Monday, July 9th, 2012 at 9:00 am  |  63 responses

Magic, Nets, Cavs Working on Potential Dwight Howard Trade


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

According to the latest published reports, the Orlando Magic are working on a potential blockbuster trade for superstar center Dwight Howard. The deal involves Orlando, Brooklyn and Cleveland.

Dwight Howard would end up in Brooklyn (his preferred destination all along), while Brook Lopez and a bunch of draft picks would head to Orlando. Kris Humphries would then be dealt to the Cavaliers.

There are some landmines to side-step, however, before any deal can be completed between the three organizations. As the Plain Dealer and News-Herald explain:

In its most basic form, with many parts undetermined, the trade would send Brook Lopez and several draft choices to Orlando for Howard, while signing-and-trading Humphries to Cleveland in order to make room for Howard’s salary. But the Cavs, roughly $20 million under the salary cap, are in the business of accumulating first-round draft picks, not giving them away, so exactly how they’d fit into this deal is not clear. One of the teams is going to have to give the Cavs something — a first-round draft choice or, possibly, Nets swingman MarShon Brooks — to facilitate this deal. In addition, because Humphries is an unrestricted free agent, the Cavs could have just signed him if they really wanted him, so it’s possible an additional deal could be in the works.

A source said the holdup was the Nets wanted the Cavs to give them one of their first-round picks, which was a potential deal-breaker. Unless the Nets back off that demand, a source said, the Cavs could pull out of the talks. The Cavs have three potential first-round picks in the 2013 NBA draft, as well as two second-rounders. It’s not out of the question they could get more.

There are clearly many details still to be worked out — and other teams, such as the Philadelphia Sixers could get involved — but for now anyway, the Brooklyn Nets appear to have regained the lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in the chase for the NBA’s best center. But this thing isn’t done yet.

The Dwightmare continues, folks.

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  • alphabeta

    DWIGHT WHO?

    Ans: DWIGHT AROUND YOUR LIPS

    -Mike Epps

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    we are pretty much agreeing on this. I just see Houston or even Atlanta as a better way to improve fast. The main reason I don’t like the New Jersey deal is the contract situation. I just hate Brook Lopez for anything more than $8M, and he’s going to get like $13M minimum. The Magic need to be terrible for a year or two, while freeing up a bunch of cap space. Instinctively i would take the Houston deal, and then retrade all the pieces i can for cheap talent (as you said) so that i can bottom out and begin anew. I just would stay as far away from any deal that doesn’t give me a real franchise guy unless i’m staying out of salary hell.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Redd

    @Allenp Gerald Green will maybe sign to the Bulls last I heard. But they say multiple teams have lined up alongside the Cavs to facilitate this trade. Magic can get creative and completely change their whole roster.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    NBK
    I do like the idea of taking Houston’s pieces and turning them into picks, not sure if it’s possible though because Houston has been dangling those pieces for a while and few folks are interested.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    Houston has been trying to trade their pieces for better ones. Orlando wouldn’t have to do that. They could basically trim the fat by giving away everything for half it’s value. Or packaging pieces together for one decent piece.

  • LA Huey

    “And people need to stop bringing up the lockout like it failed.” We all knew the lockout wasn’t about establishing “competitive balance” and some of us are irritated that we had to have a fall with no NBA just so billionaires could squeeze money from millionaires. That’s all.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Huey
    I believe you knew the lockout wasn’t about competitive balance. Not so sure about the other folks making those comments.

  • http://www.twitter.com/gerardhimself Gerard Himself

    as a Nets fan it pains me to see MarShon Brooks being shipped too. Honestly: if the deal doesn’t happen I’m fine with it too. Keeping Lopez and Brooks gives the Nets already a pretty deep roster.

  • LA Huey

    Cleveland’s a part of these negotiations purely out of spite, right? Makes sense for a team out West to help with this but why would you want to help create a super team in your own conference?

  • http://dodgers.com Joey E.

    The Heat are done if BK pulls this off. I’m surprised that no Brooklyn heads have come out of the woodwork and gotten super excited about the potential. No one will be able to beat a D-Will/D12/Crash/JJ collabo. No one.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Redd

    @joey if BK fans don’t get super annoying like knick fans then I’ll definitely feel great about rooting for the Nets.

  • Sam

    I’m a Net fan so obviously I’m going to have to put up with people hating my team. We’re going to have a ton of bandwagoners and an equal amount of haters. I had to watch 12-70 and damn it, I don’t care what you think about our trade package.

    Dwight is a troll. Deron was a troll, he was halfway out the door before he decided to return. Johnson is overpaid, Wallace is probably overpaid. But they are still going to be so good and it’s very exciting for me. The lockout apparently worked for the NBA owners since the Nets are about to become a money making franchise and will be paying plenty of luxury tax to the rest of the league. And they are going to be relentless. Teletovic might be shades of the European Ryan Anderson.

    Black and white is coming to take over, nWo style!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/joe.l.brewer3 BlackPhantom

    LA….pull the trigger if you can

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