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

[ShowTimeERA]

Don't get me wrong, I would rather have Bynum. But Lopez at 4 years $40 million probably ends up being a better long term deal then Bynum at a 5 year max contract. The kid has a ton of talent (more then Dwight IMO), but those knees scare the crap outa me.

While your are more within your right to have doubts about Bynum's knee..You must also be consistent and have worries about Lopez's foot injury where he "mysteriously" injured again after his initial comeback, Yao Ming ring the bell...

[ShowTimeERA]

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA
RT @E_Money18: So you think Orlando doesn't end up with either Lopez or Hump? ---> I don't think they want them long term

[rcklsscognition]

Don't get me wrong, I would rather have Bynum. But Lopez at 4 years $40 million probably ends up being a better long term deal then Bynum at a 5 year max contract. The kid has a ton of talent (more then Dwight IMO), but those knees scare the crap outa me.

Better deal in terms of flexibility. Question Henny needs to ask himself is can he get a better center than Lopez for 10 mil a year? If that answer is no, make the deal. A 9-11 million dollar space in our cap having Lopez instead of Dwight or Bynum is an opportunity to stockpile stars at other more important positions.

*Stockpile is the wrong word. Obtain would be better.

[magicfan4life88]

Say we do the nets deal, hopefully we get tyshawn taylor to have more young talent at the guard position and maybe we can send jrich and maybe re-direct humphries to the hawks for josh smith, so we atleast have sum defense on this team

[Idunkonyou2]

Bynum's knee doesn't worry me. He looked great last year. I just don't want to take on the Lakers trash. If they would give us Bynum, picks for Howard, I would gladly take that over what the Nets are offering.

[YosemiteSam]

So LAL and HOU are using Howard's back as a "smokescreen" to lowball ORL even all the while posturing that "they don't care" whether he resigns or not.

IMO their real concern is the extension but if they are putting it out there that they don't care, they still need a reason to lowball so they are using his back as an excuse. Because no competent FO would meet all of ORL's demands (ie market value, or paying the purchase price for a rental) without the guarantee of an extension.

Not likely. More likely is that Fegan/Dwight/Dwight's Team are using the back as a deterrent for LA and HOU so they don't offer the Magic anything good, or anything at all, and Magic are forced to send Dwight to the Nets.

Also a possibility. But like the point I made earlier, all these reports point to BKN as being the only serious bidder.

Which most likely why ORL is dealing with them now.

If they are the only serious bidder, you wait. No one should negotiate with only one buyer, you're bound to get a crappy deal.

I say we wait until all the dust settles and then some contender will look around and see that they need to make a move and by then you can figure out a better deal than this Nets crapola.

Never make a deal out of desperation

[ChosenSavior]

Had to play catch up and read this thread from page 21 as I was cleaning up a bit. We just need to relax and see what actually happens before we start to react angrily. I think all of this is just posturing by Fegan, Dwight's boy Rudolph, and the media to pressure Orlando to trade Dwight. I actually think we are going to hang on to Dwight and see if he changes his mind once more which is likely...

[ChosenSavior]

Bynum's knee doesn't worry me. He looked great last year. I just don't want to take on the Lakers trash. If they would give us Bynum, picks for Howard, I would gladly take that over what the Nets are offering.

This. I would be ecstatic if this happened.

[Dgbarnes]

Everyone's got this fear of getting Lopez, but I would bet he gets sent to a 3rd team as well (plenty of teams looking for a decent 7 footer right now). In return we'd get future picks from that same third team I'm guessing..

[Blue_and_Whte]

who will everyone be rooting for in next year's ECFs???

Nets or Heat???

Neither for me...hopefully Celts and Bulls knock them both out. If Rose is healthy.

To be honest, I'm probably done with the NBA after this summer. It isn't a league anymore. It is turning into 3 or 4 dream teams and then the rest. I hope Stern is happy.

Magic. I dont cheer for other teams.

[cvMagic]

Why does no one see that the only reason every sports reporter is hyping the Nets deal is because they generate tons of hits, views, and ratings from the number one market in the country...

NEW YORK

Do you really think Henny gives a damn what they think? Dwight has zero power in getting himself to the Nets. He has 100% power in leaving Orlando. But zero power in going to the Nets.

Why would we want to become the equivalent of last years Nets team WITHOUT DERON? A lottery team without its best player. It would be the worst trade in NBA history.

[rcklsscognition]

If they are the only serious bidder, you wait. No one should negotiate with only one buyer, you're bound to get a crappy deal.

I say we wait until all the dust settles and then some contender will look around and see that they need to make a move and by then you can figure out a better deal than this Nets crapola.

Never make a deal out of desperation

Here's my thing with that plan. What contender can give us assets we want without making them less of a contender?

[T-Rob]

It's probably LA just trying to scare off potential Dwight suiters, I for one would be happy if they lose interest due to his back, I find Bynum to be a dirty player who cant stay healthy and I am not sure if that is much better than the current prima donna we have now.

[cvMagic]

Everyone's got this fear of getting Lopez, but I would bet he gets sent to a 3rd team as well (plenty of teams looking for a decent 7 footer right now). In return we'd get future picks from that same third team I'm guessing..

You know what other team has been getting a lot of great draft picks the last couple of years?

the Bobcats

[rcklsscognition]

Why does no one see that the only reason every sports reporter is hyping the Nets deal is because they generate tons of hits, views, and ratings from the number one market in the country...

NEW YORK

Do you really think Henny gives a damn what they think? Dwight has zero power in getting himself to the Nets. He has 100% power in leaving Orlando. But zero power in going to the Nets.

Why would we want to become the equivalent of last years Nets team WITHOUT DERON? A lottery team without its best player. It would be the worst trade in NBA history.

To become a lottery team perhaps? Get rid of contracts and become a lotto team sounds like a reasonable plan.

[Dgbarnes]

Everyone's got this fear of getting Lopez, but I would bet he gets sent to a 3rd team as well (plenty of teams looking for a decent 7 footer right now). In return we'd get future picks from that same third team I'm guessing..

You know what other team has been getting a lot of great draft picks the last couple of years?

the Bobcats

Sign me up! In all honesty though, I don't think we're giving Henny enough credit. He's not going to dive into something that doesn't make sense long term. Be patient guys..

[YosemiteSam]

If they are the only serious bidder, you wait. No one should negotiate with only one buyer, you're bound to get a crappy deal.

I say we wait until all the dust settles and then some contender will look around and see that they need to make a move and by then you can figure out a better deal than this Nets crapola.

Never make a deal out of desperation

Here's my thing with that plan. What contender can give us assets we want without making them less of a contender?

Well, since Dwight is the 2nd most valuable player in the league? Many of them.

But my first choice is the Clippers once they get a new GM. I think it is very likely we could swing a Dwight/BBD/Duhon for Griffin/Jordan/Bledsoe type deal and the Clippers are more poised to compete due to Dwight's game-changing defense.

[cvMagic]

Why does no one see that the only reason every sports reporter is hyping the Nets deal is because they generate tons of hits, views, and ratings from the number one market in the country...

NEW YORK

Do you really think Henny gives a damn what they think? Dwight has zero power in getting himself to the Nets. He has 100% power in leaving Orlando. But zero power in going to the Nets.

Why would we want to become the equivalent of last years Nets team WITHOUT DERON? A lottery team without its best player. It would be the worst trade in NBA history.

To become a lottery team perhaps? Get rid of contracts and become a lotto team sounds like a reasonable plan.

Wow. i'm having a hard time understanding what league a lot of you are watching. More than half of the lottery picks do not work out. And let's stop saying lottery. To be truly relevant, you need a top five pick.

Barring a Webber/Penny miracle - this team will be nowhere near that bad. So exactly where is this number one pick coming from?
It sure as hell ain't coming from new Jersey.

[rcklsscognition]

If they are the only serious bidder, you wait. No one should negotiate with only one buyer, you're bound to get a crappy deal.

I say we wait until all the dust settles and then some contender will look around and see that they need to make a move and by then you can figure out a better deal than this Nets crapola.

Never make a deal out of desperation

Here's my thing with that plan. What contender can give us assets we want without making them less of a contender?

Well, since Dwight is the 2nd most valuable player in the league? Many of them.

But my first choice is the Clippers once they get a new GM. I think it is very likely we could swing a Dwight/BBD/Duhon for Griffin/Jordan/Bledsoe type deal and the Clippers are more poised to compete due to Dwight's game-changing defense.

Where are all the offers now for the 2nd most valuable player in the league?

[PeePee la Fritz]

Don't get me wrong, I would rather have Bynum. But Lopez at 4 years $40 million probably ends up being a better long term deal then Bynum at a 5 year max contract. The kid has a ton of talent (more then Dwight IMO), but those knees scare the crap outa me.

While your are more within your right to have doubts about Bynum's knee..You must also be consistent and have worries about Lopez's foot injury where he "mysteriously" injured again after his initial comeback, Yao Ming ring the bell...

His foot does concern me. But Yao was 7'6" and almost 350 lbs or more. Lopez on a reasonable deal would not be the end of the world. Lopez given the max is definitely cause for rioting