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

[cb1115]

What is this...sporting news trolled???

Dwight Howard trade to LA Lakers becomes official
http://aol.sportingnews.dolem.com/nba/s ... l-2012.htm

LOL, since we have an official link go ahead and post it on the General Board......

LOLOLOLOL

Do it.

[Chet Wagner]

Bynum has played in 50+ games in 4 straight seasons, his injury concerns are ridiculously overblown at this point.

People talk like he's Greg Oden

I would take the Houston deal.
Bynum is the best player we can get back but...
1. He does have a history of knee problems and even though he stayed healthy last year, he is a 24 year old center with bad knees. With his size and wieght we are crazy if we think the condition of his knees will improve over time.
2. He is going to test Free Angency meaning we could lose our biggest chip for a one year rental.
3. Dwight has more value. If a rebuild is in the works you have to use Dwight now to unload bad deals and get picks.
4. LA has no other assets and will not ship Gasol as part of the deal, we are talking a D12 for Bynum swap instead of multiple assets coming to us.

If you add up all the regular season and playoff games from 2008 on, Bynum has played 30~ less games than Dwight. Add in the 5 game suspension and that's like 25ish total games in FOUR years. Yes Bynum is not Dwight/Malone, but honestly his injury risk isn't that bad - certainly not as high as people make it out to be. Plus if I remember correctly weren't his injuries freakish? I thought he landed on someones foot and then Kobe ran into his knee or something

All big players are going to test free agency because of the new CBA. They make more money that way (Its why Paul is not signing the extension with the Clippers). With the Magic having his Bird Rights though, it's extremely unlikely he would walk and leave 20M on the table.

Dwight has ruined any extra value he has throughout this whole process unfortunately

I hope you're not saying this is a bad thing. Not only is a Dwight rental not even close to worth Bynum AND Gasol, but his contract would be really foolish to take on. Henny is smart to not want Gasol, whether they would ship him or not. Yeah it would be a swap..but it's the best the Magic have man. If Houston was offering all the things people think they are then this trade would've been done ages ago

[magic_turk]

ENOUGH WITH THE GRAMMAR TALK!!!!

[Jetset]

What is this...sporting news trolled???

Dwight Howard trade to LA Lakers becomes official
http://aol.sportingnews.dolem.com/nba/s ... l-2012.htm

LOL, since we have an official link go ahead and post it on the General Board......

lmao that was made by a person on our board. it's going to be taken down soon, so post it before it does.

[RickB-Orlando]

Bynum has played in 50+ games in 4 straight seasons, his injury concerns are ridiculously overblown at this point.

People talk like he's Greg Oden

I would take the Houston deal.
Bynum is the best player we can get back but...
1. He does have a history of knee problems and even though he stayed healthy last year, he is a 24 year old center with bad knees. With his size and wieght we are crazy if we think the condition of his knees will improve over time.
2. He is going to test Free Angency meaning we could lose our biggest chip for a one year rental.
3. Dwight has more value. If a rebuild is in the works you have to use Dwight now to unload bad deals and get picks.
4. LA has no other assets and will not ship Gasol as part of the deal, we are talking a D12 for Bynum swap instead of multiple assets coming to us.

Reportedly LA is now willing to take back JRich as part of the deal.
Bynum walking is probably less concerning than people make it out to be. Many, many, MANY folks have said we should just keep Dwight and if he walks, we free up cap space. Why would this be any less so with Bynum here for a year? It gives us all season to convince him that he's a critical cog in the machine and show him the commitment of the DeVos ownership and ability of Henny, his front ofice team, and a (presumably) up and coming coach.

[backasswards]

What is this...sporting news trolled???

Dwight Howard trade to LA Lakers becomes official
http://aol.sportingnews.dolem.com/nba/s ... l-2012.htm

I'd be happy

LAL:
Dwight
JRich
Duhon

ORL:
Bynum
MWP
Ebanks
2 future first-round picks

We won't see those 1st round picks for a while though.

[trebone]

What is this...sporting news trolled???

Dwight Howard trade to LA Lakers becomes official
http://aol.sportingnews.dolem.com/nba/s ... l-2012.htm

LOL, since we have an official link go ahead and post it on the General Board......

I wish that were a real site that would be a best case scenario IMO

[Magicman125]

done

[KingRobb02]

Hakeem only had Drexler for the second title.

You are right, but that was a weird year, if Jordan hadn't retired, Bulls would have won that title, because we all know that a Knicks team with only Ewing wouldnt win a 7 games series against Jordan and Pippen, just like they almost won against the Rockets.

Can't judge a season on what ifs though. People in Chicago still think that if Rose doesn't get hurt, they win the title this year, and Laker fans think that if Bynum stays healthy, they win 3 straight.

Not trying to argue, but I kinda disagree with your 2 star thing. Aside from the weird Pistons year, I think it just comes down to one transcendent star. With the way Wade played in most of the playoffs, I wouldn't have even voted him as an all-star this year, but Lebron was on another level. Last year, Dirk went super saiyan on everyone for about 20 games. Hakeem in those two years was beast mode as well. When you have that one great guy and your team is winning, people start looking for other guys to label as stars. Remember that year, we had to pretend the Magic had 3 all-stars just because we were destroying teams? Remember Wally Szczerbiak being an all-star when KG was dominant? Or how KG got Sam Cassel his first all-star nod at age 58? I think that if Lebron isn't around, we are reading stories about how Wade is washed up right now. If KG, doesn't have a MVP type year in Boston, we are still saying that Rondo can't win a title unless he learns to shoot and that you can't build a contender overnight by combining 3 all-stars.

At the end of the day, we need a mega-star to even be in the discussion. I only think there are 5 heading into this season. Lebron, Durant, Dwight (when motivated), Wade (when healthy and not just jacking shots), Chris Paul. If any of those guys puts together a run with an above average cast around them, they are automatically in the discussion. Any move where you go from one of them to someone who is not one of them is a serious step back.

[tiderulz]

Bynum has played in 50+ games in 4 straight seasons, his injury concerns are ridiculously overblown at this point.

People talk like he's Greg Oden

I would take the Houston deal.
Bynum is the best player we can get back but...
1. He does have a history of knee problems and even though he stayed healthy last year, he is a 24 year old center with bad knees. With his size and wieght we are crazy if we think the condition of his knees will improve over time.
2. He is going to test Free Angency meaning we could lose our biggest chip for a one year rental.
3. Dwight has more value. If a rebuild is in the works you have to use Dwight now to unload bad deals and get picks.
4. LA has no other assets and will not ship Gasol as part of the deal, we are talking a D12 for Bynum swap instead of multiple assets coming to us.

Reportedly LA is now willing to take back JRich as part of the deal.
Bynum walking is probably less concerning than people make it out to be. Many, many, MANY folks have said we should just keep Dwight and if he walks, we free up cap space. Why would this be any less so with Bynum here for a year? It gives us all season to convince him that he's a critical cog in the machine and show him the commitment of the DeVos ownership and ability of Henny, his front ofice team, and a (presumably) up and coming coach.

i could be down with that.

[Nolimit1211]

What is this...sporting news trolled???

Dwight Howard trade to LA Lakers becomes official
http://aol.sportingnews.dolem.com/nba/s ... l-2012.htm

LOL, since we have an official link go ahead and post it on the General Board......

lmao that was made by a person on our board. it's going to be taken down soon, so post it before it does.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1194793

I better not get BANNED! I have a link EYERIQ!

[Chet Wagner]

Bynum has played in 50+ games in 4 straight seasons, his injury concerns are ridiculously overblown at this point.

People talk like he's Greg Oden

you realize a season is 82 regular games, and then extra for playoffs right? with the lakers, the games would be something like 90+ games.

wonder how my boss will feel if I only work 50-60% of the time.

Those totals were not including the playoffs. Go check the numbers for yourself, it's really not that bad

[AdamTheGreek]

What is this...sporting news trolled???

Dwight Howard trade to LA Lakers becomes official
http://aol.sportingnews.dolem.com/nba/s ... l-2012.htm

Whoa, what?! I love that deal if it's true. I never would've thought the Lakers would take J-Rich AND Duhon.

[tiderulz]

With the way Wade played in most of the playoffs, I wouldn't have even voted him as an all-star this year, but Lebron was on another level.

i agree Lebron was at another level. But cmon, Wade was 22 ppg, 4.5 apg, 4+ rpg. He was playing at an all-star level. Its just like the pretty girl, who is sitting next to the supermodel. For some reason she doesnt look as hot, but she is still hot.

[Jetset]

http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1194793

I better not get BANNED! I have a link EYERIQ!

You my friend are absolutely amazing.

[cb1115]

Excellent.

[KingRobb02]

With the way Wade played in most of the playoffs, I wouldn't have even voted him as an all-star this year, but Lebron was on another level.

i agree Lebron was at another level. But cmon, Wade was 22 ppg, 4.5 apg, 4+ rpg. He was playing at an all-star level. Its just like the pretty girl, who is sitting next to the supermodel. For some reason she doesnt look as hot, but she is still hot.

Just looking at totals doesn't really work because Wade played and shot so much.

[RickB-Orlando]

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1194793

I better not get BANNED! I have a link EYERIQ!

I'd be more concerned about being arrested for manslaughter when Net fans start collapsing from brain aneurisms.

As far as I'm concerned, you win at the Internet when that happens.

[tiderulz]

Bynum has played in 50+ games in 4 straight seasons, his injury concerns are ridiculously overblown at this point.

People talk like he's Greg Oden

you realize a season is 82 regular games, and then extra for playoffs right? with the lakers, the games would be something like 90+ games.

wonder how my boss will feel if I only work 50-60% of the time.

Those totals were not including the playoffs. Go check the numbers for yourself, it's really not that bad

32 games in 08, 17 in 09, 28 in '10. that is enough games lost that will cost you home court advantage.

[Magicman125]

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1194793&start=15

Hilarious Nolimit, seriously. Some reactions were really amusing. The lakers fans are loving it in their Dwight thread as well.