Dwight Howard's Clusterfuck Is Now Houston's Problem

[Leftos]

Trade happening.

@WojYahooNBA: Nets would send Jordan Williams, Petro, Farmar, Morrow and a sign-and-trade of Stevenson for Joe Johnson, sources tell Y!
@WojYahooNBA: To clarify, Nets won't send their own future 1st to Atlanta, but as @daldridgetnt reports, they'll ship '13 protected pick via Houston.
@WojYahooNBA: League source tells Y! that Joe Johnson deal now likely "happens with or without Deron." Nets officials are meeting with Williams right now.
@Chris_Broussard: Nets, of course, would've preferred to get Dwight, but Magic refused to engage in trade talks. Source: 'They didn't want to dance with us.'
@Chris_Broussard: Source on Nets moving on from possibility of getting Dwight: "Dwight blew it in March'' when he waived opt-out clause.

[Andrew]

Dwight Howard: I'll re-sign with only one team

On top of that, he claims that he never suggested that the Magic blackmailed him into picking up his option.

Magic GM: Howard has indeed reissued trade request

Of course, it'll be interesting to see how the Magic get a deal done when it's clear that only one team has a realistic chance of keeping him beyond this season. "Give us quality players and picks to rent this one player for a season" is not a strong sales pitch, even if that one player is Dwight Howard.

[NovU]

Never trust a guy who does everything with a smile.

[Jackal]

[shadowgrin]

[Radioman]

Now that the Nets spend millions in Wallace and Johnson, and Williams about to resign. Howard has no team next year

[NovU]

Perhaps new Russian owner wants to show who the boss is around here by max paying everybody and not give a damn about luxury tax getting Dwight as well.

[Andrew]

I'm sure he'd pay it. If it comes down to Howard being a free agent at the end of the year though, I'm not sure who teams would be that keen to take on in a sign-and-trade to get him to Brooklyn.

Posted this in the Lakers thread but it's obviously relevant here too: Magic eye Lakers center Andrew Bynum as target in potential Dwight Howard trade

I have to imagine that's one of the best scenarios out there for the Magic, getting one of the few other premier centres in the league and being able to dump at least one bad contract at the same time (presumably it would end up being Turkoglu's). Bynum is also a free agent at the end of the year but he's probably more open to re-signing with a team where he can be The Man, more so than the guy who currently wants out at the very least.

For the Lakers, there's the risk that Howard follows through on his claim of only signing an extension with his lone team of choice and if that doesn't happen to be them, they've given up someone who they probably could've retained for a bad contract. However, I also think they are a team that could change Howard's mind and make a strong pitch to keep him. I think it's worth the gamble on both sides.

Meanwhile, StayDwight.com has officially given up hope:

[graybakflip]

I think everything(well almost) goes according to the plan for nets GM billy king..when they trade for crash(gwallace),dwill approved it(he want's veteran key players w/ him),jj's trade also..i mean DWILL/proky(nets owner)/BK are now very close friends, everything BK does, were always w/ dwill's consent(he's like the asst GM )..dwight really screwed his chances last season where he waived his ETO..lakers i think are out of the picture now w/ nash. again if DH12 sticks w/ what he said the past few days, he would eventually be a net..

[Andrew]

I disagree, bringing Nash on board helps sell the Lakers to Howard beyond this season and they've still got players like Bynum and Gasol to offer in return. It seems like there's just as good a chance of Howard going to the Lakers than to Brooklyn, if not greater.

[Angelo]

I hope the deal between the lakers and orlando will push through now that nash is in the lakers dwight might consider joining them to chase that championship ring

[_Steve_]

I disagree, bringing Nash on board helps sell the Lakers to Howard beyond this season and they've still got players like Bynum and Gasol to offer in return. It seems like there's just as good a chance of Howard going to the Lakers than to Brooklyn, if not greater.

I agree, the Nets have anything of significant trade value. Even if the put together some kind of a multi team trade, it's hard to imagine they could match an Bynum and/or Gasol offer. Considering Orlando isn't that crazy to trade for Wallace and Johnson, which would've let them climb even higher on Mt. Retard as the Nets did so far.

[graybakflip]

orlando doesn't want the history to repeat it self, like shaq, giving the best center to LA..there were rumors dwight doesn't like to be w/ kobe, as before shaq doesn't too, he doesn't like to be like what happened w/ shaq..lakers is a complete team now w/ nash @pg, w/c was their blackhole the last few years..and their owner and kobe loves drew now that he had a wonderfull season..

again, if dwight will change his mind 'bout what he said last few days 'bout his preferred team(also his long-term commitment), GM's from other teams would offer alot more better for orl to consider..the lakers now they've offer their picks to suns have no mo picks to give to orl, that's a negative since orl would rebuild if dwight leaves and picks are essential in that process..

[Nick]

[Andrew]

orlando doesn't want the history to repeat it self, like shaq, giving the best center to LA..

At least they'd be getting something in return this time, most likely the second best centre in the league.

[graybakflip]

orlando doesn't want the history to repeat it self, like shaq, giving the best center to LA..

At least they'd be getting something in return this time, most likely the second best centre in the league.

yup, thats right..but would they gamble?also orl should confirm that bynum would also agree to contract extension w/ them, will drew agree given what they did to howard 's and their "no coach-no staff" franchise?..and like what the history said, NBA is a SUPERSTARS league, stars gets what they want(importantly when talking about trades)..dwight clearly wants to be w/ the nets..if I am dwight should I choose to play w/ nash(38/39 not sure lol) kobe(he's like 2 yrs left on his contract?), and be like what happened to bynum last season just a 2nd/3rd option(still can't beat anybody in the playoffs) or be w/ a great pg in dwill(27),jj(don't mind hes contract),crash (great utility guy), add to that they'd be opening a new legacy,new 1billion $ arena,w/ the influence of new york, and also the contract he can receive from addidas in NY..orl and nets last season almost finished this business come to trade deadline!, but dwight is just a damn pussy 'bout his maturity..

[Andrew]

I think they would take the risk. I'm sure they'd prefer to have Bynum sign an extension so they don't run the risk of losing him instead, but he'd be The Man in Orlando and there's a much greater chance that he'll re-sign than the guy who currently wants out. If they can't move Howard before the deadline, he's gone via free agency next year; Bynum could be persuaded to stick around.

[koberulz]

Howard's free agency next year will be hilarious, provided Brooklyn does the only logical thing and offers him no more than the league minimum. That's what happens when you make it clear you only want to play for one team, moron.

[Andrew]

Assuming it does come to that, I'd say either a sign-and-trade will somehow get done or he'll go back on that idea and get a big contract elsewhere.

[graybakflip]

Again, from what i know, the history, from lebron/wade(remember chicago)/bosh made the big 3,the carmela sweepstakes(the media believed before that he is NJ bound) and possibility teaming-up w/amare and now chandler. I mean superstars always get's what they want,(exemptions to the cp3-la, hornets was owned by the league before)dwight wants to be a NET and will only agree to resign ONLY w/ them, that being said is very clear..and the owner himself, from his media conference said that he only wants players who also wants to stay(does dwight?)..so they resign nelson(who choosed not to opt-in before 'cos of DH12),and redick..people and the media really dont like the NETS for dwight, and tho dwight himself wants to be a net, haters gonna hate but IF dwight would hold-on from what he said(still nothing new), he will be a net..

[Andrew]

If that's not going to change and a deal can't be worked out, he's going to have to take a huge paycut to make it happen.

[graybakflip]

this is why dwight don't want lakers


no disrespect to kobe(yep certainly no doubt he is one of the alltime greats), but until kobe's in LA, it would stay that way..

[Jackal]

You're like the Novu of Nets fans.

[graybakflip]

You're like the Novu of Nets fans.

uhm, what would that mean?

[NovU]

Translation: You are just as lovable as teddy bear.