Lakers/Dwight Howard free agency

[HaloMilliVanilli]

OK Laker fans.  So what is your take on D12?  We traded for him without a guarantee that he would re-sign.  He hasn't given any assurances that he will re-sign.  Now stories are floating about that he wants to test free agency and speak with Houston and Dallas.  What are your thoughts about this guy?  What would you like to see happen?

[Punk]

I'd like to see him stay.

 

I wouldn't be upset if he leaves though.

[OneLove22]

Come to Dallas Howard.  No state income tax here!  

[Punk]

Come to Dallas Howard.  No state income tax here!  

 

I'd rather go to Houston than Dallas. They're a good young team.

[St1ck]

I'm leaning towards wanting him to leave. Just not a big fan of his. 

[nate]

I am done with him.  Let him go.

[xboom28x]

I'd be ecstatic with a sign and trade making sure we get legit young talent to replace him.

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

Let him go via FA.

[HaloMilliVanilli]

I'd be ecstatic with a sign and trade making sure we get legit young talent to replace him.

This is the ideal, best-case scenario to me.  If he likes Houston AND wants to sign the max deal, we could probably land a few nice, young pieces.  It would make next season clearly a rebuild season before the big cap-space summer of 2014.  Might make sense to trade Pau Gasol's expiring contract for more young pieces.

[tennischmp]

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/9296662/sources-dwight-howard-voiced-displeasure-mike-dantoni-gm

[Ray McKigney]

I hope he stays. That being said, I really hope I don't have to hear about his indecision all summer long. Quit talking to the media. Decide what you're going to do and shut up about it. This guy is the biggest fence sitter of all-time.

[Punk]

I hope he stays. That being said, I really hope I don't have to hear about his indecision all summer long. Quit talking to the media. Decide what you're going to do and shut up about it. This guy is the biggest fence sitter of all-time.

 

Dwightmare Pt. 2

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

Won't miss him at all if he leaves, not a big fan of him at all. In fact, I hope he leaves. I'd rather build with cap space than build around Dwight. I don't think a team with Dwight as the franchise player will ever win a championship based on his performance, I just don't find him to be a championship caliber player.

 

If he stays, cool, but you better hope that you find another player who can dominate the game and score when we need it once Mamba retires and put some 3 point shooters around him.

[St1ck]

http://www.theonion.com/articles/dwight-howard-interested-in-ruining-rockets,32552/

 

 

LOS ANGELES—Ahead of his impending free agency, Lakers center Dwight Howard told reporters Thursday that he is “very interested” in moving to Houston and completely ruining the Rockets. “They have a great young core of players with James Harden and Jeremy Lin, so I’d obviously love the chance to go shatter their chemistry and tear the entire locker room apart,” said Howard, adding that he would “relish the opportunity” to totally undermine Rockets head coach Kevin McHale. “There are a few teams on my radar right now. Dallas has a really solid roster too, and I’m definitely intrigued by the prospect of clashing with Dirk Nowitzki and running that whole franchise into the ground. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.” Howard did stress to reporters, however, that he has not yet ruled out remaining in Los Angeles to continue destroying the Lakers for the foreseeable future.

[Ray McKigney]

http://www.theonion.com/articles/dwight-howard-interested-in-ruining-rockets,32552/

 

 

LOS ANGELES—Ahead of his impending free agency, Lakers center Dwight Howard told reporters Thursday that he is “very interested” in moving to Houston and completely ruining the Rockets. “They have a great young core of players with James Harden and Jeremy Lin, so I’d obviously love the chance to go shatter their chemistry and tear the entire locker room apart,” said Howard, adding that he would “relish the opportunity” to totally undermine Rockets head coach Kevin McHale. “There are a few teams on my radar right now. Dallas has a really solid roster too, and I’m definitely intrigued by the prospect of clashing with Dirk Nowitzki and running that whole franchise into the ground. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.” Howard did stress to reporters, however, that he has not yet ruled out remaining in Los Angeles to continue destroying the Lakers for the foreseeable future.

 

 

Sad thing is that this probably isn't too far from the truth.

[HaloMilliVanilli]

I kind of wish Kobe wasn't rehabbing so well.  We could endure one horrible season and get a lottery pick.

 

1.  Sign and trade Dwight for young players and picks (this is heavily dependent on Dwight wanting the extra year and higher pay raises) to either Houston or Golden State.

2.  Trade Pau's expiring contract to a team with picks that could potentially make the playoffs adding someone like Pau (Minnesota?).

3.  Amnesty Kobe and let him rehab all year.

4.  Trade any/all veterans (Nash, Blake) that might get some sort of return in either younger players or picks.

 

Most, if not all, of this will not happen but one can dream.

[Punk]

Tell em, Shaq! 

 

Some believe the pressure of playing in Los Angeles and living up to the legacy of former big men such as Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and O'Neal might be too much for Howard, who might be content in a small market with smaller expectations. O'Neal hopes that's not the case with Howard.

"I just know when it comes to pressure, you either run away from it or you handle it," O'Neal said. "The first day I got to the Forum, the great Jerry West said, 'Son, look up.' And I saw Kareem's jersey, Wilt's jersey and all the great jerseys. He said, 'Shaq, I know you do movies, I know you do albums, but you need to get at least two or three championships while you're here or this move will be considered a bust.' So for me, it was a lot of pressure but I like the pressure. Especially when you see other greats say that he's like a Wilt or he's like a Kareem. I knew I had to step up.

"He should have known all of this when he signed with L.A. He should have known what he was getting into. My advice to him is to look pressure in the face and give it the one-two combination and knock it out."

O'Neal said he relished the pressure and made it his goal to be the best center in Lakers history.

"Kareem was the best big man in Lakers history, and I wanted that title," O'Neal said. "That's the attitude he needs to have. All the giggling and smiling [is] too much. The fact that he's the so-called best big man in the league and doesn't get doubled every time, that's telling me something. That's telling me teams respect him but they don't fear him. I would rather be feared than respected."

 

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/9372138/shaquille-oneal-calls-dwight-howard-los-angeles-lakers-too-nice

[xboom28x]

Looking more and more like Howard will go elsewhere. According to Chris Broussard, he's been texting with Paul back and forth about where they can join forces. Most likely Houston with Harden.

 

It would have to be a sign and trade with Howard to Houston. Asik, Lin, Parsons, Garcia and a couple of 1st round picks would have to get it done. Can't let him walk for free.

[m0nkey]

Why would Houston do that? They'd have harden, howard, and a bunch of stiffs

[xboom28x]

Why would Houston do that? They'd have harden, howard, and a bunch of stiffs

 

... and Paul

 

Isn't that what Miami has had until they got Allen this season? Worked well for them I'd say.

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

The original knock on Miami was a lack of depth when they signed Bosh and James but they went out and added bench and role players to address their needs.  Paul, Harden and Howard could do the same thing for Houston and attract aging vets and young role players to fill needs. 

[xboom28x]

No state tax in Texas either if I remember correctly.

 

Can Dallas take both Paul and Howard and try to win with Nowitzki the next couple of years?

[Punk]

Looking more and more like Howard will go elsewhere. According to Chris Broussard, he's been texting with Paul back and forth about where they can join forces. Most likely Houston with Harden.

 

It would have to be a sign and trade with Howard to Houston. Asik, Lin, Parsons, Garcia and a couple of 1st round picks would have to get it done. Can't let him walk for free.

 

I don't see CP3 leaving the Clippers.

[xboom28x]

I couldn't before either. But after the front office tried to spin it to make it appear that Paul wanted Del Negro fired, it wouldn't surprise me any more if he did leave.

[HaloMilliVanilli]

Houston doesn't have the cap space to sign two max free agents.  They would have to complete a "sign-and-trade" with one or the other, and then sign the remaining guy through free agency.  I have always felt that if we are going to lose Dwight, we would be most fortunate to land some pieces to help with the rebuild.  Chandler Parsons, Thomas Robinson, Omer Asik and some picks (or some combination thereof) would help.  Trade Nash to get younger/more athletic.  Trade Pau while he still has value to get younger/more athletic.