Dwight Howard Trade Rumors: Brook Lopez Injury, Mehmet Okur Trade Hurt New Jersey Nets' Chances of Landing Orlando Magic Star
by Evan Dunlap on Dec 23, 2011 12:46 AM EST
in NBA Rumors
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PrintThe New Jersey Nets' pursuit of Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard became more complicated Thursday when they learned center Brook Lopez, the 23-year-old center around whom they've based trade offers for Orlando's superstar, suffered a broken bone in his foot and will be out until at least February. In response to Lopez's injury, the team traded for Utah Jazz center Mehmet Okur, absorbing the Turkey native into its cap space and sending Utah a heavily protected second-round draft pick in return.
The Nets are among four teams with which Howard has said he'll continue his career, with the others being Orlando, the Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks. As he'll be a free agent in the summer of 2012, Howard has some leverage in any trade situation, as he can scare potential trade partners off by declaring he would not re-sign with that team in free agency.
Even if Lopez can return to the floor by February--an optimistic projection according to Zach Lowe of Sports Illustrated, who believes the Stanford product could miss the entire regular season--Orlando might be disinclined to trade for him, given that he'd be a seven-footer with a history of foot injuries. Though Lopez has been remarkably durable throughout his three-year NBA career, as he has yet to miss a game, foot injuries among big men raise red flags.
Further, New Jersey lost its remaining salary-cap space by acquiring Okur in the wake of Lopez's injury. A previous perk of potentially trading Howard to New Jersey was its ability to use its cap space to absorb Hedo Turkoglu's contract in the transaction. The Nets have now lost that ability.
Given that the Mavericks have precious little to offer in terms of trade assets, with scoring machine Rodrigue Beaubois being their only young player of note, the Lakers may have emerged as the favorites to land Howard if Orlando decides to trade him prior to the March 15 deadline. The Lakers can offer 24-year-old center Andrew Bynum and 10-year veteran big man Pau Gasol, but Lopez's injury gives them some leverage. Knowing that none of Howard's other destinations can offer a truly attractive trade package, L.A. can reduce its offer to include either Gasol or Bynum.
Lopez has averaged 17.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in his career, while Bynum's averages stand at 10.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks. Orlando is unlikely to land a better young talent than Lopez or Bynum in a trade for Howard.
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The way I see it, unless LA offers both Bynum and Gasol, Dwight will be in Orlando for the entire season.
Might be a blessing in disguise for the Nets though, since there’s a possibility they get Dwight next summer and keep Brook and Deron Williams.
Supporting from Hawai'i
Deron wont stay if they dont get Howard
He will most likely just sign with Dallas since they have Dirk
I probably know Judo! How many of you can make the same boast?
by Souwantmyname on Dec 23, 2011 6:54 PM EST up reply actions
Looks like D12 will be with the Magic at least until the trade deadline now
The Magic can focus on Howard being with the team, and hopefully play well so Dwight will want to stay.
Best wishes to Brook Lopez for a speedy recovery and that he can come back at 100% for the Nets.
Chicago Blackhawks... 2010 Stanley Cup Champions
Chicago Bears... 2010 NFC North Champion
Orlando Magic... 1995 and 2009 Eastern Conference Champions
by Mike from Illinois on Dec 23, 2011 12:56 AM EST reply actions
hey #englishmajor
“As he’ll be a free agent in the summer of 2012, Howard has some leverage in any trade situation, as he can scare potential trade partners off by declaring he would not re-sign with that team in free agency.”
That syntax is a mess.
That was unnecessary.
Even though you’re right.
by Mr. Hyde on Dec 23, 2011 1:31 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I'll do the writing and you can do the commenting.
by Evan Dunlap on Dec 23, 2011 11:36 AM EST up reply actions 6 recs
OOOOOOOOOOH
"If Dwight spent more time practicing and less time b!tching, then maybe he’d be playing a little better." -My Mom
No real chance that we trade Dwight to NJ now.
That possible went poof when:
- Lopez broke his foot
- Nets used their cap space that could have absorbed Hedo’s contract
If the only other options are Lakers and they aren’t offering BOTH Bynum + Gasol then I say roll the dice to see if he blinks first and is willing to screw over Orlando and lose $30 million…
by ap3604 on Dec 23, 2011 1:32 AM EST reply actions
With no Dwight we will be getting a top 5 pick sooner
I probably know Judo! How many of you can make the same boast?
by Souwantmyname on Dec 23, 2011 7:01 PM EST up reply actions
I'm SO stoked to hear this...
If for no other reason than the fact that now maybe all of the trolling Net fans will finally stay away!!!!
They can trade Okur for Hedo.
Okur expires after this season so he would be off the books. In other words, they can still absorb Hedo.
FEAR THE MEER!
by bandrewg08 on Dec 23, 2011 2:31 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Magic fans & Nets fans are both overreacting to this
This does not mean that there is no chance that Dwight Howard is traded to NJ.
Howard for Lopez was never an even trade and was always the Magic’s last resort so the fact that he broke his foot does not mean much. The Magic were never interested in him for a playoff push this year.
The Okur trade does not mean that the Nets cannot take on Hedo’s contract. It means that the Magic would have to wait until March 1st and then the deal would return Okur (who is an expiring contract and therefore is the same thing).
Since, it seems, that the Magic had no intention of trading Howard before the season this has little to no effect at all.
If heading into the trade deadline the Magic are performing badly and the organization feels that re-signing Howard is unlikely they will trade him. If the Nets offer is the best one on the table they will trade him to the Nets.
Brook’s broken foot is causing a lot of sound and fury but… you know the rest.
RAWR! (╯°□°）╯︵ ƃuıuɹnqǝʞı˥ǝʇsɐ┴ɐ
by aTasteLikeBurning on Dec 23, 2011 2:37 AM EST reply actions
Eh...
I think Magic/Nets fans are overreating if they think this development makes Howard as a Net “impossible”. But you’re also not facing the very real hurdles this creates in facilitating a trade between the two teams.
What it does do is kill any possibility of a trade with the Nets for right now. Considering they seemed to be the frontrunner, that’s pretty big.
by The BBQ Chicken Madness on Dec 23, 2011 9:50 AM EST up reply actions
I really hope
Otis Smith does Not trade our two best players-who lead us to the 2009 NBA Finals-for an overrated player with a broken foot and an expiring contract of a player we obviously will not resign. This would hurt us more than seeing if Dwight Howard leaves or not.
This is starting to look like a case of Stockholm Syndrome among some Magic fans-wanting a trade where we get deliberately exploited by a future NYC team.
Orlando must stick up for itself.
by Green Bull on Dec 23, 2011 3:08 AM EST via iPhone app reply actions 1 recs
Crappy trade gets crappier
So we can choose between an overrated center with bad knees or an overrated center with a bad foot. Hurray.
Yugly.
Looks like the foot problem is hereditary
Robin Lopez had the exact same surgery in 2009.
Can we just start playing games on the court already?!
Gasol is the only good dependable big that we could get for Howard
I probably know Judo! How many of you can make the same boast?
by Souwantmyname on Dec 23, 2011 7:04 PM EST up reply actions
Nets fans will be quick to point out, however, that this broken foot has more potential than any other broken foot in the league.
I don't get the whole 'pop-tart cats pooping rainbows thing,' but then, I'm old. So, there it is.
by Redfield on Dec 23, 2011 8:41 AM EST reply actions 13 recs
You sir, win the internet for the day
"I'm a little dysfunctional
You're the problem, Please don't awakin me
And I'm that way cause back in the day
Most have forsaken me"
perfect post lol
I probably know Judo! How many of you can make the same boast?
by Souwantmyname on Dec 23, 2011 7:04 PM EST up reply actions
Hopefully now
we can just focus on being the best team we can be for now. I think 2+ months should give us an idea if we need to blow it up or not. If we are a top 4 team in the east and Howard still wants to leave I would lean towards the Laker deal if we could get Bynum and Gasol.
by Satch30 on Dec 23, 2011 10:16 AM EST via mobile reply actions
This doesn't really help LA if you ask me
They run the risk of losing out on Dwight if they don’t comply with Orlando’s trade request. LA cannot sign him as a free agent. So Orlando can just tell LA to suck an egg and they’ll risk losing him as a free agent to someone other than them and see if that makes LA blink. That was always going to be LA’s only chance. They know it, we know it. And as others have said, this doesn’t really change anything except the deal won’t happen immediately now, which I felt was unlikely at best, anyway.
That only works if LA thinks we're going to let him see free agency.
Didn’t Martin claim this wouldn’t be a repeat of Shaq?
I think that’s why people assume that Dwight won’t have the chance to walk. As long as we’re making promises like that then we don’t have that leverage really.
Dwight leaving Orlando...
Last night I dreamed we traded Dwight to Utah.
Woke up sad.
I'm a guy, too!
Looking forward to the shortest off-season ever - next year!!
We might be able to 2 swing 2 bigs out of the 4 they have in
Jefferson, Millsap, Favors,r Enes Canter
I probably know Judo! How many of you can make the same boast?
by Souwantmyname on Dec 23, 2011 7:07 PM EST up reply actions
Man you gotta get it together..
don’t worry, we got Otis on our side..oh wait, time to hit the Prozac.
This might be insane but…if Howard to LA is a foregone conclusion…and Deron decides he isnt going to resign with the Nets…could LA possibly trade Kobe, Bynum and Gasol in some combination to Orlando and NJ for Deron and Howard…with NJ and Orlando exchanging some minor pieces to round out the teams?
I think Kobe would tell the Lakers to take that trade and shove it where the sun don't shine.
Please leave a message, I'm busy hiding my cat from TGS.
by malenko on Dec 24, 2011 3:25 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
I want your knowledge opinion...
Do you think Dwight consider AGAIN to stay If Otis is out? Maybe he already request that to the owners, who knows… and second, why the owners seem to be so calm about this situation? Do they already give up?
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