Nets to make offer for Dwight Howard

[tigers99888]

If I were Dwight Howard, I would stay in Orlando and try to sign with NY later.. NO reason to go to NJ.. After Lopez and Deron Williams(who will not resign), that roster is an utter joke.. Hell I wouldn't be surprised is Avery Johnson bolted for a better team to coach.. No one cares that their new owner has an open checkbook either.. NJ has a mediocre franchise historically and the location blows...

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

Dwight's main problem is that the teams best set up to win championships in the next 5 years are pretty much set. That is, the biggest cities are all in decline, and wouldn't be able to sustain championship form for long even with Dwight. LA would have to trade two of it's bigs and take back a massive contract. How long can Kobe legitimately stay at an elite level? He has already shown decline in efficiency and defense. NY has nothing to offer in a trade, and not enough cap space. Boston, too, has nothing to trade because Orlando isn't going to take back a mid-30s Garnett, Allen, or Pierce in a rebuilding effort. The Clippers are still the Clippers. NY can't even get Chris Paul.

Dwight is either going to take the money and run (stay with Orlando or take a trade to the Clips just to get to a big market), or he'll open his acceptable cities to Miami, Chicago, and OKC. Of the three, Miami would win a bidding contest by offering Wade or Lebron (but also the least likely to actually make a trade). Chicago would be the most open to the big trade, but has the least palatable parts (everyone making enough money to facilitate a trade is overpaid and rather one-dimensional). OKC has the second best trade pieces (Westbrook and Perkins), and as well would probably take the trade, but is also probably the toughest to talk Dwight into from a location standpoint.

I think the best option for Dwight is to go to OKC and build an East-West rivalry with the Heat, but I doubt he goes for it. Most likely, he'll get traded to the Nets, take a max contract with Deron (another guy who'll take the money over the wins), win 50-55 games a year, and never sniff the finals again.

 

[tigers99888]

For some odd reason no one wants to go to OKC even though they have a good young nucleus.. Howard would make them instant favorites IMO..

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

For some odd reason no one wants to go to OKC even though they have a good young nucleus.. Howard would make them instant favorites IMO..

It's hard to say. They haven't had any trouble keeping players, and in many cases got them on great contracts. They haven't actually tried to sign anybody in free agency, so we don't really know what the reaction has been. Moreover, Presti has run the organization like Bill Belichik, no real info ever leaking out.

I have a feeling there is a negative impression in players of any city that isn't NY, LA, or Boston. But, they also go where the money takes them. If Dwight was traded to OKC and signed the one year extension, I would all but guarantee he would stay after for the max. It's easy to say you want out when your team is in shambles, it's always fun to win. Dwight doesn't need a big city to be a superstar, and I think a couple years of Finals appearances or Championships would have him more than happy to re-up.

 

[tigers99888]

I think that players in the NBA want to only play in big markets along with getting the big contracts.. It seems as though only several teams are relevant and actually have a chance at landing free agents.. IN that regard, the NBA is still a joke... The mentality of a lot of players has to change, period..

 

[beez]

That may be but of the 16 playoff teams last year Indiana, Orlando, Atlanta, Philly, San Antonio, Memphis, OKC, Denver, Porland and NO all made the playoffs.

Utah has regularly made the playoffs... there are really only a few "Large" market teams...there is definitely for "middle class" than lower or higher in the NBA.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Way to go Nets and Howard:

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/7335641/sources-new-jersey-nets-meet-dwight-howard-tampering

 

[wolverine304]

Too bad orlando doesn't care lol

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

Is there even a penalty for tampering anymore? Maybe loss of draft pick (which doesn't actually hurt the Nets since they traded their picks away). Would the league hold up a trade because of this? Probably not.

This is pretty much what was expected, even if it feels cheesy. Dwight wants to get paid and live in NY. Championships are 3rd or worse on his list of priorities.