Howard Thread III (Howard ready to join Lakers p.68)

[semi-sentient]

BTW, I don't think for one second that Howard will be in a Magic uniform when the season starts. He's going to get boo'd right off the court, and that's not going to increase his value one bit.

Hennigan seems to know what he's doing and isn't going to go after the first garbage deal presented, and at some point another team is going to put together a solid package that gets it done. The Lakers/Rockets can work a really nice 3-way trade and IMO it revolves around Bynum committing to the Rockets. I think we'll hear a lot more from these 3 teams in the coming days as they make a strong push to get a deal done with the Nets being out of the picture. Howard has no choice but to expand his list at this point.

[Jetset]

http://espn.go.com/dallas/nba/story/_/i ... ource-says

After several months of trying to trade Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic general manager Rob Hennigan called the All-Star center Wednesday night to see if he'd reconsider giving him and the Magic's new regime a chance to keep him in Orlando, a source close to Howard said.

Hennigan's call came several hours after the Brooklyn Nets, the team to which Howard asked Hennigan to trade him, made a futile last-gasp attempt to deal for him before the Charlotte Bobcats could sign one of the Nets' key trade chips, center Brook Lopez, to an offer sheet.

Lopez agreed to a new contract with the Nets on Wednesday night. Terms of the contract have not been disclosed, but a league source told ESPNNewYork.com's Mike Mazzeo that Lopez, a restricted free agent, agreed to a four-year, $60 million max deal.

Hennigan, the source said, based his plea on the fact that he was new to the organization and had not been party to the issues that drove Howard to make his trade request.

Team president Alex Martins, who also was on the call, the source said, made a similar plea to Howard last winter when he took control of basketball decisions over GM Otis Smith and coach Stan Van Gundy.

Howard was not willing to change his stance, the source said.

[Wavy Q]

lol keeping Dwight would probably make Magic fans just quit watching them.

[dirtymike]

I live in Orlando...I was at that game! Horrible seats! The back of my seat WAS the arena.

damn Kobe was fast!!!

[Sofa King]

BTW, I don't think for one second that Howard will be in a Magic uniform when the season starts. He's going to get boo'd right off the court, and that's not going to increase his value one bit.

Hennigan seems to know what he's doing and isn't going to go after the first garbage deal presented, and at some point another team is going to put together a solid package that gets it done. The Lakers/Rockets can work a really nice 3-way trade and IMO it revolves around Bynum committing to the Rockets. I think we'll hear a lot more from these 3 teams in the coming days as they make a strong push to get a deal done with the Nets being out of the picture. Howard has no choice but to expand his list at this point.

If Dwight is still in Orlando at the start of the season, look for him to still be out and rehabbing as his excuse.
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Houston originally needed the Lakers for Bynum and cap space to take on more of Orlando's bad contracts. But if Houston amnesties Scola, then they can do the trade without LA. So that leaves Dwight willing to choose to play for Houston or LA.
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One tweet mentioned Dwight didn't want to step on Bynum's toes as one reason to not choosing to play in LA. Never thought Bynum and Dwight had a loyal friendship.
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What's key in this trade is to convince Hennigan that he has the deal that he wants for Dwight. He wants to off load as many bad contracts as he can so he can rebuild the team like the Thunder.
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So Bynum just isn't enough.
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Bynum has his flaws, but until the day Bynum becomes the #1 option, then I'll consider trading him. With the Lakers right now, I'm good with him on the team. Just need to improve the bench.

[Sofa King]

lol keeping Dwight would probably make Magic fans just quit watching them.

I'd think they go to the games to just boo him.

[Kilroy]

I have a suspicion that everyone's just waiting for Bynum to get back from vacation and then the negotiations will take off again...

But if that isn't true, and the longer we go without hearing that Dwight would reconsider signing long term here, the more I think we should pass...

I can understand wanting to go to the Nets... I think I understand the reasoning... But if after that deal falls through, you still haven't expanded your list and are still saying you're only playing long-term with the Nets, then I'm sorry.... You're just weird.

[tviper]

can someone explain to me why it is so urgent for a deal to get done? If I am the Lakers, I am not even discussing anything until I see Dwight is close to 100%. What am I missing here?

[snaquille oatmeal]

why are some of us still discussing this as if Orlando is the one making the call when it's the Lakers that have issues with his back? did I miss something?

[Jetset]

You've missed about 214 pages worth.

Howard would be here now if it was the Lakers call.

[Kilroy]

why are some of us still discussing this as if Orlando is the one making the call when it's the Lakers that have issues with his back? did I miss something?

Depending on who you listen to, we have issues with his back and/or the fact he won't agree to an extension...

Orlando has issues with Bynum's knees and/or the fact that he won't sign an extension there...
(But we know he was never asked if he'd sign and extension and indicates he would)

Basically, I think that's all posturing... Everybody knew what was in play before the phone started ringing...

So, you're right... I think our offer is on the table and Orlando walked away from it back to the Nets...

Now that the Nets aren't in it, I can't imagine us improving our offer... If anything, it's gone down.
Same with Houston.

So yeah, it's our offer, but the ball's in Orlando's court. I think we have more leverage at this point.

[Jetset]

So yeah, it's our offer, but the ball's in Orlando's court. I think we have more leverage at this point.

If you mean more leverage over Orlando then possibly, but if you meant more leverage overall in trade talks then that couldn't be farther from the truth. For the slight possibility that we're concerned with Howard's back, Orlando is equally concerned with Bynum's knees. You add that into the fact that Houston will soon possibly be able to take Turkoglu, Richardson, and Duhon off Orlando's cap and still dangle Toronto's unprotected lottery pick and I'd say Houston just about has this won. The only way I can envision a deal happening between us and Orlando outside of a three way is if what Houston is offering is just too insignificant of an offer. And I'm more than willing to bet what Houston is offering isn't as much as a lot of people seem to think for an uncommitted Howard. Which is why Houston is still open to a three way, and that's the only way I think Howard will end up here. Unless Houston just completely folds out of trade talks which would only leave us, and that I think is highly unlikely at this point.

[LateRoundFlyer]

why are some of us still discussing this as if Orlando is the one making the call when it's the Lakers that have issues with his back? did I miss something?

Let's think about this for a minute here: who is on the market here, Bynum or Howard? Howard right? Which team does he currently play for? The Magic, right?

But yet you make it sound like the Lakers are the ones who decide where Howard ends up? Please...

ORL may like a deal with LA, but we're by no means the frontrunner despite whatever the local media reports. ORL may like Bynum, but he isn't exactly free of concerns.

You bring up Howard's back? Ask yourself this: would the Lakers even be linked to trade talks this long if they thought it was that big of an issue? Especially, if as you suggest, they are firmly in the driver's seat during these negotiations?

I'll give you a hint: it's more about leverage than it is legitimate health reasons. Raising further questions about Howard's injury effectively lowers his trade value, and thus whatever haul he may command. It is no different than what ORL is doing by expressing doubts of Bynum's knees.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2

[Kilroy]

http://espn.go.com/dallas/nba/story/_/id/8159324/dwight-howard-nixes-orlando-magic-gm-rob-hennigan-new-plea-source-says

After several months of trying to trade Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic general manager Rob Hennigan called the All-Star center Wednesday night to see if he'd reconsider giving him and the Magic's new regime a chance to keep him in Orlando, a source close to Howard said.

Hennigan's call came several hours after the Brooklyn Nets, the team to which Howard asked Hennigan to trade him, made a futile last-gasp attempt to deal for him before the Charlotte Bobcats could sign one of the Nets' key trade chips, center Brook Lopez, to an offer sheet.

Lopez agreed to a new contract with the Nets on Wednesday night. Terms of the contract have not been disclosed, but a league source told ESPNNewYork.com's Mike Mazzeo that Lopez, a restricted free agent, agreed to a four-year, $60 million max deal.

Hennigan, the source said, based his plea on the fact that he was new to the organization and had not been party to the issues that drove Howard to make his trade request.

Team president Alex Martins, who also was on the call, the source said, made a similar plea to Howard last winter when he took control of basketball decisions over GM Otis Smith and coach Stan Van Gundy.

Howard was not willing to change his stance, the source said.

I also think this is only half the story...

Orlando may have called Howard, and they may have led with "How do you feel about staying in Orl?"...

But the real conversation was about whether or not he would consider resigning with anyone else now that Brooklyn was off the table.

He most likely said no, otherwise we'd know about it... Orlando wants that news out there.

[Kilroy]

So yeah, it's our offer, but the ball's in Orlando's court. I think we have more leverage at this point.

If you mean more leverage over Orlando then possibly, but if you meant more leverage overall in trade talks then that couldn't be farther from the truth. For the slight possibility that we're concerned with Howard's back, Orlando is equally concerned with Bynum's knees. You add that into the fact that Houston will soon possibly be able to take Turkoglu, Richardson, and Duhon off Orlando's cap and still dangle Toronto's unprotected lottery pick and I'd say Houston just about has this won. The only way I can envision a deal happening between us and Orlando outside of a three way is if what Houston is offering is just too insignificant of an offer. And I'm more than willing to bet what Houston is offering isn't as much as a lot of people seem to think for an uncommitted Howard. Which is why Houston is still open to a three way, and that's the only way I think Howard will end up here. Unless Houston just completely folds out of trade talks which would only leave us, and that I think is highly unlikely at this point.

I agree... But I read this as 'LA has more leverage than Orl or Houston.'

Because, we're in a better position to gamble on Dwight. And everyone knew about Bynum's knees before anyone started talking... It's a non-issue, in that it's known... Dwight's back is a bit of an unknown.

Orlando is starting to feel the urgency of trading Dwight... Houston is in dire need of some star power, and seem dead-set on getting that from a Center...

We may not get Dwight, but if we don't, it'll be because we didn't want/need him as much as someone else... Not because Orlando didn't want Bynum.

[snaquille oatmeal]

why are some of us still discussing this as if Orlando is the one making the call when it's the Lakers that have issues with his back? did I miss something?

Let's think about this for a minute here: who is on the market here, Bynum or Howard? Howard right? Which team does he currently play for? The Magic, right?

But yet you make it sound like the Lakers are the ones who decide where Howard ends up? Please...

ORL may like a deal with LA, but we're by no means the frontrunner despite whatever the local media reports. ORL may like Bynum, but he isn't exactly free of concerns.

You bring up Howard's back? Ask yourself this: would the Lakers even be linked to trade talks this long if they thought it was that big of an issue? Especially, if as you suggest, they are firmly in the driver's seat during these negotiations?

I'll give you a hint: it's more about leverage than it is legitimate health reasons. Raising further questions about Howard's injury effectively lowers his trade value, and thus whatever haul he may command. It is no different than what ORL is doing by expressing doubts of Bynum's knees.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2

I think you misunderstood my post. I am not saying that the Lakers control where DHo is gonna end up. what I meant is that the last report with some teeth that I heard was that the Lakers had issues with his back and that was the reason why the deal wasn't made. since then I have not read anything concrete to suggest that the Lakers have changed their minds and now want to make the deal, but Orlando is stalling (weighing in on other offers because the Lakers no longer care about his back). I haven't been to active on the board since Saturday so that's why I am asking if I missed anything.

do we have official reports that the Lakers don't care about his back? or are we just assuming that the Lakers don't care and want to make a deal?

[Jetset]

And to follow up my previous post, two things do stand in our favor.

Orlando's owner wants his team to contend in his newly built arena, he was adamant back at the trade deadline of wanting pieces that would still let the Magic contend if Howard was traded, which is why Howard was going to be traded to LA had he not waived his opt out clause. Although with the trade of Ryan Anderson, maybe the people around him has shown him that rebuilding is the way to go.

And the second being obvious, Howard more than likely wouldn't commit in Houston. Houston is going to try and sell him on playing with Kevin Martin and scraps for this season and then court names like Josh Smith and Chris Paul next offseason to come to Houston to keep Howard there. Only problem with that is Dallas has cap space as well to do the same things, and Howard would more than likely bolt to Dallas which is more of a bigger market and that's exactly what Howard wants. I don't think Houston is willing to give up all their prospects and an unprotected lottery pick for a 5 month rental, which is why if Howard doesn't budge on his big market demand then Houston will ultimately accept Bynum and help trade Howard here.

[Jetset]

So yeah, it's our offer, but the ball's in Orlando's court. I think we have more leverage at this point.

If you mean more leverage over Orlando then possibly, but if you meant more leverage overall in trade talks then that couldn't be farther from the truth. For the slight possibility that we're concerned with Howard's back, Orlando is equally concerned with Bynum's knees. You add that into the fact that Houston will soon possibly be able to take Turkoglu, Richardson, and Duhon off Orlando's cap and still dangle Toronto's unprotected lottery pick and I'd say Houston just about has this won. The only way I can envision a deal happening between us and Orlando outside of a three way is if what Houston is offering is just too insignificant of an offer. And I'm more than willing to bet what Houston is offering isn't as much as a lot of people seem to think for an uncommitted Howard. Which is why Houston is still open to a three way, and that's the only way I think Howard will end up here. Unless Houston just completely folds out of trade talks which would only leave us, and that I think is highly unlikely at this point.

I agree... But I read this as 'LA has more leverage than Orl or Houston.'

Because, we're in a better position to gamble on Dwight. And everyone knew about Bynum's knees before anyone started talking... It's a non-issue, in that it's known... Dwight's back is a bit of an unknown.

Orlando is starting to feel the urgency of trading Dwight... Houston is in dire need of some star power, and seem dead-set on getting that from a Center...

We may not get Dwight, but if we don't, it'll be because we didn't want/need him as much as someone else... Not because Orlando didn't want Bynum.

Orlando is going to trade Howard for whichever deal benefits them the most, simple as that. So what it's going to come down to is, whether or not Bynum plus the opportunity to unload Richardson and possibly Duhon is more appealing than Toronto's unprotected lottery pick, plus the possibility to take in all of Orlando's abhorrent contracts and give Orlando practically a clean slate outside of the Glen Davis contract.

I keep saying possibility when referring to the Houston trade because I don't know and don't necessarily feel like looking up their cap numbers right now, but I know for a fact that they currently have no problem taking Richardson and Duhon's contracts, so if they're going to amnesty Scola then it's more than likely for Turkoglu.

[Chet Wagner]

I imagine Houston is lowballing very very hard, and you can't really blame them since they know their the only one with the assets Orlando truly wants.

They tried several times to up the ante (they went back to Brooklyn and publicly leaked it twice) but Morey is smart and called the bluff. Obviously his offer is really low since at this point they're not even talking anymore.

At this point I really think he's staying in Orlando. They wanted a trade worthy of a top 5 player in the league but that was never going to happen for a rental and now the offers are just going to go down with no competition. Leaking that there's potential they just hold onto him is just another attempt at raising the bar from Houston

[Jetset]

do we have official reports that the Lakers don't care about his back? or are we just assuming that the Lakers don't care and want to make a deal?

We very well could be, but it's more likely that we're leaking that information to try and dip the value of Howard a tad. Just as Orlando is doing with Bynum. It's negotiating tactics.