The Dwight Howard Drama Thread, Today: wants to be traded Options

[madisonsmadhouse]

http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterockets/2012...e-worth-taking/

Getting Dwight Howard would be tough, keeping him tougher. A gamble worth taking?
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 8:00 am by Jonathan Feigen in General
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Magic center Dwight Howard is the franchise-type player the Rockets have long coveted. (John Raoux/Associated Press)

Maybe it would just be easier to be really lousy and lucky, after all.

The Rockets’ way, however, makes things much more interesting around the trade deadline, draft and free agency.

The Rockets’ search for a franchise star has grabbed the post Finals attention centered on their hopes to land Dwight Howard. This is nothing new, of course. They had been in talks with the Magic up to 11 a.m. on March 15 when Howard ended that by signing his opt in to remain with the Magic for another season. That was not about to end the chase.

The chatter heated up when ESPN.com reported that the Rockets have tried to pick up extra top 10 picks to put together a deal with the Magic that would send Howard to Houston. This is entirely true, but among many moves the Rockets are trying to work out by Thursday’s draft. Nothing is imminent and the talks are considered fragile at best.

Also, the Rockets are trying to move into the top 10 not just to swing a deal with the Magic, but to use the pick themselves, rather than two picks in the middle of the round.

None of this comes as a surprise to anyone. The Rockets have made no secret of their quest to land a franchise player. And they have tried to move up in every draft since Daryl Morey has been the general manager.

Things are, however, particularly intense this week. There has been interest in Kyle Lowry since he expressed his dissatisfaction with playing for Kevin McHale. The Rockets have shopped Kevin Martin. But everything is about finding that next star to be the foundation for their future, either with the deal to bring him to town or to better equip the Rockets for that kind of trade.

In some ways, it would be interesting if the Rockets dealt Lowry, Martin and perhaps an extra big man to Orlando for Howard and a pricey veteran or two. History does tend to repeat itself, and this would not be the first time they sent a starting backcourt and an extra big man to Orlando for a Magic star who also was a straight-from-high school player available because he was unwilling to commit beyond the next season while coming off a back injury. Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kevin Cato for Tracy McGrady happened. This could, too.

The Rockets do have what it would take to make this kind of deal. First, they are willing though they would be gambling that Howard would walk in a year. They were willing to gamble when Howard was signed only for a few weeks. They would jump at the chance to have him for a full season.

Second, they have a variety of contracts to offer, from Lowry’s modest contract to Martin’s expiring deal. They could offer productive players in rookie-scale contracts and multiple picks. They agreed to trade Martin, Goran Dragic, Luis Scola and a first-round pick to get Pau Gasol. You can imagine what they would have to send to Orlando to get Howard. And third, they have cap room if they need to take back an extra contract to make a deal work.

The competition would be greater now than in March when relatively few teams were willing to risk much with Howard signed for such a short time. And the Magic still would have reason to be patient to try a bit more to get Howard to stick around to play for a new GM and coach, or to try to land a replacement star rather than the Rockets’ offer of good, solid players that have been unable to break from the middle of the pack.

But if we assume the Magic would be willing, that the Rockets could land Howard, do you take the chance you can keep him? If you can get a pair of top 10 picks, do you just use the picks and try to find your star that way? In other words, do you feel lucky? Well, do you?

Eh, why not?

Undoubtedly, the chances of signing Howard long-term are not great. David Aldridge reported that a source told him there is no chance Howard would sign after next season. I was told in March, about 10 days after the deadline, that Howard wants a bigger stage than Houston offers. He can wait a season and head to Brooklyn and immediately be the greatest center the Nets have ever had (something he cannot be with the Rockets or Lakers.)

Howard, however, has set records for fickle decision-making. Given a year in Houston, he could change his mind. For that matter, in a year, he could change his mind 57 times. The Rockets with Howard could be capable of a pretty strong year, a better season than they would likely have without him, which could help convince him to stay or at least be fun while it lasts.

Basically, if they can get him, they have a chance to keep him. Put a percentage on it. Whatever you think it is. For argument sake, let’s say there’s a 25 percent chance he would stay. How does that chance compare to the chance of trading for a similar star with a long-term contract? How does it compare to tanking and hoping to win the lottery, and winning it the year you happen to have a player that dominant waiting for you?

The Rockets know how difficult it is to land a star, especially one with a long-term contract. Winning the lottery is far from a sure thing (think Charlotte) and going to the lottery every single guarantees little (Washington, Sacramento.)

If they can get Howard, the chances they can keep him are not great, but they are better than trying to get a player like that elsewhere.

Now, all they have to do is get him. Again.

[madisonsmadhouse]

Jarrod N Rudolph ‏@JRudolphSports
Dwight Howard: "Especially since what is being printed is not true and damages my reputation every day."

Dwight Howard: “It is past time for these reporters to quote their sources."

Dwight Howard: “I'm tired of reporters using "sources" to print inaccurate and defamatory stories about me"

[Quinarvy]

Jarrod N Rudolph ‏@JRudolphSports
Dwight Howard: "Especially since what is being printed is not true and damages my reputation every day."

Dwight Howard: “It is past time for these reporters to quote their sources."

Dwight Howard: “I'm tired of reporters using "sources" to print inaccurate and defamatory stories about me"

Here's a thought:

Magic send him to the D-League, just to f*** with him some more.

[Balta1701-B]

The Nets and the Orlando Magic are discussing a trade that would send Howard to the Nets for Brook Lopez, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks and the Nets' first-round picks in 2013, 2015 and 2017, sources said. Lopez and Humphries, who are both free agents, would go to Orlando in sign-and-trade deals.

ESPN

[Quinarvy]

Add the Nets to the list of Super Friends teams that Rose has to go through with Miami and the Knicks (still better than the Knicks, but they still have 2 All-Stars with good complimentary players).

[ZoomSlowik]

Just read an article on ESPN saying that it'd be really hard for Brooklyn to pull this off due to finances, even if Orlando does take the subpar deal that is proposed. Supposedly they signed some foreigner (Teletov or something?) for the full MLE, so they can't go over the tax line.

[Balta1701-B]

Today's update.

The Brooklyn Nets' persistent efforts to recruit the Cleveland Cavaliers as a third team to help them hammer home a trade for Dwight Howard are starting to pay off, according to sources close to the process.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Nets and Magic are cautiously optimistic that the Cavaliers will help them facilitate a three-way trade that lands Howard in Brooklyn.

Free agent Kris Humphries would be one of the key pieces headed to Cleveland in the proposed deal.

The Cavaliers, however, have enough cap space to sign Humphries outright, so they have requested additional assets from their two prospective trade partners.

A key in any potential deal, sources said, is swingman Marshon Brooks, whom the Nets are offering to prospective third-team facilitators to make a Howard-to-Brooklyn trade possible.

Although the Nets have made Brooks available, sources say the Magic aren't interested and he's being shopped elsewhere, including Cleveland, to find a package that suits Orlando.

[madisonsmadhouse]

For the love of all that is good and holy, CLEVELAND DO NOT HELP NEW JERSEY GET HOWARD.

[ZoomSlowik]

For the love of all that is good and holy, CLEVELAND DO NOT HELP NEW JERSEY GET HOWARD.

Dan Gilbert seems like the kind of guy that would do it just to make Lebron work harder out of spite.

[Balta1701-B]

The Clippers are the next team trying to help out.

According to sources the Nets would receive Howard, Jason Richardson, Chris Duhon and Earl Clark in the proposed deal. The Magic would get Brook Lopez, Luke Walton, Damion James, Shelden Williams, Armon Johnson and three first-round picks -- two from the Nets and a lottery protected first from the Clippers. The Cavs would get Kris Humphries, Quentin Richardson, Sundiata Gaines, a first round pick from the Nets and three million in cash. The Clippers would receive MarShon Brooks.

Further hurdles exist in that Lopez, Humphries, James, Williams, Johnson and Gaines would all have to agree to sign-and-trades to move them.

Sources told ESPN.com that the complicated deal was getting "close."

As part of their due diligence the Nets and Magic have exchanged medical information on Howard, who had back surgery, and Lopez, who had foot surgery, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher.

[Balta1701-B]

Version 4:

The deal also could involve the Charlotte Bobcats replacing the Cavaliers, league sources told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher.

[madisonsmadhouse]

Hopefully the Hawks are good this year, because the NBA is just going to be brutal to watch.

[Jake]

The super-teams assembling with hateable figures like LeBron, Howard actually helps the NBA IMO. Everyone will now have a dog in the fight -- whichever team might knock off those assholes.

[Balta1701-B]

The super-teams assembling with hateable figures like LeBron, Howard actually helps the NBA IMO. Everyone will now have a dog in the fight -- whichever team might knock off those assholes.

IF you count people deservedly disliking OKC for what happened with Seattle...what team has a chance to do so? The Lakers? The Celtics?

[Quinarvy]

IF you count people deservedly disliking OKC for what happened with Seattle...what team has a chance to do so? The Lakers? The Celtics?

The Bulls. Derrick Rose will just enter God Mode when he returns.

[Balta1701-B]

Today's version:

The Houston Rockets have joined the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets as the most serious potential trade partners with the Orlando Magic on a Dwight Howard deal, according to sources close to the process.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Rockets are discussing a multitude of trade scenarios with the Magic, offering to serve both as the team that would acquire Howard in a direct trade between the clubs and also as a third team that would participate in a trade that lands Howard with the Lakers and brings All-Star center Andrew Bynum to Houston.

The Rockets, in the latter scenario, would push to acquire Bynum from the Lakers while furnishing the Magic with a package of future draft picks and cap-friendly contracts to set Orlando up for a full-fledged roster reload. Sources confirmed a HoopsWorld.com report that the three-team trade construction that sends Bynum to the Rockets instead of the Magic -- with Orlando said to be concerned about its ability to re-sign Bynum for the long term -- gained traction Tuesday.

The key elements of the three-team proposal, sources said, call for the Lakers to acquire Howard and the Rockets -- realizing their long-running quest to acquire a top-20 player -- to take back the mercurial Bynum as he enters the final year of his contract.

It's believed that Houston would have to absorb the contract of Magic swingman Jason Richardson and perhaps another unpalatable contract or two to complete a trade directly with the Magic for Howard or to get Bynum. Central to the Rockets' offer is a 2013 first-round draft pick that they'll soon acquire from the Toronto Raptors as part of a verbally agreed trade last week that will send guard Kyle Lowry to Toronto. Houston also has movable veterans Luis Scola and Kevin Martin to sweeten any trade proposal.