NBA Regular Season 2011/2012

Carcharodon · 13-03-2012 10:10pm

Its also been reported in the media that Howard has been offered the ability to decide the faith of GM and Van Gundy if he resigns. Its obviously only media talk and has been denied by organization, Howards agent has said he doesn't want that kind of responsibility, wouldn't surprise me if he was offered that.

Orlando seem to be shopping around to find a player to add, Ellis seems to be high on their list, I think Warriors would be mad to trade him unless they got a really good deal, talks of a 3 way deal involving Bogut which wouldn't be too bad but Warriors should be looking to add a big man for Ellis, Kaman or someone like that.

leggo · 13-03-2012 10:30pm

Carcharodon wrote: »

I dont think he will go, he is kind of holding Orlando hostage a bit just like LeBron did.

I was just saying this to a mate today, though I compared him to Rooney. His demeanour is of a guy who's comfortable staying and his talk of 'the team should do this and this' wouldn't be what someone would say if their mind was elsewhere. But it's win-win for him, if he doesn't get what he wants then he can go play with Dirk or Derron.

The only problem is how do Magic re-jig our team sufficiently to satisfy him? Who do we have with any kind of trade value that could land us the type of player Howard wants to play with? Ryan Anderson is a good scorer but I'd also like to keep him personally. Turkoglu, Jameer and the rest are just competent team players to fill the numbers. Good as a unit but nothing spectacular individually.

So our best hope looks like holding onto him and praying for a good playoff run. The way things stand, we'd play Atlanta in the first and likely Miami in the conference semis.

It's been nice knowing you Dwight...

Carcharodon · 13-03-2012 11:14pm

leggo wrote: »

I was just saying this to a mate today, though I compared him to Rooney. His demeanour is of a guy who's comfortable staying and his talk of 'the team should do this and this' wouldn't be what someone would say if their mind was elsewhere. But it's win-win for him, if he doesn't get what he wants then he can go play with Dirk or Derron.

The only problem is how do Magic re-jig our team sufficiently to satisfy him? Who do we have with any kind of trade value that could land us the type of player Howard wants to play with? Ryan Anderson is a good scorer but I'd also like to keep him personally. Turkoglu, Jameer and the rest are just competent team players to fill the numbers. Good as a unit but nothing spectacular individually.

So our best hope looks like holding onto him and praying for a good playoff run. The way things stand, we'd play Atlanta in the first and likely Miami in the conference semis.

It's been nice knowing you Dwight...

Yea, I agree, its win-win for him but someone is going to have to loose in someway or another. It looks like it could be Orlando unless some team decides to make some silly trades, cue Warriors....
Orlandos supporting cast offers little trade value as you said but lots of players could get shipped around by Thursday in order to get something done.
Will probably have The Decision Part 2 in the summer.

leggo · 14-03-2012 1:41am

Right on cue, something is happening. Just got a notification on the phone saying Monta Ellis is to be traded to the Bucks for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson. Hmm...

Carcharodon · 14-03-2012 2:34am

leggo wrote: »

Right on cue, something is happening. Just got a notification on the phone saying Monta Ellis is to be traded to the Bucks for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson. Hmm...

I don't know what to make of it to be honest, I think Bogut is a fine player but Jackson is just muck, don't want him back here at all.
I really like Ellis, I think he has matured an awful lot these past few seasons and has been carrying this team.
Also Udoh has been pretty impressive, could turn into a very good player.

So Warriors are going to think that Curry "brittle ankles" will lead this team and Bogut has had a lot of injuries too, I hope they are right.

leggo · 14-03-2012 2:59am

Bogut hasn't played since January no? Well if you're gonna self-destruct you may as well do it right.

Not dreading that possible Heat playoff as much as I was now! Unless it was Dwight's last game for us, of course. Quality match. Lebron being typically terrible in the closing. Has anyone ever choked as much amid an MVP season? Confusing character...

Carcharodon · 14-03-2012 4:36am

leggo wrote: »

Bogut hasn't played since January no? Well if you're gonna self-destruct you may as well do it right.

Not dreading that possible Heat playoff as much as I was now! Unless it was Dwight's last game for us, of course. Quality match. Lebron being typically terrible in the closing. Has anyone ever choked as much amid an MVP season? Confusing character...

Yep, might not even play this season again with his fractured ankle. I can totally understand the trade and has the potential to be a good one but it is very risky in my opinion. Good to get decent value off Monte rather than him being a free agent next year and since the Warriors conceded that getting Howard was not going to happen they got the next best thing available.
Just have to be skeptical on longevity of a injury prone 7 footer.
The franchise will just have to put up with the Jackson part of the deal and take that one on the chin.

leggo · 14-03-2012 1:35pm

Now Dwight says he wants to finish the season with us. Either he knows something we don't or it's a bit selfish on his part to expect us to just let him walk into free agency instead of looking around for our best long-term options. I'm sure we'll bend over backwards for him though and, tbh, I won't complain either.

Carcharodon · 14-03-2012 4:00pm

leggo wrote: »

Now Dwight says he wants to finish the season with us. Either he knows something we don't or it's a bit selfish on his part to expect us to just let him walk into free agency instead of looking around for our best long-term options. I'm sure we'll bend over backwards for him though and, tbh, I won't complain either.

I think Orlando might have to try and trade him, cant just let him walk away as a free agent after the playoffs, way too much of a gamble.
Have read that he ultimately wants to join Williams at the Nets without the Nets depleting their assets. That would be a very selfish move by Howard if he did that, would leave Orlando in a big hole.
I think Orlando are in a right pickle, only option may be to try and trade for him and start rebuilding, as good as he is, its not the end of the world.

leggo · 14-03-2012 5:01pm

Agreed, we haven't got a championship winning side as is so if he refuses to re-sign our best real long-term bet is to start rebuilding now and take the hit for this season. We'll still likely make the playoffs unless the side spectacularly implodes without him. So, in a season where we lose our franchise player, that's still good going. Conference semis would be a great achievement in those circumstances.

If he wants to stay til the end of the season, he should put his money where his mouth is and use the year extension in his current contract. But I think DeVos is getting soft in his old age with all this "like a son" chatter and will just see this as a chance to buy time to convince him.

slick89 · 14-03-2012 5:32pm

Big game tonight with Bulls Heat, cant wait for it! Gonna be tough on Miami with the back to back and travel from Orlando to Chi.

Lets go Bulls!

killwill · 14-03-2012 7:06pm

Re: Howard, I think ideally he wants to stay and for 2 to 3 players to come in before Thursday.
However, if the Magic don't strenghten he will not be in Orlando by start of next season.
Apparently Howard himself does not want to come out and demand where he wants to go ala Carmello Anthony. Anthony came out looking bad after his move. Howard likes his clean image and wants to keep it that way. This is the opinion of a few "experts". I tend to agree.

Carcharodon · 14-03-2012 8:18pm

D'Antoni resigns as Knicks head coach, mutual decision apparently. Its all happening, Knicks have been poor in all fairness, don't think the likes of Melo have helped in though.

Paully D · 14-03-2012 8:52pm

Carcharodon wrote: »

D'Antoni resigns as Knicks head coach, mutual decision apparently. Its all happening, Knicks have been poor in all fairness, don't think the likes of Melo have helped in though.

It's certainly no coincidence that this losing streak has come at the same Melo has came back in anyway.

Carcharodon · 14-03-2012 11:26pm

Paully D wrote: »

It's certainly no coincidence that this losing streak has come at the same Melo has came back in anyway.

As much as a talent that Melo is, he is more of a cancer than anything else. I think that it is pretty obvious that the new system will incorporate a lot more Melo, which is kind of fair enough too because if you are going to spend that much on him, then use him the way he wants/has to be used.

GoldFour4 · 15-03-2012 1:47am

Expect Dwight Howard to be traded tonight. He told magic execs pre game that he won't surrender his opt out clause. The magic wanted him to waive it in writing before the deadline.

They will almost certainly trade him now, lots of bad blood in the organisation atm

leggo · 15-03-2012 2:14am

Glad they pushed him to show his hand. It makes it easier to see him go. Though I've no idea who I want to see come in now that the Gasol trade rumours have died down. No combos from the Nets really tickle my fancy and would Dallas be willing to blood their championship winning side at the 11th hour when they know we need to make our move?

I suppose the biggest question right now is will he last the end of the Spurs game as a Magic player?

Oh, and D Rose is out of tonight's game unfortunately. I was looking forward to a possible Heat losing streak...

Oat23 · 15-03-2012 5:21am

John Lucas the Mother**king Third.

That is all.

leggo · 15-03-2012 1:45pm

Drama drama: Dwight's waiving his right to become a free agent!

GoldFour4 · 15-03-2012 4:20pm

More trade news.

Leandro Barbosa goes from Toronto to Indiana in exchange for a second rounder

GoldFour4 · 15-03-2012 4:28pm

taken from nbc, interesting trade..

A three-team trade that would send Jamal Crawford to the Timberwolves (from the Trail Blazers), Michael Beasley to the Lakers (from the Timberwolves) and Steve Blake plus a pick from the Lakers to the Trail Blazers is reportedly near completion. There have been some hang-ups about exactly what the pick would be, but this deal is close according to multiple reports from various teams involved. There have been reports the Lakers wanted Luke Ridnour in this deal, but with Ricky Rubio out for the season it’s hard to see Minnesota giving him up.

Also the Grizzlies are working out Gilbert Arenas today

Carcharodon · 15-03-2012 5:44pm

Well if Howard does waive his right then all this was for nothing, he is basically giving up the power he held and giving it back to Orlando. I actually think he probably had good intentions but the whole thing got out of control maybe.
He is going to loose out on the ability to sign a huge long term deal but I don't think money is the issue for him.
Nets could be the big loser now since Williams can leave in the summer, they must be really scratching their heads on what to do.

GoldFour4 · 15-03-2012 5:53pm

Carcharodon wrote: »

Well if Howard does waive his right then all this was for nothing, he is basically giving up the power he held and giving it back to Orlando. I actually think he probably had good intentions but the whole thing got out of control maybe.
He is going to loose out on the ability to sign a huge long term deal but I don't think money is the issue for him.
Nets could be the big loser now since Williams can leave in the summer, they must be really scratching their heads on what to do.

Nets and Portland are very close to a trade that would bring Gerald Wallace to New Jersey in exchange for Mehmet Okur and a protected no. 1 pick

Paully D · 15-03-2012 6:37pm

Oatesy23 wrote: »

John Lucas the Mother**king Third.

That is all.

Super win, without D Rose too which makes it all the more impressive :eek:

It was great seeing Scottie Pippen go mental in the crowd :pac:

Lucas III wasn't happy at all about getting dunked over by LeBron in the 1st game, really got revenge last night!

Great team spirit and things are looking very good!

GoldFour4 · 15-03-2012 8:10pm

wow the Lakers traded Derek Fisher to the Rockets for Jorden Hill. Kobe will not be happy about that

slick89 · 15-03-2012 9:14pm

Rumours that the Wizards have sent JaVale to the Nuggets and Nene is gone to the Wizards, Nick Young to the Clips. Good move for McGee if true, think he could improve now he's gone from the madhouse!