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

[rcklsscognition]

Just playing a game of 2k team up and I got Boozer. Anyone reminded of him when watching Nicholson's post moves?

[dwightsmight12]

It just seems like Rob is smarter than that. I like the guy and he's starting to slowly gain my trust. A big step would be telling Brooklyn to suck it, because that will prove to me he's not messing around with trash like the Nets. Get a good young package from someone like the Rockets and lets rebuild this thing the right way. As for Dwight, **** you.

[The Real Dalic]

Just playing a game of 2k team up and I got Boozer. Anyone reminded of him when watching Nicholson's post moves?

He's a beast in 2k. I'd love to have a player like Boozer on this team though.

[MagicTownBaller]

Just playing a game of 2k team up and I got Boozer. Anyone reminded of him when watching Nicholson's post moves?

He's a beast in 2k. I'd love to have a player like Boozer on this team though.

I thought of you when he posted that lol!

[Michael Lucky]

I remember a year ago we laughed at the idea of a Howard/Bynum trade, now we are begging for it lol

to be fair Bynum hugely improved over the course of last year and played the whole season Healthy, something Dwight didn't even do.

I'm one of the few Laker fans that actually thought he was our best player last year.

[sonny_1313]

Anyone consider that maybe Devos or Martins told Dwight something to the effect of "if you opt in and change your mind we promise we will trade you to the team of your choice"? Don't get me wrong, I would break that promise, but it's the only reason why I could even see us considering the Nets offer

I could actually see Devos saying that. He really seems to love Howard and wants to make him happy. Let's hope it isn't in writing.

[tiderulz]

Anyone consider that maybe Devos or Martins told Dwight something to the effect of "if you opt in and change your mind we promise we will trade you to the team of your choice"? Don't get me wrong, I would break that promise, but it's the only reason why I could even see us considering the Nets offer

no, because they were prepared to trade him if he didnt opt in. Why delay it?

[The Real Dalic]

Just playing a game of 2k team up and I got Boozer. Anyone reminded of him when watching Nicholson's post moves?

He's a beast in 2k. I'd love to have a player like Boozer on this team though.

I thought of you when he posted that lol!

LOL! Whenever Paul George, Cory Joseph, or Boozer come up in 2K conversations you better believe I'm going to comment.

[thelead]

Anyone consider that maybe Devos or Martins told Dwight something to the effect of "if you opt in and change your mind we promise we will trade you to the team of your choice"? Don't get me wrong, I would break that promise, but it's the only reason why I could even see us considering the Nets offer

I don't get the point of him opting in though. We could have easily traded him to the nets if that were the case.

[eyriq]

I remember a year ago we laughed at the idea of a Howard/Bynum trade, now we are begging for it lol

Brook Lopez will have that effect... LOL

[JaxMagic]

I remember a year ago we laughed at the idea of a Howard/Bynum trade, now we are begging for it lol

Brook Lopez will have that effect... LOL

So true

[inmate347]

Bynum did also have the first healthy year of his career this past season

[Mannchild]

Anyone consider that maybe Devos or Martins told Dwight something to the effect of "if you opt in and change your mind we promise we will trade you to the team of your choice"? Don't get me wrong, I would break that promise, but it's the only reason why I could even see us considering the Nets offer

I don't get the point of him opting in though. We could have easily traded him to the nets if that were the case.

Maybe he actually wanted things to work in Orlando but the whole SVG thing, reported fight with Nelson, and his team mates siding with SVG made him choose it was time to move on.

[Nemesis21]

I remember a year ago we laughed at the idea of a Howard/Bynum trade, now we are begging for it lol

Yup, I wasn't a fan of getting Bynum, but after the rumored 4 team trade that's been flying around the last 48 hrs, I'd gladly take Bynum over Lopez and Walton.

[shortodom]

I've said it once and I've said it again...

With a new GM building around him, a young new coach (Shaw), new arena, fans that would love him if he succeeds in the wake of Dwights departure, and being a clearcut #1 option while having his bird rights makes me confident Bynum would resign.

He is leaving the Lakers so he can get out of Kobe & Gasol's shadows and have his own team. Why wouldn't he sign in Orlando?

I feel like you have to take certain risks like that too. The Nets went all in for D-Will and have put together a quality team without D12. Had D-Will walked, they'd be in the same place as they were, still rebuilding. They had nothing to lose.

Same applies to us. If he bounces, we're still rebuilding with nice cap space.

The Magic can put a good team around Bynum in 2013 and offer him the best contract, with no state income tax, and him being the center piece. Odds are in Magic's favor.

No doubt in my mind Bynum would stay and re-sign with you guys, he'd have to give up alot of money to sign else where and like you said it'll be his own team. I think we'd be taking more of a risk cause Howard changes his mind every 5 minutes but if he'd rather leave L.A, who could pay him the most and has Nash,Kobe and Pau for Dallas with just Dirk or ATL with just Smith then he'd have to be the biggest idiot ever.

[rcklsscognition]

I can't wait to play with Fran on 2k13.

[Bensational]

Is there any Houston trade that's real? If so, I'd take their offer over the Nets.

However, I don't think the proposed Nets deal is all that terrible--certainly not to the level of self-defenestrating out of tall buildings, as some have made it out to be. We get three mid-to-late first-rounders (which is where the Rockets' rookies we're talking about trading for were selected), we get a top-ten center in the league (yes, Lopez is top-ten; it goes, Dwight, then Bynum, with an interchangeable mix of Hibbert, Gasol, Noah, Monroe, Bogut, Anthony Davis if he turns out to be as good as projected, and then Lopez in there), we shed three bad contracts in the Richardsons and Duhon (and with them gone, Hedo's becomes less of an albatross, as it is only partially guaranteed and expires around the same time as a lot of our other contracts, making them nice trade bait in a year and a half), and we get a handful of fringe players or people I've never heard of, who have small contracts, give them a shot, and see how they do, low-risk.

That's better than Dwight leaving for nothing, and if it is the best offer, I don't have any problem taking it. I look forward to a rebuild done by a staff who seems to value team-building for the long-term.

Of course, Dwight still behaved like a jerk during the process, but whatever, money and all-world talent doesn't buy you common sense and decency, I guess.

Obviously many are going to have a reality check if we get Lopez. It's going to tell us a) he's better or at least viewed as better by GMs than most here think or b) the other offers were REALLY bad, or c) we have no idea what promises the front office made Dwight when he signed over his ETO.

are you kidding me? i expect this board to do a complete 180 and proclaim Lopez the GOAT the minute this trade goes through. emotions and responses swing like Ron Jeremy in this place, you only need to look at the draft for a recent example of that.

Lopez will be fine in terms of production. only problem is that he won't be worth that contract, and i'm struggling to think of any recent examples of overpriced big men being valuable assets in trades...

Bogut + Sjax for Monta.
McGee for Nene
Dalembert for Jon Brockman, Jon Leuer, Shaun Livingston and a 2012 1st round draft pick (Jeremy Lamb)
Kaman (along with Gordon, Aminu and pick) for Paul
Ilgauskas for Jamison
Eddy Curry for cap space
Chandler for Matt Carroll, Erick Dampier, Eduardo Najera
Chandler for Okafor
Jefferson for cap space (now considered unmovable)
Dalembert for Hawes and Nocioni
Jermaine O'Neil for Marcus Banks and Shawn Marion
Jermaine O'Neil for T.J. Ford, Roy Hibbert and Rasho Nesterovic
Camby for Blake and Outlaw
Brad Miller for for Drew Gooden, Andres Nocioni, Michael Ruffin and Cedric Simmons
Dampier for Luis Flores, Christian Laettner, Eduardo Najera,
Camby for cap space
Brad Miller for
Camby for Antonio McDyess, Frank Williams
Brad Miller and John Salmons for Scott Pollard and Danny Ferry


as you can see, there isn't much of a market, or strong return, on overpaid big men. it's almost like, once you make that bed, no other team wants to sleep in it. even guys like Chandler and Al Jefferson have been given away for nothing more than cap space, and i think they are they ceiling for ability and demand for Lopez.

[OrlChamps2030]

I've said it once and I've said it again...

With a new GM building around him, a young new coach (Shaw), new arena, fans that would love him if he succeeds in the wake of Dwights departure, and being a clearcut #1 option while having his bird rights makes me confident Bynum would resign.

He is leaving the Lakers so he can get out of Kobe & Gasol's shadows and have his own team. Why wouldn't he sign in Orlando?

I feel like you have to take certain risks like that too. The Nets went all in for D-Will and have put together a quality team without D12. Had D-Will walked, they'd be in the same place as they were, still rebuilding. They had nothing to lose.

Same applies to us. If he bounces, we're still rebuilding with nice cap space.

The Magic can put a good team around Bynum in 2013 and offer him the best contract, with no state income tax, and him being the center piece. Odds are in Magic's favor.

No doubt in my mind Bynum would stay and re-sign with you guys, he'd have to give up alot of money to sign else where and like you said it'll be his own team. I think we'd be taking more of a risk cause Howard changes his mind every 5 minutes but if he'd rather leave L.A, who could pay him the most and has Nash,Kobe and Pau for Dallas with just Dirk or ATL with just Smith then he'd have to be the biggest idiot ever.

Dwight Howard forcing his way out of Orlando only to force his way out of LA would make him look like the biggest sports jackass ever. Think about it. No one is going to walk away from two teams in a year one of those teams being the LA Lakers with Nash/Kobe/Gasol that can offer him the most money..he would have no reason

[rcklsscognition]

It always comes back to Sjax for Monta, lol

[magicfan9109]

Orlando Magic Daily ‏@OMagicDaily
Watching the Summer League game... @MagicInsider reports Bynum's people told him reports he wouldn't sign an extension in ORL aren't true.

Makes no damn sense to trade with the Nets then.

I saw Brian Schmitz say this morning at Summer League on NBA tv that the reports about Bynum not signing the extension in Orlando were not totally accurate reports. That was news to me and I hope it's true. Lakers or Houston have better offers in terms of what we are looking for moving forward.