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.

I'm glad the Howard to Bulls rumors have quited down, because I really am not fond of the guy.

Who knows if it would be a good move for anyone to trade for him (sans Brooklyn perhaps) since he seems to not be pleased with any scenario but 1.

I'm not even going to try to guess what Dwight is thinking. If it were me, I'd already be a Bull (and I'm trying to say that objectively).

I can see why the Rockets would try it, they've been stuck in basketball hell for a while, not good enough to be a real threat but not bad enough to add elite talent through the draft. They probably thought they had it with T-Mac/Yao, but they always got hurt. Howard may be a pain in the ass right now, but he's clearly the best big man in the league.

How about we just name this the "Dwight Howard Saga" thread?

Dwight is so good yet getting hard to root for. I just don't remember so many top NBA guys insistent on both leaving the team that drafted them and being so in control of where they land afterwards.

If the Bulls traded them Noah and Deng would they have enough money next year to sign a guy like Harden? When Mirotic comes over I think he'd be perfect next to Dwight. A Rose-Harden-Butler-Mirotic-Howard starting 5 would be pretty effin sick.

They couldn't offer Harden a max deal if they were still holding on to Butler, and they might not be able to anyway. Assume both Rose and Howard are close to $19 million, makes $38. If Butler would be $2 million, Teague another $1 million, puts them at about $41 million. If the cap stays at $58, then Harden cannot be offered. Have to trade away the kids too.

The only reason the Heat were able to do all 3 was...2 of their guys (Wade and Lebron) actually took less than the max deal.

I can see one of the SGs (Harden, Martin, or Ellis) taking less than a max deal if it means they get to play with Rose and Howard on what is def a championship caliber team.

They would have to take significantly less. Look at the way the Knicks' roster is distributed right now, that's about the best you can hope for. You really don't have any room for anything else with two max and another guy over $10 mil.

If there are teams wanting to pay him 8 mill I think he may get you a first.

Say the Rockets offered him 8, would the sign and trade have to be Asik at 8mill? By that I mean can the Bulls sign him to say a 3 or 4 mill contract then trade him? That would up his value a lot.

PLayes association suggests Howard will have a grievance against the club, and may push to be declared a free agent and have his option overturned.

I hate him. So much.

This. In the real world they call this "negotiations". By his standards, Howard must be guilty of blackmail and collusion, right?

The one thing that makes him possibly have a case is that whole deal with Van Gundy knowing Howard demanded he be fired. You can come up with plenty of scenarios where that joke of a press conference was the place where some handshake deal was violated.

Sure, like negotiations in bad faith by Howard?

Does he have a right to ask for a coach he's comfortable with, and does he have a right to expect that conversations about a coaching change would be private between him and the organization?

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"

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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?

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.

Report: Dwight Howard to Lakers being ‘discussed’ as part of three-team trade

The Magic, Lakers and Cavaliers are discussing a three-team trade that could send Dwight Howard to Los Angeles. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

So much for the Orlando Magic focusing on their coaching search. Dwight Howard-to-the-Lakers rumors are heating up again.

The Lakers, Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers are discussing a three-team trade that would send Howard to Los Angeles and center Andrew Bynum to Cleveland, Hoopsworld’s Alex Kennedy reported Saturday. From Kennedy’s report:

The three teams have discussed a number of scenarios. While no trade is imminent, the talks are ongoing.

One scenario would send Howard to Los Angeles, Andrew Bynum to Cleveland and a package of picks and prospects to Orlando, according to sources.

The Lakers would land Howard, who they have been aggressively pursuing for quite some time.

The latest Howard-to-the-Lakers rumors involved a three-team trade among the Lakers, Magic and Houston Rockets, who have also been trying to land Howard.

But the latest rumor could be an attractive option for all teams involved, if they can make it work. The Lakers would get Howard, who they have coveted since last offseason. The Cavaliers would get Bynum, a young big man who they could pair with point guard Kyrie Irving and draft pick Dion Waiters. Bynum would also reportedly be willing to sign an extension with the Cavaliers if traded there.

The Magic, meanwhile, would get young talent, draft picks and cap space in what’s becoming a rebuilding process. The Rockets have also been involved in talks for Howard recently, but they are reportedly not close to a deal with the Magic.

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Reports: Howard willing to re-sign with Lakers if traded to L.A.

By Matt Moore | Senior NBA Blogger
July 19, 2012 9:06 am ET

Dwight Howard has reportedly given indicated he's willing to re-sign in L.A.. (Getty Images)

Consider this the first step in building a Dwight Howard trade that doesn't involve Brookyn. It lays the foundation.

RealGM.com's Jarrod Rudolph, known to be very close to Howard and his camp and is considered a reliable source on that end, reports that Howard has come around to the Los Angeles Lakers as a destination and is willing to re-sign with the Lakers in free agency in the summer of 2013.

ESPN is confirming the report.

To put this in perspective, here's how any trade setup has to be configured, factoring Howard's impending free agency next summer:

1. Howard has to verbally commit to re-signing with the trade partner. No team (as of yet) will surrender the trade assets that the Magic want without Howard's consent that he'll stay long-term.

2. The Magic have to get the kind of package they want, which may involve bringing in a third team. Reports surfaced Wednesday that the Lakers had brought the Cavaliers into talks, involving Bynum headed to Cleveland while Anderson Varejao and a package of assets heads to Orlando.

3. The team getting Howard has to consent to the package they'll have to surrender for Howard. This is a bigger deal than it seems. Even with Howard the potential payoff, teams are reluctant to ever overpay for an asset. Unless they're the Knicks. And it's not Jeremy Lin, apparently. Part of this process with the Lakers involves Andrew Bynum, who has to agree to re-sign with wherever he lands. Reports have indicated Bynum is open to re-signing in both Cleveland and Houston, potential trade partners for the Lakers.

4. Howard has to not change his mind about the entire thing before the trade is approved by the league. That's pretty much touch-and-go till the league office sends down the OK at this point.

So the first step to complete a potential Howard trade has reportedly been accomplished, but there's a long way to go. Houston has also been in talks as the third team. Orlando has to set the price on Howard and determine what they want, and from there it will be on Magic GM Rob Hennigan to make that happen. As of yet, the Magic have not committed to what exactly they are looking for, but the package will presumably involve young players, draft picks, and most importantly, for teams to take salary from Orlando.

The big road block there is tha Orlando wants to dump Hedo Turkoglu's near-undumpable contract. That remains the next big hurddle in any negotiations.

But Howard agreeing to re-sign removes the risk from the Lakers, at least in terms of Howard's word. He could always not re-sign after committing to do so, but that would be a pretty terrible decision from every perspective.

So we wait to see if Howard's position holds, and if the Lakers can find the salary room for what the Magic want to get rid of, as well as the assets to send back to Orlando.

But for a team that seemed destined to send Howard to Brooklyn for one of the worst trade packages in NBA history, the Magic may just pull off getting a true rebuild set for themselves and the Lakers may get the next great superstar in their storied history.