Howard to LA

[Laker Fan]

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2012/08/09/report-howard-dealt-to-lakers-in-four-team-blockbuster/?ls=iref:nbahpt1

From the report the Magic just got hosed and Philly took a huge step forward!

[Randy]

I sure don't understand this trade for the Magic -- the other 3 teams make total sense but this trade for the Magic is just crazy.

I don't mean to bring up a sore subject but I actually understood the trade somewhat that brought Pau Gasol to LA.  They wanted ZERO salary on their books to get the asking price down as much as possible and I always thought Marc Gasol would be a very good NBA Center.  They got rights to him for a player they could build around (although he will never be as good as Pau).  You never know what a future lottery pick will bring -- anyway, I don't think the Grizzlies got fleeced as bad as most people made it out to be.  Gasol for Gasol is definately lopsided for the Lakers but not as bad as initially thought, esp. when they had the guy but didn't have his contract on the books. 

But this trade?  If the Magic wanted young players and picks, why didn't they do a trade with the Rockets.  The Rockets were willing to give some of their young players just drafted as well as future picks to get Bynum so that the Lakers could get Howard.  That trade made a LOT more sense for the Magic than this one did.  The Magic end up with almost nothing here -- Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, Nikola Vucevic, just drafted Moe Harkless (No. 15 pick in this draft) and a first round pick from each of the three other teams that is protected.  This just makes me go  .  I have never liked Brooks Lopez -- Marc Gasol, IMO is a better player than Lopez so I didn't feel like that was as good a trade but the Rockets would have been a MUCH better option than what they got.  This team basically got pocket change for Dwight (oh, they managed to get rid of Jason Richardson's contract too) but this was a very very bad trade!

As for the Lakers, it puts them as the favorites in the West and IMO makes them better than Miami.  I always am willing to accept gifts from the basketball gods but giving up Bynum for Howard (as long as it isn't just a one year rental) is just crazy without having to accept some long term bad contracts and not have to give up Gasol as well (and IMO Howard isn't worth losing Bynum and Gasol). 

[Laker Fan]

IT's not like Orlando even made a move to clear cap space, they are still stuck with Hedo and Davis and took on Afflalo and Harrington although I think they can dump Harrington's contract. Still, no cap space improvement and no foreseeable improvement this makes no sense for Orlando.

Bynum to Philly is better for LA because it gets him out of the WC, VASTLY improves the Sixers and gives them a solid core to build around but yes, Houston in the mix made the most sense. Denver landing Igoudala was very nice for them but in the end Orlando slit their own throat.

[ziggy]

From the beginning Orlando has made it clear that they wanted to rebuild and they werent interested in established stars.  I understand their reluctance regarding the Houston offer, they wanted to select their own players not take on who Houston drafted.  Orlando is obviously in rebuild mode.

Philly traded their best player for a very good big guy.  They seemed determined to move Iggy and they got a valuable player in return.  Not sure it makes them all that much better.

Denver lost a very solid player in Afflalo, but also got rid of a very marginal player in Al Harrington.  Adding Iggy will make them much better overall.

Lakers came out fabulous.  What Nash hurts them defensively Howard will make up.  Howard is obviously limited offensively, but Nash will help him greatly.  The biggest gain for LA is they will immediately see a large decline in Kobe's usage rate, and I have no doubt his efficiency will improve significantly.  A lot of people have said Kobe will struggle now that he will need to defer, and not have to initiate so much.  I think Kobe will thrive.

[Derek Bodner]

I'm not sure this trade necessarily causes a decline in Bryant's usage rate, considering Howard's (26.1%) and Bynum's (23.8%) are in the same ballpark, despite the large discrepancy in talent on the respective teams.  I wouldn't expect Dwight's to be much about 23-24%.

[ziggy]

I'm not sure this trade necessarily causes a decline in Bryant's usage rate, considering Howard's (26.1%) and Bynum's (23.8%) are in the same ballpark, despite the large discrepancy in talent on the respective teams.  I wouldn't expect Dwight's to be much about 23-24%.

I wasn't clear.  I agree with you, I wouldn't expect Dwight's usage rate to be much different from Bynum's, so that alone won't change Kobe's usage rate greatly.  The combination of Nash and Howard I think will.  Kobe's usage rate was 35.7%, and I would expect a drop of at least 4%, and most assuredly an improvement in his eFG% from 46.2%.

[WayOutWest]

WTF was Orlando thinking?

The Houston trade seemed like a much better fit, they would have cleared off more cap space and got a lot of young talent and draft picks to develop. I don't get this trade at all for the Magic.  The Magic were holding all the keys to this trade yet they are the ONLY team involved that did not benefit from this deal.

As a Lakers fan I couldn't be happier, I was ready to jump off the band wagon at the thought of losing Bynum AND Gasol to get Howard.  The deal that was circulating early on was the Lakers would give up their twin towers and end up with Howard and Harrington.  I missed all the news of Friday because I was working  till 3 a.m. Thursday night/Friday moring.  But I started readying about the Howard move later that day but thought it was more Dwightmare talk and had no idea it was a done deal.

No need to analyse what is being analysed to death on the net, but I will say that I have not seen a better Howard defender that Perkins over the last 5 years. I think the Lakers/Thunder matchup will be the one to watch with the Lakers getting the edge. Nash improving the offense and Howard erasing a lot of the on-ball defensive liabilities the Lakers showed last year.  I think the Spurs are also in HUGE trouble when facing the Lakers.

The Heat were the favorites to win next year, I would lean towards them as well before this trade as the Thunder don't seem quite ready to topple the Heat all-stars.  I think if the Lakers make it out of the West they would take the Heat down in 6 games.  Still, the Lakers need to time to mesh since there is a new general running the show but IMO they will at least be able to rely on their defense with Howard in the mix, just hope Howard is healthy when he suits up for the Lakers.

I will also be very interested to see how Bynum does as the first option and foundation of a franchise.