The Official Dwight Howard Everything Thread

[The Evil Dead 4]

Don't know why a lot of you guys are so enamoured with getting those late 1st round picks though. It's not like we have made the best draft choices out there:

 

 

 

So anyway with the Nets we're basically getting:

 

- Broken Foot Lopez

 

- MarShon Broken Foot

 

- Mehmet Okur

 

- Kris Humphries

 

- 3 Mid-to-Late 20's First Round Picks

 

- 1 None Guaranteed Top 20 First Round Pick (From the Rockets protected until 15th)

 

Lopez / Okur

Ryno / Humphries / Davis / Clark / Harper

QRich

JJ / Marshon / JRich / Wafer / Legs

Nelson / Duhon

 

Fine whatever.

 

What an awesome lineup!!! Thats a 33 win team on paper... I cant wait!!!! AWESOME!!!

[COLOMBIANO 118]

Talking to the media about playing in other markets ... while he's under contract. I believe that violates the CBA.

 

Never seen a player getting a fine for telling the world he wants to be traded.

[The Evil Dead 4]

In other news the Suns got blown out by like 20 points again tonight. Their now 8 and 14 which makes them behind 5 teams for a playoff spot... Can I haz a Steve Nash Pleeze?

[E27 33]

You guys really are talking about this after a great Magic game. Jeez, can we not even enjoy wins anymore?

Unfortunately, until this situation resolves itself, we can't. It'll continue to hang over us.

[the notorious S.A.C. 89]

Don't know why a lot of you guys are so enamoured with getting those late 1st round picks though. It's not like we have made the best draft choices out there:

 

 

 

So anyway with the Nets we're basically getting:

 

- Broken Foot Lopez

 

- MarShon Broken Foot

 

- Mehmet Okur

 

- Kris Humphries

 

- 3 Mid-to-Late 20's First Round Picks

 

- 1 None Guaranteed Top 20 First Round Pick (From the Rockets protected until 15th)

 

Lopez / Okur

Ryno / Humphries / Davis / Clark / Harper

QRich

JJ / Marshon / JRich / Wafer / Legs

Nelson / Duhon

 

Fine whatever.

 

 

Absolutely...how many mid to late 20s picks have been worth anything since we started? Not too many 1 or 2. Our drafting is awful outside the top 3 picks. If Otis has any input he will probably trade our pick for some 33 year old guy with no talent.

[Shock Phantom 263]

Posted this in the chat, but here is Ken Berger's new article: http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/17112337/postups-recent-coach-changes-may-foreshadow-ouster-of-some-gms

 

While agents and GM candidates are eagerly circling as the team continues to struggle under the weight of a brutal stretch in the schedule and the dark cloud cast by Dwight Howard, sources maintain Orlando is not contemplating any in-season front office changes. But the consistent outside perception of Orlando's management team is that GM Otis Smith has become increasingly isolated and doesn't have the help he needs in one of the thinnest front-office operations in the league.

 

One issue that has long been neglected requires immediate attention: finally persuading 2005 first-round pick Fran Vasquez to leave Spain and join the Magic. One respected international talent evaluator continues to believe Vasquez would be an impact player at the NBA level and should be a key piece of the team's plan to move forward after Howard's inevitable departure. But Vasquez turns 29 in May, and if he's ever going to wear an Orlando uniform, now is the time for the all-out push to bring him aboard next season. The Magic's current front-office structure, however, lacks the international reach and relationships to make that a reality.

 

......

 

League sources maintain one of the biggest hangups in the Dwight Howard saga is that Howard has yet to fully commit to a destination. "Dwight can't make a decision," a person briefed on the situation said. "If he'd make a decision, he'd be out of there." Meanwhile, despite the Magic's recent struggles, GM Otis Smith has shown no inclination to soften his stance on trying to play out the season with Howard and persuade him to stay. But once Howard's hometown All-Star obligations are fulfilled later this month, rival executives believe the pressure will mount on Orlando to seriously engage teams in trade discussions leading up to the March 15 deadline.

[The Evil Dead 4]

I got a question. What's so good about all that big market stuff when your team is 8 and 14?..signed the New York Knicks.

[30Assists 342]

Posted this in the chat, but here is Ken Berger's new article: http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/17112337/postups-recent-coach-changes-may-foreshadow-ouster-of-some-gms

That's really interesting, actually. I knew our scouts sucked, but never thought the front office might be understaffed. That would actually explain A LOT.

[MakDaRealist 15]

I know this option may not be talked about often and maybe Rich can help me out with this one but any chance 12 and Dwill opt into their contract ala CP and maximize the last year of this contract then use next years off season to get another huge contract? If so that would give us a HUGE advantage. No?

[Soul Bro 1,419]

These are also VERY relevant points from Berger's article:

 

• League sources maintain one of the biggest hangups in the Dwight Howard saga is that Howard has yet to fully commit to a destination. "Dwight can't make a decision," a person briefed on the situation said. "If he'd make a decision, he'd be out of there." Meanwhile, despite the Magic's recent struggles, GM Otis Smith has shown no inclination to soften his stance on trying to play out the season with Howard and persuade him to stay. But once Howard's hometown All-Star obligations are fulfilled later this month, rival executives believe the pressure will mount on Orlando to seriously engage teams in trade discussions leading up to the March 15 deadline.

• Despite assertions to the contrary, the Lakers remain firmly on Howard's list of three teams he's asked to be traded to, along with the Nets and Mavericks, multiple people familiar with the situation said. The Lakers' clear preference is to trade Pau Gasol in a Howard deal and not Andrew Bynum, who was elected as an All-Star starter for the first time this week. League sources say Nets officials have remained in constant communication with Deron Williams and are encouraged by the All-Star point guard's improved take on the franchise's outlook. Though everyone involved acknowledges the Nets' dilemma: If New Jersey is unable to land Howard, it will be difficult to persuade Williams to join the team in Brooklyn next season. One league front-office source described the Nets as being in wait-and-see mode. "If Orlando said to the Nets, 'Go get this player [to complete a Howard trade],' they'd go get that player," the person said.

 

[O Town Terror 11]

I know this option may not be talked about often and maybe Rich can help me out with this one but any chance 12 and Dwill opt into their contract ala CP and maximize the last year of this contract then use next years off season to get another huge contract? If so that would give us a HUGE advantage. No?

If that were the case, I think Meer is off the books. I could see us making another Rashard type deal for D-Will if it meant keeping Dwight. Josh Smith would also be a free agent by then. I wonder if he would be considered.

[30Assists 342]

If that were the case, I think Meer is off the books. I could see us making another Rashard type deal for D-Will if it meant keeping Dwight. Josh Smith would also be a free agent by then. I wonder if he would be considered.

You see, this is kind of where I'm coming from, too. Wait out the season, make a play for DWill. At the worst, he and Dwight say no and we're on to another rebuilding year(s) anyways: exactly where we'd be if trade Howard now.

 

Might as well at least see what we can do in the offseason and see if that extra $30 million (and going after DWill) changes anything.

 

Small chance, but you never know. Dwight hasn't been real consistent so far: maybe him leaving isn't as set in stone as ESPN says.