Dwight Howard / Bulls metnion

Discussion in 'Chicago Bulls' started by Denny Crane, Mar 11, 2012.

  1. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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  2. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/k...t-not-if-the-magic-could-trade-him-to-chicago

    Keep Dwight? Not if the Magic could trade him to Chicago


    The Orlando Magic would like to seriously engage the Bulls in trade talks for Dwight Howard, but the All-Star center's apparent reluctance to make a long-term commitment to Chicago has all but killed the discussions, league sources told CBSSports.com.

    The feeling among rival executives remains that the Magic seem intent on rolling the dice and keeping Howard for the rest of the season, hoping a long playoff run, emotional ties to Orlando and an extra year and $29 million they could offer would persuade him to stay beyond this season. But the move would be highly risky, given that Howard has refused to publicly commit to the Magic -- a stance that sources view as a strong sign that he'd leave as a free agent if he isn't traded.

    "He's telling everyone he's leaving," one league source said Sunday.

    Magic executives are said to be unimpressed with the assets Howard's three preferred teams could provide in a trade, prompting them to engage in a calculated campaign to expand the field of potential suitors beyond the Nets, Mavericks and Lakers. But the team that can make the strongest case for Orlando to depart from its risky strategy of holding onto Howard are the Bulls, who could offer 7-footer Omer Asik, Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer for Howard and Hedo Turkoglu, sources said. The Bulls also could offer a valuable first-round pick from Charlotte -- top-14 protected in this year's draft but but unprotected by 2016.

    Such a scenario has gained no traction since Chicago is "not on his list," a person familiar with the situation said of Howard. Without assurances from Howard or his camp that he'd be willing to sign long-term with the Bulls, Chicago executives have exhibited no appetite for trade talks with the Magic. The two teams have spoken, but there's "no type of serious discussions" going on, a person familiar with the situation said.

    The Bulls (34-9) also have the best record in the league and are "built for long-term success," said one person familiar with their strategy, making a trade for Howard a non-starter without his blessing. Bulls officials do, according to sources, privately have concerns about whether they have enough to get past Miami in a playoff series, but are content to take a shot at it with the group they have.

    Efforts by Orlando to entice other teams that are willing to trade for Howard without a long-term commitment have been seriously hampered by the realization that such a team would only have Howard for about 25 games after Thursday's trade deadline -- not enough time to win him over to a city and team not currently on his list.

    Magic CEO Alex Martins, who is spearheading the biggest personnel decision for Orlando since Shaquille O'Neal left as a free agent in 1996, told the Orlando Sentinel Sunday that the team has yet to make a decision on whether to trade him or not by Thursday's 3 p.m. ET deadline.

    "We're not at the point where we're ready to answer that question yet," Martins said. "Sometime in the next four days we will be, but we're not at the point where we're ready to answer that question yet."
     
  3. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    Interesting he mentions Boozer + Deng + Asik + 1st pick.

    That leaves Noah as our backup C and maybe starting PF (I'd start Taj!).

    Rose/(Rip or Brewer)
    Hedo/Taj
    Howard

    Bench:
    Noah, CJ, Korver

    Boozer has an outside shot, and would complement Howard much better than Noah who is especially effective standing in the lane going for offensive boards, which also happens to be where Howard needs to play to be (much more than Noah) effective.

    Hedo is a make do at SF for us, but his ballhandling and passing skills would give us an interesting trio on the perimeter with Rose/Hedo/Rip.
     
  4. such sweet thunder

    such sweet thunder Member Staff Member Moderator

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    Interesting idea if true, but not a move the Bulls make without a Howard commitment. Everyone likes to make fun of Otis Smith for the Gortat-Pietrus-Carter for Hedo-Richardson-1st rounder but it helped both teams. Hedo's contract isn't horrible considering how well he's been playing this year, and that there's only one more year on it.

    If the Bulls were to get Howard for a package that doesn't involve Noah, they have to move Noah. A large part of what makes Howard the best center of his generation is the fact that he never gets injured, can play forty minutes a game, and pretty good at staying out of foul trouble. Whatever . . . this is just shoveling clouds until Howard expresses interest in resigning with the Bulls. Don't hold your breath.
     
  5. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    Obviously Howard would have to agree to an extension, like Paul did with the Clippers. Rose isn't helping by saying he'd want Howard here. Howard isn't helping by putting us on his short list and by saying he wants to be the man (we have a the man already). If the two would take on the attitude that the three did in Miami, it could be an amazing decade for us.

    Howard can't win as the man, anymore than Shaq could. But pair him with a Wade or Kobe (Rose!), and we are talking threepeats.

    I honestly don't see why Miami would prefer Boozer over Noah.

    As suggested, Orlando would have a new front court of Deng, Boozer, and Asik. They'd also have Ryan Anderson (he's just 23!) and Big Baby. And Asik is not even close enough to beating Noah as starting C for us.

    The deal that makes sense for both teams is Deng, Noah, and Taj. This would give them a front court of Deng, Noah, and Anderson with Taj and Big Baby as subs. It seems like this is better for Orlando. For us, we'd have:

    Rose/Rip (or Brewer)
    Hedo, Boozer, Howard

    Asik off the bench. Asik might even get 24 minutes a night, playing twin towers with Howard, though we really would need to find another PF for depth.
     
  6. such sweet thunder

    such sweet thunder Member Staff Member Moderator

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    The trade for Noah, and Taj would make sense . . . if the Bulls weren't planning on bringing Mirotic over anytime soon. From what I've watched, he'd be the perfect power forward to pair with Howard. If you're getting Howard you're shipping Asik/Noah, and keeping Taj to play backup center/ starting power forward or backup power forward.

    Moving Boozer makes a lot more sense for the Bulls if they pick up Howard and it gives them a ton more short term flexibility.

    I really like the skeleton of this trade and it certainly passes the smell test. This is where we would end up if we set out to design a good deal for Orlando and Chicago over many months.

    As to the point about Howard agreeing to an extension, I do think it's funny that he's getting criticized now for not taking the perspective of LJ and Wade. It's really a no win situation for these stars when they're considering switching teams.

    I completely agree that Howard is not winning a championship on his own -- and I'd take it a step further: Howard is not win a championship as the man.

    The Bulls-Magic game was a tour de force for the Magic. They looked like the perfectly structured team to pair with Howard, were well coached, brought a ton of effort, played well . . . and barely came away with a narrow road win when the Bulls played like crap. The NBA's rules are just not conducive to having a big man as your dominating offensive powerhouse.
     
  7. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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  8. truebluefan

    truebluefan Administrator Staff Member Administrator

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  9. such sweet thunder

    such sweet thunder Member Staff Member Moderator

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    I like the read but the conclusion is wrong. The new CBA, when you look at it as a whole, provides substantially less incentive for stars to resign with their franchises, despite what everyone keeps saying to the media. If Howard isn't traded he's gone. I'm guessing that NJ gets a sweetheart of deal or that the Magic trade him to Houston or GSW as a rental.
     

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