Dwight Howard is a Laker

[Covert Rain]

that would only happen in fantasy land, where the good guys win. He'll be a Laker until he's got no usefulness left to him. we all know it to be true no matter how much we want it not to be.

It is probably true. Although Howard has never seemed to be enamored with the Lakers. The fact he insisted on not giving up his free agent status tells me he wants to dictate where he goes.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Or Dwight's back never really recovers and this submarines the final years of Kobe's career.

this would prove the existence of God.

 

[Chaplin]

this would prove the existence of God.

+100000

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm still in a state of shock that the Magic would take so little for Howard. It is hard for me to comprehend, even if their strategy is tanking. The Magic didn't even get good first round draft picks. As someone said, the Magic is a minor league team for the Lakers. If the Magic ever get another franchise player, his eventual destination is already known.

 

[D-Dogg]

Could this be a one shot deal? Howard is has repeated he will be a free agent. He might not resign. With a one year older Kobe, Nash and Howard possibly not there....could the team be blown up after next season regardless?

Seems very plausible to me.

He's not extending a contract because he would leave a crapton of money on the table. He'll sign a new contract in LA that will pay him heavily. He's the post-Kobe future.

 

[SunsTzu]

this would prove the existence of God.

Since the Lakers included their 2017 pick then the 2015 pick the Suns got should lose all it's protection, so hopefully that will be the year the wheels fall off(not likely).

 

[BC867]

It's not like comparing Kobe to Jordan or two other greats where you could have this debate about who was better.

If you polled 100, or 1,000 or 10,000 NBA basketball fans (outside of L.A. or Chicago) asking for their one vote -- Michael or Kobe -- Kobe would be lucky to get 20% of the vote.

It is not like Chamberlain vs. Russell. Or Magic vs. Bird.

Michael could win the championship with one good teammate, a role-playing Center and two scrubs. Kobe, never. Look at the quality of players the Lakers have surrounded him with over the years.

 

[Mainstreet]

Since the Lakers included their 2017 pick then the 2015 pick the Suns got should lose all it's protection, so hopefully that will be the year the wheels fall off(not likely).

Is that how it works? Interesting, I didn't know that. It sounds right.

 

[SunsTzu]

Is that how it works? Interesting, I didn't know that. It sounds right.

You can't be without consecutive 1st round picks and since the Lakers don't own any additional 1st round picks between 2015-2017 the only way the can guarantee to not go without consecutive picks is to have the 2015 pick unprotected.

The conditions of the 2015 were never released, only that it had minimal protection but there shouldn't be any protection now.

 

[Michael]

If you polled 100, or 1,000 or 10,000 NBA basketball fans (outside of L.A. or Chicago) asking for their one vote -- Michael or Kobe -- Kobe would be lucky to get 20% of the vote.

It is not like Chamberlain vs. Russell. Or Magic vs. Bird.

Michael could win the championship with one good teammate, a role-playing Center and two scrubs. Kobe, never. Look at the quality of players the Lakers have surrounded him with over the years.

Completely agree! MJ and Kobe isn't even close. In Bryant's mind, he may overtake MJ for number of championships won. But it's more accurate to compare him to Pippen (no shame in that, one of the greatest ever!).
MJ was the dominant player on each of his six championship teams. No question. Kobe won only ("only" compared to MJ) two Finals MVP and a single Season MVP to MJ's five. The first three titles were thanks to Shaq and the inability of Portland to keep a 20+ point lead paired with referees beating Sacramento. When things were bad (remeber the choking and no show against Phoenix in GAME SEVEN?) Bryant demanded a trade. Quite similar to LeBron James, he was ready to jump ship before Gasol came along.
Another thing that strikes me as ridiculous is comparing Kobe to Mike in crunch time. Percentage aside, Jordan knew when to pass to a better positioned team mate if required. Kobe would never surrender a chance of being the match winner (but he's lost multiple games this way, then handily blaming his team mates...).
Thinking about it, I don't even want to compare Kobe to Pip. Scottie was the ultimate team player. Bryant is a symbol for selfishness.

 

[Joe Mama]

Don't get everybody saying that this is completely unfair and the league should nix the trade. Sure, it seems like Orlando could have done better even if they didn't want to take much or any salary back, but the Lakers gave up the second-best center in the NBA as well as a first-round draft pick for the best center who is injured. I don't see how anybody with a brain could argue against that of being the best team if they are healthy. Were the team to beat before this trade.

I hate the Lakers, but I really don't think there's anything illegitimate about what they've done this summer. They have made some great moves.

Joe

 

[jagu]

+100000

Which will immediately be disproved by the Lakers acquisition of Chris Paul for two 2059 first round draft picks.

 

[Folster]

You can't be without consecutive 1st round picks and since the Lakers don't own any additional 1st round picks between 2015-2017 the only way the can guarantee to not go without consecutive picks is to have the 2015 pick unprotected.

The conditions of the 2015 were never released, only that it had minimal protection but there shouldn't be any protection now.

I believe Coro said it was top 5. I'll look for it.

edit: Found it from his Orange Slices.

The Suns will receive the Lakers' 2015 first-round pick, although it is protected to stay with the Lakers if it falls in the top five

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/165997

 

[Errntknght]

I've never read an explanation of how the league treats traded conditional picks as far as the rule prohibiting having two future years with no first round pick. Would a conditional pick a team has cancel a conditional pick they traded away, for instance? Heck, they may consider a conditional pick traded away, as having a pick for that year since its not the same as zero picks as long as its in the future.

 

[SunsTzu]

Heck, they may consider a conditional pick traded away, as having a pick for that year since its not the same as zero picks as long as its in the future.

No the league does not allow for the possibility of going consecutive years without a pick. In order to trade a 2017 1st round pick the Lakers must own a 2016 pick outright. You can't assume they won't finish with a top 5 pick in 2015.

Teams will sometimes trade the right to swap picks as a way to trade picks while meeting the guidlines.

 

[Errntknght]

Thanks for the clarification SunsTzu... that makes sense

 

[Mainstreet]

No the league does not allow for the possibility of going consecutive years without a pick. In order to trade a 2017 1st round pick the Lakers must own a 2016 pick outright. You can't assume they won't finish with a top 5 pick in 2015.

Teams will sometimes trade the right to swap picks as a way to trade picks while meeting the guidlines.

Probably missing something here. Just another thought.

What if the Lakers acquired another first round pick in 2015. Wouldn't this allow them to keep their protection on the 2015 first round pick which they sent to the Suns as long as they acquired it prior to the 2015 draft.

I don't think it matters much because it is top 5 protected as Folster pointed out.

 

[Covert Rain]

If you polled 100, or 1,000 or 10,000 NBA basketball fans (outside of L.A. or Chicago) asking for their one vote -- Michael or Kobe -- Kobe would be lucky to get 20% of the vote.

It is not like Chamberlain vs. Russell. Or Magic vs. Bird.

Michael could win the championship with one good teammate, a role-playing Center and two scrubs. Kobe, never. Look at the quality of players the Lakers have surrounded him with over the years.

BC....not the point and I agree by the way. There is no question IMO who is the better player...Jordan. The point I was trying to make is that at least people have those conversations about great players.

Nobody in their right mind would have a similar conversation when comparing Bynum and Howard.

 

[SunsTzu]

Probably missing something here. Just another thought.

What if the Lakers acquired another first round pick in 2015. Wouldn't this allow them to keep their protection on the 2015 first round pick which they sent to the Suns as long as they acquired it prior to the 2015 draft.

I don't think it matters much because it is top 5 protected as Folster pointed out.

The Lakers would have had to acquire the additional 1st round pick prior to trading the 2017 pick. Just like you can't assume they won't get a top 5 pick in 2015(or a lotto pick in 2017), you can't assume they will somehow acquire a pick at some point in the future.

I hadn't been able to find the protection on the 2015 pick previously, but unless I'm missing something it should be moot now as the protection should drop.

 

[Lorenzo]

wow... the Magic didn't even get ANY lotto picks out of this deal and just got a bunch of crappy players?

and the Lakers didn't have to give ANYTHING up besides Bynum? What a joke.

Will the lakers be able to sign dwight to a long term deal?

looks like the magic just draft HOF players for the lakers now. has to suck to be a magic fan.

 

[sunsfan88]

Gonna be very interesting to see if the Lakers don't win it all next year, will their 3 and a half men get the same treatment Miami got after their 1st season of LeBron, Bosh and Wade.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Gonna be very interesting to see if the Lakers don't win it all next year, will their 3 and a half men get the same treatment Miami got after their 1st season of LeBron, Bosh and Wade.

No, because I can guarantee they aren't going to come out before the season and dance around like clowns and predict "No 4, not 5, not 6, not 7..." like the boneheads in Miami did. So far "Miami's Big 3" has won one strike-shortened title. Um...big whoop.

 

[Folster]

It's not hard to figure out why Orlando sees tanking as the preferred option. They've had three #1 picks in their short history. 1992: Shaq, 1993: Webber (traded for Penny), and 2004: Howard. Must be nice.

 

[SunsTzu]

It's not hard to figure out why Orlando sees tanking as the preferred option. They've had three #1 picks in their short history. 1992: Shaq, 1993: Webber (traded for Penny), and 2004: Howard. Must be nice.

It is hard to figure out why Houston wasn't the destination if the plan is to tank though. They have far better prospects available and could have taken on more bad contracts.

 

[Phrazbit]

It is hard to figure out why Houston wasn't the destination if the plan is to tank though. They have far better prospects available and could have taken on more bad contracts.

Exactly.