NBA 2012-13 Offseason Thread

[a6m5]

Dwight Howard would've been awesome for the Lakers, after Stern stole Chris Paul from them.

I thought I heard last week that Brooklyn couldn't trade for Howard if they wanted to, because they dumped their roster in attempt to sign Howard in FA. Of course, it was no one, but Howard himself who waived the opt-out clause that would have made him a free agent this summer. I guess he & his agent doesn't have much foresight, or are able to see the bigger picture.

 

[sumbrownkid]

I think Howard wants to be his own gig and town super hero than pairing up with another established superstar such as Kobe. But career wise, and if I were him, I'd go West to the Lakers and pair up with Kobe and try my luck with him.

He may not show it on the court, but Howard seems to have his ego issues as well.

 

[a6m5]

Best thing for him would be San Antonio, I think. They have plenty of pieces to offer Orlando in return, and could learn from Tim Duncan, reviving the Twin Towers while they are at it.

Like the Celtics' Big-3, I don't think Kobe has very long as an elite player. Elite scorer, maybe, but he's slowed down quite a bit in other areas of his game.

 

[McLaren]

I think Howard wants to be his own gig and town super hero than pairing up with another established superstar such as Kobe. But career wise, and if I were him, I'd go West to the Lakers and pair up with Kobe and try my luck with him.

He may not show it on the court, but Howard seems to have his ego issues as well.

The problem there is that LA would have to give up Bynum. There's no other way around it.

And Kobe already gets by with Bynum's off court shenanigans staying out of the team. He isn't going to let Howard come in & start trying to run the show or causing trouble with his GM.

 

[sumbrownkid]

The problem there is that LA would have to give up Bynum. There's no other way around it.

And Kobe already gets by with Bynum's off court shenanigans staying out of the team. He isn't going to let Howard come in & start trying to run the show or causing trouble with his GM.

I'd give up Bynum for Howard. For some reason Bynum doesn't play to his potential on a consistent basis, and I can argue that Howard is better at interior paint defending. And when you have Metta World Peace sharing the locker room, Bynum's shenanigans aren't that bad actually.

The only thing that holds LA off from this, of course, is Kobe's blessings and Howard's back.

 

[a6m5]

I'm not a fan, but Dwight Howard is someone who will be regarded as a "great" center in the NBA history. Bynum, he is a "pretty good", at best. He's a household name only because he's a Laker.

 

[McLaren]

Guess nobody is getting Howard this year but Brooklyn. What an idiot.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--d...e-team.html;_ylt=Ak2n.IYrMKhArqp350o831a8vLYF

As the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and other teams prepare possible trade offers for him, Howard told Yahoo! by phone that, "There’s only one team on my list and if I don’t get traded there, I'll play the season out and explore my free agency after that."

Howard wouldn’t specify the team, but multiple league sources believe that it is the Brooklyn Nets.

 

[a6m5]

Guess nobody is getting Howard this year but Brooklyn. What an idiot.

Probably a "yes" on being an idiot, but probably "no" on nobody is getting Howard this year, except Brooklyn.

Brooklyn may be the only team he'd extend the contract with, but: a) Orlando will be forced to trade, rather than lose him to next year's FA. b) Houston was rumored to trade for Dwight, even without commitment from him.

Edit: I guess G-Wallace resigned with the Nets? I think I read 4-year/$40million. Whatever, tanker. Hope your team lose Dwight & Deron.

 

[McLaren]

This deal of Deron is looking more & more unfortunate with all the talk of Dwight trying to unite with him.

I'm actually kind of starting to prefer the possible outcome of Dallas signing Nash & Roy to work with Dirk next year.

 

[a6m5]

This deal of Deron is looking more & more unfortunate with all the talk of Dwight trying to unite with him.

I'm actually kind of starting to prefer the possible outcome of Dallas signing Nash & Roy to work with Dirk next year.

Not a Dallas fan, but as a fan of basketball, I'd like to see them put together more Playoff basketball like two years ago. They were just amazing as a team then.

I was going to say that I hope Dallas can do better than Nash + Roy, but thinking about it, Nash could be their answer offensively. Oh, well. It's early yet.

 

[Stavingo]

I just hope Hornets make a move on someone in FA

 

[Paulie]

If Nash doesn't fade off over the next few years, then good luck to the Raptors signing him, and it will also mean we can trade Calderon for someone decent at a more needed position as well. However if the Nash plan falls through for Toronto I really hope we have a backup plan, it's time to make the play-offs again!

Edit: Just read a tantalising yet rather unlikely and therefore moot rumour, if Raptors get Nash they may also look to get Nicolas Batum, imagine how awesome that'd be.

Edit 2: Or even Michael Beasley. Apparently, if Raps get Nash, they'll still have some $8million to spend on another free agent.

 

[Stavingo]

That's who the Hornets need at SF, Michael Beasley.

Along with a solid dude at Centre.

 

[Tzun]

Is Michael Beasley FA?

 

[Stavingo]

Is Michael Beasley FA?

Yep, I think he's restricted though.

 

[McLaren]

If Nash doesn't fade off over the next few years, then good luck to the Raptors signing him, and it will also mean we can trade Calderon for someone decent at a more needed position as well. However if the Nash plan falls through for Toronto I really hope we have a backup plan, it's time to make the play-offs again!

Edit: Just read a tantalising yet rather unlikely and therefore moot rumour, if Raptors get Nash they may also look to get Nicolas Batum, imagine how awesome that'd be.

Edit 2: Or even Michael Beasley. Apparently, if Raps get Nash, they'll still have some $8million to spend on another free agent.

According to the rumors, the Suns are looking at working out a sign-and-trade option with Toronto that would give them Nash in exchange for Calderon.

 

[Spacegoat]

Hawks trade Joe Johnson to the Nets

Taken from ESPN/NBA.

The deal as it stands, as reported Sunday night by ESPN.com, calls for the Nets to send the expiring contracts of Jordan Farmar, Johan Petro, Anthony Morrow and Jordan Williams along with DeShawn Stevenson (via sign-and-trade) and a future first-round pick (lottery-protected in 2013 via Houston) to Atlanta in exchange for Johnson. This trade construction allows the Nets to meet two of their key objectives, as they managed to keep promising guard MarShon Brooks out of the trade as well as retain their own first-round pick in 2013.

 

[a6m5]

Hawks trade Joe Johnson to the Nets

Taken from ESPN/NBA.

Saw that on CBS Sports earlier. Joe Johnson can play ball, but the article said that his contract is one of the worst(big, high, monstrous!) in the league.

How do you spell desperation in the NBA? Brooklyn Nets. How do you spell last ditch in the NBA? Yeah.

P.S. I cried about the max contract the Blazers offered to Hibbert I think yesterday. The Oregonian writer Mike Tokito apparently saw many posts like mine. His article on oregonlive.com today said that "max" contract offered to Hibbert isn't really that bad under the new CBA(Collective Bargaining, you guys know). The numbers are more like 4-years/$58M, which is roughly $14.5 million per year. Considering that: a) We are trying to steal this kid from Indiana b) He's up & coming & true center It's really not as bad as I thought. Unless Indiana is either strapped, or they are crazy, they will match or beat the Portland offer. Fo sho.

 

[Stavingo]

I think Indiana may match it but they're gonna lose some key role players if they want Hibbert to come back.

 

[a6m5]

I think Indiana may match it but they're gonna lose some key role players if they want Hibbert to come back.

Not familiar at all with their finance, but I'd imagine they are fairly loaded. Plus, they have the Bird Rights on Hibbert, which keeps them flexible in resigning him.

I heard today that Indiana came to an agreement with George Hill for five years. That could mean that: 1) They are going to reallocate Hibbert's money elsewhere 2) They are going all in

My money would be on that they are going all in. My gut tells me that Indiana spending $$$ on retaining Hill points to Indiana being poised to keep this young Pacers team intact. These guys have surprised the league in this year's Playoffs, and achieved a good deal of success already, considering. Pacers want to keep it going.

If they are spending money on Hill, they would be absolutely stupid not to spend on Hibbert.

 

[Paulie]

According to the rumors, the Suns are looking at working out a sign-and-trade option with Toronto that would give them Nash in exchange for Calderon.

I don't know if that helps the Raptors in any way, but it would help the Suns getting a Nash-like PG in return.

Yep, I think he's restricted though.

I'm 95% sure that Beasley is unrestricted.

Hawks trade Joe Johnson to the Nets

Taken from ESPN/NBA.

That's a lot of players in return for one!

P.S. I cried about the max contract the Blazers offered to Hibbert I think yesterday. The Oregonian writer Mike Tokito apparently saw many posts like mine. His article on oregonlive.com today said that "max" contract offered to Hibbert isn't really that bad under the new CBA(Collective Bargaining, you guys know). The numbers are more like 4-years/$58M, which is roughly $14.5 million per year. Considering that: a) We are trying to steal this kid from Indiana b) He's up & coming & true center It's really not as bad as I thought. Unless Indiana is either strapped, or they are crazy, they will match or beat the Portland offer. Fo sho.

Hibbert's a good centre and with Aldridge (assuming he wants to play ball now) will be an intimidating front court.

 

[Stavingo]

Woops, my bad cause he is unrestricted.

I'm surprised someone hasn't made an offer to him.

 

[Paulie]

Woops, my bad cause he is unrestricted.

I'm surprised someone hasn't made an offer to him.

It's probably as a result of having sticky hands and average defence. But free agency only just began, I'm sure he'll find a team.
Edit: There seems to be a few people around who think Raptors should trade Bargnani for Gasol. It's mental, IMO Bargnani is a better player now much less the fact he's still improving while Gasol seems to be slipping.

Edit 2: I'd most like to see Batum on the Raptors, we need a good small forward. Apparently the Raptors still had Sonny Weems under contract too, who was in Europe. He's not terrible, but they have extended a qualifying offer to him.

 

[Stavingo]

And Barg has 3 point range, he is such a beast.

 

[JohnBM01]

Word has it that Jeremy Lin will meet with my Rockets tomorrow, and negotiations for Goran Dragic aren't going anywhere. He's asking for $10M a year. Jeremy Lin was looked at by the Rockets long ago. And in almost true ESPN fashion, they questioned whether the Rockets were foolish in passing up on Jeremy Lin. Could he be part of Red Rising next season? It would surely be interesting. That's especially if he can play as brilliantly as he did with his time with the Knicks.

Be interesting to see what develops from this.

 

[Pupik]

Hawks trade Joe Johnson to the Nets

Taken from ESPN/NBA.

The Nets felt they'd better buy someone. They got an okay someone.

And Atlanta is cleaning house like the Omni Coliseum's demolition.

 

[McLaren]

Well, my Mavs lost Terry to Boston today on a 3 year, $15+ million contract as a potential backup/replacement for Allen.

Word has it Toronto just shot themselves in the foot with Nash by signing Landry Fields for $20 million on a 3-year contract & apparently, Raptors fans are going,

They believe this is a "favor" so the Knicks can't do a sign-and-trade with the Suns for Nash.

And regarding Deron/Jason, that can no longer happen in Brooklyn now that that the Nets have signed Mirza Teletovic. So, if Deron really does want to play with Kidd for some reason, gotta come to Dallas.
And Dwight who is also now canceled out by this deal (unless that big trade goes through) apparently put my Mavs at the top of his list now. He's not even considering the Bynum/Lakers trade.

Lastly, Ferry just trolled the league because he now only has 2 players under contract after this season which means the Hawks have north of $40 million in cap space.

 

[Pupik]

The latest buzz down here in Miami is that the Heat want Ray Allen.

Not that I don't want him, but with what imaginary cap space?

 

[McLaren]

The latest buzz down here in Miami is that the Heat want Ray Allen.

Not that I don't want him, but with what imaginary cap space?

I don't think they can match what the Celtics are going to offer him at the end of this week, in addition to what they've offered Terry.

Terry is going to let Cuban counter-offer, but that means waiting on Deron & Nash first because Cuban isn't going to let Terry cut into the money he intends to drop on Deron.

 

[a6m5]

From what I've seen, Dragic is worth $10 million. But I can see Rockets offering that to Jeremy Lin before Dragic. Yao was the Houston cashcow in raking in the yuan. Lin is not worth $10 million(not that they'd offer that) on the basketball court, but worth every penny(or yuan & Taiwan $) on related income for the team.

I was wishing Blazers get Dragic until it came clear that Rockets would resign Dragic, trade Lowry. I wonder if they'd go for sign & trade now...... If I was the Blazers, I'd be working the angles to net Dragic right now..... OR, I actually doubt we'll get Hibbert. Maybe we can keep Nic Batum, and get Dragic. I'd like that.