The Dwight Howard Thread

[Bumi]

Re: Could Dwight Be Playing Somewhere Else Next Season?

For Perkins+Harden+Westbrook+Collison+2 1sts

They would have the following players on the books

Sefalosha 3.6 million
Durant 15.0 million
Ibaka 2.25 million

Add in Dwight for around 16 million

OKC would have a front<nobr class="itxtrst itxtrstnobr itxthooknobr" id="itxthook0w2nobr" style="color: rgb(0, 128, 150);">court</nobr> of

Durant
Ibaka
Howard

with 22-24 million in cap space assuming the cap is around 58-60 million still. Why the hell wouldn't you do this if Orlando would accept? They could give Dwight the max through the S&T and give Chris Paul an outright max contract.

CP3
x
Durant
Ibaka
Howard

or

THUNDER
IN: Howard + fillers
OUT: Westbrook + Ibaka + Collison

MAGIC
IN: Westbrook + Ibaka + Collison
OUT: Howard + fillers

Thoughts? Especially Magic fans?

[BlueNGold]

Re: Could Dwight Be Playing Somewhere Else Next Season?

Thoughts? Especially Magic fans?

Lol, because it totally makes sense for OKC to blow up everything they've built over the last 3-4 years, not to mention while they're still in the process of advancing through the playoffs and could possibly be playing for a title this year, for one player.

Sounds like something you'd read from some random forum poster, assuming this isn't from one.

[Bumi]

Re: Could Dwight Be Playing Somewhere Else Next Season?

Lol, because it totally makes sense for OKC to blow up everything they've built over the last 3-4 years, not to mention while they're still in the process of advancing through the playoffs and could possibly be playing for a title this year, for one player.

Sounds like something you'd read from some random forum poster, assuming this isn't from one.

It is a random forum post. But that's of no consequence, really. It's an idea, and honestly? It makes a little bit of sense. Though, theoretically; if Howard makes it clear that he wants out of Orlando, the Thunder wouldn't have to give up both Harden and Westbrook. Leaving a stating lineup of...

x
Harden
Durant
Ibaka
Howard

And you make that trade because it pretty much guarantees annual trips to the finals.

Edit: More options

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=4xrm9yb

or

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=4yu7psb

The more I think about it, the more sense it makes. The Thunder, literally, can offer Orlando some of the best trade packages for Dwight, and they can do it without gutting the roster. Losing Westbrook would suck, but Hardin is a similar talent with a better jumper, and Maynor isn't a bad alternative at the 1. Dwight would more than make up the difference.

[chadskee]

Re: Could Dwight Be Playing Somewhere Else Next Season?

I don't see OKC trading Westbrook.

[Bumi]

Re: Could Dwight Be Playing Somewhere Else Next Season?

I don't see OKC trading Westbrook.

Under normal circumstances? No. But if it meant they'd be getting Dwight in return without having to completely gut the roster then they'd do it in a heartbeat.

[x_NBA_x]

Re: Could Dwight Be Playing Somewhere Else Next Season?

It would be scary to see how many points Durant would average in a season especially with Howard drawing the double team in the post.

[Dice]

Re: Could Dwight Be Playing Somewhere Else Next Season?

I don't see OKC trading Westbrook.

If it's for Dwight Howard, I'd make that trade in a heartbeat if I was OKC GM.

[da ThRONe]

Re: Could Dwight Be Playing Somewhere Else Next Season?

If it's for Dwight Howard, I'd make that trade in a heartbeat if I was OKC GM.

I think it largely comes down to this playoff series. If the Thunder make it to the Finals I wouldn't make the trade if I'm OKC but they get knocked out next round I would do it in a min. Westbrook really is the X factor versus the Lakers. Dwight make them a better team overall but not against the Lakers though IMO.

While I do think Durant/Howard is a better pairing then Durant/Westbrook not sure it makes OKC that much better when you consider what else they may have to give up and the fact they just signed Perkins.

[Moses Shuttlesworth]

Re: Could Dwight Be Playing Somewhere Else Next Season?

Howard is a POS if he goes to the Lakers. I don't know why anyone would want to play for those fans. He doesn't need to go there to win a championship.

[ScoobySnax]

Re: Could Dwight Be Playing Somewhere Else Next Season?

If I was Dwight, I'd be pushing to go to the Clippers. Let them gel for a year or two and they would be a force for years to come.

Bledsoe
Gordon
Whoever
Blake
Dwight

[Dice]

Re: Could Dwight Be Playing Somewhere Else Next Season?

If I was Dwight, I'd be pushing to go to the Clippers. Let the gel for a year or two and they would be a force for years to come.

Bledsoe
Gordon
Whoever
Blake
Dwight

Dwight and Blake in the front court would be nasty. They would still have to rid themselves of Coach Vinny and take the team away from Sterling and they might be on the road to being contenders.

[phenom1990]

Re: Could Dwight Be Playing Somewhere Else Next Season?

Howard is a POS if he goes to the Lakers. I don't know why anyone would want to play for those fans. He doesn't need to go there to win a championship.

Your right if you want to win championships, he should go to the Sixers. #RunWithUs

[Bumi]

Re: Could Dwight Be Playing Somewhere Else Next Season?

I think it largely comes down to this playoff series. If the Thunder make it to the Finals I wouldn't make the trade if I'm OKC but they get knocked out next round I would do it in a min. Westbrook really is the X factor versus the Lakers. Dwight make them a better team overall but not against the Lakers though IMO.

While I do think Durant/Howard is a better pairing then Durant/Westbrook not sure it makes OKC that much better when you consider what else they may have to give up and the fact they just signed Perkins.

OKC would be better, I think. They'd give up Westbrook, but due to guard depth, depending on the package, they'd still have Hardin. 6'5, great handle on the ball, shoots well, can get to the basket, and plays solid defense.

Plus, the Perkins trade would be irrelevant. Perkins out, Dwight in.

Maynor
Hardin
Durant
Ibaka
Howard

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: Could Dwight Be Playing Somewhere Else Next Season?

Durant's been on the phone with Kevin Love since last summer, where ya'll been at?

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: Could Dwight Be Playing Somewhere Else Next Season?

[QUOTE][
Give Dwight Howard this — he is trying.
LeBron James made a half-hearted effort to stamp out the free agent rumor circus around him, but at first he seemed to enjoy the attention enough that he let the fire start and by the time he tried to put it out it was too late. Carmelo Anthony didn’t even try, he seemed to revel in the attention, at least at first.
Dwight Howard is having none of that. He has been aggressive in shooting down he rumors.
Howard can opt out of his deal in the summer of 2012 and become a free agent (under whatever the new collective bargaining agreement looks like). If he picks up his option for that season then the speculation can be about the 2013 summer. Howard just averaged 27 points on 63 percent shooting with 15.5 rebounds per game in the playoffs, yet his team was eliminated because those around him were not good enough. The Magic have regressed. He’s frustrated with the loss (as he should be).
So, clearly he is going to push to be a Laker, right? Or a Knick. Or Net. Or…
Howard has been far more direct about not playing that rumor game than previous people in his situation. Here is what he told the Orlando Sentinel after the Magic were eliminated and a reporter started to broach the free agency topic.

“That has nothing to do with right now,” Howard said. “There’s no need for me to comment on it. So, you know, let’s not even talk about it. There’s no need to bring it up. Right now, I’m going to figure out how can I get myself better for next season, not about what team I want to play for. But right now I’m with the Magic, so all the speculation can stop. There’s no need to talk about it.”

Howard went one step further, according to a tweet from Hoopsworld’s Alex Kennedy.

Prior to Game 4, Howard confronted Ric Bucher and asked, “Where am I going, so I can tell my agent and my family?”

Bucher had reported that Howard might be traded to the Lakers. The fact Howard sought him out directly shows how serious he is about not wanting all the speculation.
But with the Magic’s recent play, as much as he may not play the speculation game, others will for him. The best he can do is not play along and try to keep the volume down.

/QUOTE]