Offseason Thread Part VII: The Fall of The Lockout

[NickAnderson 14]

ya'll need to chill. sound like ya'll about to jump off the ledge. nothing can even become official till Dec. 9 so what makes you think Ping would get on local news and drop big news. We almost didn't have a season so the first regular season home game is big news for the casual Magic fan. Just cause people like ourselves are following every move doesn't mean that news wasnt important to other people. Relax, this week is gonna be full of rumors we not going to hear real talk till next monday.

 

Yea bro its like why even bother bro. Bro relax like chill, nothing is official man till the season starts, for real people should relax.

[TheNameIsOrlando 310]

 

The owner of the staydwight.com site that is linked with the bringchrispaul.com site posted a few times in here towards the end of last season.

[Chase 209]

It is no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers would like to trade for Dwight Howard or Chris Paul, but sources with knowledge of the situation says the Lakers actually have something greater in mind: acquiring both players.

 

 

More on the Lakers

For more news, notes and analysis of the Lakers, check out the Land O' Lakers blog from the Kamenetzky Brothers. Blog

 

 

Hoping to pull off a pair of blockbuster moves that would rock the NBA, the Lakers are willing to trade anyone on their roster outside of Kobe Bryant to bring Howard and Paul to Los Angeles, two sources said.

 

 

Whether the Lakers are able to make it happen remains to be seen, but with stars Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom on the roster, they have the talent and the financial capacity to make the trades work.

 

 

The Lakers have had cursory discussions with New Orleans about Paul within the past few days. It is not clear whether they have spoken with Orlando.

 

 

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak would not comment when asked about the Lakers' intentions to trade for both superstars, but in addressing general trade rumors surrounding his team, he gave the company line, saying the Lakers are happy with their current squad.

 

 

"This time of year, there are a lot of rumors going around," Kupchak said in a telephone conversation. "I'm aware of them and I'm not going to comment. Our comments have been pretty consistent -- this group can contend, so we'll just play it out. Nothing is about to happen. It's much too early in the season.

 

 

"We don't even have a collective bargaining agreement to refer to."

 

 

While Paul's first choice is to join buddies Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire on the New York Knicks, he would sign a long-term contract to stay with the Lakers, according to a source with knowledge of Paul's thinking. And Howard's fondness for Los Angeles is well-known, leaving no doubt that he would commit to the Lakers long-term.

 

 

Sources say Paul and Howard have had several conversations with each other about the possibility of playing together on various teams.

 

 

Several trade combinations would work for the Lakers. For instance, they could send Gasol to New Orleans for Paul, and Bynum to Orlando for Howard. If the Lakers threw Odom into the trade to Orlando, they could sweeten the offer for the Magic by taking back the contract of Hedo Turkoglu.

 

 

"The Lakers are interested in trying to do something for both (Paul and Howard)," a Western Conference executive said. "I would hate to see it happen. I want Howard to stay in the East and Paul to go to the East.

 

 

"If it does happen, it'll make things much harder for us."

 

 

The Lakers are not the only team in Los Angeles that's thinking big.

 

 

Sources say the Clippers also have intentions to go after both Howard and Paul. And like the Lakers, the Clippers are positioned -- financially and talent-wise to make such a move.

 

 

Unlike the Lakers, the Clippers would not have to make two trades. They could use their wealth of young talent to trade for either Paul or Howard and then sign the other as a free agent next summer when they'll have enough cap room to offer a maximum-salary contract. The one player the Clippers will not offer in a trade is Blake Griffin.

 

 

"The Lakers have company (in going after Howard and Paul)," another Western Conference official said. "The Clippers are doing the same thing."

[Chase 209]

[Miller4Prez66 545]

Yeah, there is no way the Lakers get both. Neither the Magic or Hornets want trash like Gasol, Artest, Blake, Odom, etc.

[Chase 209]

I'd rather see Howard walk and let him make the choice to sign with the Lakers through FA rather than us trade him to them and end up with Bynum.

[Miller4Prez66 545]

I'd rather see Howard walk and let him make the choice to sign with the Lakers through FA rather than us trade him to them and end up with Bynum.

 

Me too, but at least Bynum makes some sort of sense. The fact some people think the Lakers can get CP3 or Dwight for old trash like Gasol or Metta World Dumbass is just insane.

[AtliSteinn 5]

All the rumors I've been reading have been such a waste of time... Hearing rumors that Otis Smith is trying to aquire Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins or Jamal Crawford has been less than pleasant :svgsad:

[Miller4Prez66 545]

All the rumors I've been reading have been such a waste of time... Hearing rumors that Otis Smith is trying to aquire Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins or Jamal Crawford has been less than pleasant :svgsad:

 

What were you really expecting though?

 

I also prefer those rumors over all the Dwight to LA crap.

[AtliSteinn 5]

Was expecting something like a declaration from Dwight Howard that he would sign if Orlando would be successful in finding another star for him or something like that, quite naive I guess! :wacko:

[NickAnderson 14]

Dwight's people are telling him to ask for unrealistic players they know we have a very slim chance of getting so Dwight doesn't look like he forced his way out of town and Dwight look like the bad guy. /conspiracy theroy

[AcuWill 45]

I don't understand how people think (fans or media) it would be good for the Magic to trade Dwight, the BEST *****ING PLAYER ON THE PLANET to the Lakers for a guy who doesn't even have two legs.

 

 

WHY THE HELL WOULD ANYBODY DO THAT?????????????????