in cap space to spend in the summer of 2013, along with a couple of 1st round picks. We would already have Nelson, BBD or KH, Nicholson, Quinn, Lopez and Brooks on the roster.

I think this is his vision of rebuilding the team with a quick turn around if we indeed have to deal with the Nets, plus get youth in the process. Whether it happens or not is another thing all together. He may just get sick of it all and tell Howard to prepare to play for the Magic in 2012-2013, pretty much daring him to leave a ton of money on the table by walking. We'll see.

i agree with this....i don't see why people are so up in arms....Dwight made it clear he doesn't want to be here in Orlando....it has to end somehow....it seems people are not using logic and instead is letting their feelings cloud their judgement.......and don't want to make a deal simply out of spite.......The Nets route might be better than the Lakers route imo because the Lakers would try to fleece us and give us some of their trash.....

The Nets route if they can get a third team then things get a bit better for us....we get back young decent players and we get to unload our bad contracts but i will acknowledge that it's not the greatest deal in the world but as far as we know the Nets seems like they want to get a deal done and will try to accommodate us as best they can and the Lakers seem like they want to work an angle.....i could be wrong though...i could change my mind tomorrow...like Dwight

It has nothing to do with spite. This potential trade with the Nets is TERRIBLE! How does it help us going forward? I would much rather have Houston's young talent and draft picks...and Howard in the Western Conference.