****Dwight Howard Discussion Thread****

[BusBoyIsBack]

In an effort to avoid weeks / months / etc. of Dwight Howard discussion, speculation, etc. we are going to create two threads (1) for discussion of Dwight and (2) for news updates. Please don't create new topics on this as all this will do is create extra work for the moderators and annoy posters already sensitive to information overload on this issue.

The "news" thread is not intended for discussion - simply for posting of new articles, etc. for easy perusal of readers. The discussion thread is intended for all the comment, debate, etc.

Thanks for your help!

AHF / Dolfan

Starting with BusBoyIsBack's post:

It's the most inconvenient truth in sports right now

ESPN never really liked us, but now they are going out of their way to not report on the obvious.

Really the media in general is missing the boat on this one.

With the Nets, OFFICIALLY out of the Howard trade talks right now, it's basically between us and the Lakers

And the Lakers deal with the Rockets was an absolute insult that only included draft picks and expiring contracts.

With our deal we can give them draft picks AND legitimate players in return.

There is no better offer on the table period, and the media would have to be deliberately avoiding this truth not to report it

Edited July 16, 2012 by Dolfan23

[drzachary]

Maybe it's not on the table.

[WillBarrow]

Maybe it's not on the table.

Bingo!

[phoostal]

The only thing I will say is the Lakers would have the best deal if Bynum agrees to an extension to the Magic. Also, like the good Doc said we don't know exactly what we are offering. We might not be offering Horford due to the fact Howard will not sign and extension.

[BusBoyIsBack]

Maybe it's not on the table.

Danny Ferry is an intelligent enough GM to know you have to have a superstar to win in this league. And they media has sporadically admitted that we are seeking a trade But that's when they thought Nets deal would go through. Now that Nets deal is dead total blackout on our deal

[drzachary]

I'm the first to criticize ESPN, because they're, well, useless assclowns. They employ total hacks like Rob Parker and routinely get the basics wrong, and continually remind us that sports writers/pundits/etc, with a few exceptions, aren't real journalists.ESPN: The Sports Network of Last Resort™ <-- my preferred slogan.That said, I think this has been the most POSITIVE coverage of the Hawks in any offseason I've seen in a while. When Joe was sent packing, the NBA section of their site actually featured the Hawks and mentioned how they could be in play for DH+CP3.

[BusBoyIsBack]

The only thing I will say is the Lakers would have the best deal if Bynum agrees to an extension to the Magic. Also, like the good Doc said we don't know exactly what we are offering. We might not be offering Horford due to the fact Howard will not sign and extension.

That Big "IF" is the problem. And the latest Lakers deal didn't even have Howard going to Orlando he was going to Houston. So Orlando was literallly getting nothing in terms of impact players in return. And even if Bynum was going to ORL with a guarantee he would re-sign (which he would never do if he was in his right mind), Horford, Teague, and picks >>>>> just Bynum straight up The gap between Horford and Bynum isn't THAT great enough to justify that being a better deal

[ATLHawks3]

Hollinger is the only one from ESPN who thinks the Hawks have a legitamate chance to get Howard.

[BusBoyIsBack]

I'm the first to criticize ESPN, because they're, well, useless assclowns. They employ total hacks like Rob Parker and routinely get the basics wrong, and continually remind us that sports writers/pundits/etc, with a few exceptions, aren't real journalists. ESPN: The Sports Network of Last Resort™ <-- my preferred slogan. That said, I think this has been the most POSITIVE coverage of the Hawks in any offseason I've seen in a while. When Joe was sent packing, the NBA section of their site actually featured the Hawks and mentioned how they could be in play for DH+CP3.

That Paul/Howard talks was in discussion for FA 2013, and it was in between the concept of Dwight Howard going to the Nets. Im telling you as soon as they thought Howard going to Nets was certainty they didn't mind mentioning us as a footnote. But the more and more it looked like he wasn't going to Nets they were pushing Lakers, Lakers, Lakers. Maybe it's more of a pro-Lakers thing than anti-Hawks, but they were deliberately not discussing us because it would have to be intentional to not compare our deal to the crappy deal with that 3 way trade with teh Rockets

[LucastheThird]

If we do pull this trade out, I want to watch ESPN just to see who blatantly lies about knowing the Hawks were gonna get him all along.

[drzachary]

Here's the thing: we know about as much as they do. I think Jay Walker tweeted recently that you constantly see news from "sources" that invalidates what those same sources were saying prior. Believe it when you see the photo of the player holding up the jersey (for Braves/Bravesjournal fans, this is known as the Furcal Rule.)

[BusBoyIsBack]

If we do pull this trade out, I want to watch ESPN just to see who blatantly lies about knowing the Hawks were gonna get him all along.

Yeah in addition to making us an instant championship contender, I want to see this trade go down for no other reason but to see ESPN have egg on their face for deliberately ignoring us in these dicussions the whole time

[BusBoyIsBack]

Here's the thing: we know about as much as they do. I think Jay Walker tweeted recently that you constantly see news from "sources" that invalidates what those same sources were saying prior. Believe it when you see the photo of the player holding up the jersey (for Braves/Bravesjournal fans, this is known as the Furcal Rule.)

I understand the concept of "sources" are just that "sources", but you have to admit they would have no problem running with those "sources" if we weren't the Hawks and were some other more favorable team in their eyes

[Plainview1981]

That Paul/Howard talks was in discussion for FA 2013, and it was in between the concept of Dwight Howard going to the Nets. Im telling you as soon as they thought Howard going to Nets was certainty they didn't mind mentioning us as a footnote. But the more and more it looked like he wasn't going to Nets they were pushing Lakers, Lakers, Lakers. Maybe it's more of a pro-Lakers thing than anti-Hawks, but they were deliberately not discussing us because it would have to be intentional to not compare our deal to the crappy deal with that 3 way trade with teh Rockets

I think you're right. The media is biased. When the draft was according they barely even addressed the Hawks pick. This has been an issue going back to at least the Mookie/Smith/Deke days. The Hawks were looked at as a speed bump back then and it's no different now.

[Uuus]

I think/hope Ferry is offering a package centered around Josh Smith. Yeah yeah, I know that we feel we need to have Smith here in order for Dwight to resign with us, but hear me out. Since Dwight hasn't agreed to resign with us (with his buddy Smoove here already) and since Smith isn't impressed with Ferry's moves so far (http://blogs.ajc.com/hawks/2012/07/09/atlanta-hawks-danny-ferry-tries-to-ease-josh-smiths-concerns/) , there's no way I'm trading Al Horford for a one year rental of Dwight. But I would trade Josh Smith for that 1 year rental. If Dwight doesn't resign with us, then its the same as Smith leaving at the end of next year, but we actually get a buzz at Phillips/Atlanta for a year. And we still have Horford to build around (who is a leader, a 2 time AllStar and someone that I would much rather build around than JSmoove).Also, while its great to play with your buddies, winning is more important. The combo of Howard-Horford is a better fit than Howard-Smith and will lead to more wins. At the end of the season, with Dwight's preferred destination-Brooklyn-out of the equation, we have Dwight's bird rights and a possibility of adding CP3 to the mix. A big 3 of Dwight-Al-CP3 would be lethal. Also, I'm sure Ferry would be working all season long at changing our front office perception around the league and making us more respectable as a franchise. These things lead me to believe that we'd have a great shot at resigning Dwight. Also, I believe I read (somewhere on here) that when Dwight was asked about 5 guys he'd like to play with, Smoove was not on the list but Anthony Morrow was. Well, Morrow is here in Atlanta and we have that in our pockets to appease Dwight's desire to play with a buddy. I'm not sure on the specifics of how we could do this, but I sure hope Ferry is exploring it. If Orlando isn't directly interested in Smoove for a year (where they can see if he can be the man to build around or let him go for capspace at the end of the year) then maybe we can go thru Houston. I think Houston was interested in Smoove before.

[ATLHawks3]

I think/hope Ferry is offering a package centered around Josh Smith. Yeah yeah, I know that we feel we need to have Smith here in order for Dwight to resign with us, but hear me out. Since Dwight hasn't agreed to resign with us (with his buddy Smoove here already) and since Smith isn't impressed with Ferry's moves so far (http://blogs.ajc.com...miths-concerns/) , there's no way I'm trading Al Horford for a one year rental of Dwight. But I would trade Josh Smith for that 1 year rental. If Dwight doesn't resign with us, then its the same as Smith leaving at the end of next year, but we actually get a buzz at Phillips/Atlanta for a year. And we still have Horford to build around (who is a leader, a 2 time AllStar and someone that I would much rather build around than JSmoove). Also, while its great to play with your buddies, winning is more important. The combo of Howard-Horford is a better fit than Howard-Smith and will lead to more wins. At the end of the season, with Dwight's preferred destination-Brooklyn-out of the equation, we have Dwight's bird rights and a possibility of adding CP3 to the mix. A big 3 of Dwight-Al-CP3 would be lethal. Also, I'm sure Ferry would be working all season long at changing our front office perception around the league and making us more respectable as a franchise. These things lead me to believe that we'd have a great shot at resigning Dwight. Also, I believe I read (somewhere on here) that when Dwight was asked about 5 guys he'd like to play with, Smoove was not on the list but Anthony Morrow was. Well, Morrow is here in Atlanta and we have that in our pockets to appease Dwight's desire to play with a buddy. I'm not sure on the specifics of how we could do this, but I sure hope Ferry is exploring it. If Orlando isn't directly interested in Smoove for a year (where they can see if he can be the man to build around or let him go for capspace at the end of the year) then maybe we can go thru Houston. I think Houston was interested in Smoove before.

If this was a possibility, then Dwight would be a Laker by now because Bynum isn't resigning with ORL, if he gets traded.

[Uuus]

If this was a possibility, then Dwight would be a Laker by now because Bynum isn't resigning with ORL, if he gets traded.

Yeah, but we can offer young talent (Teauge), expirings (any of the guys from the Nets trade-I believe they can be traded again, its just signed free agents that you can't trade immediately...correct me if i'm wrong), and draft picks (I don't believe Lakers have any left after the Nash trade) in addition to Smoove. And if we go thru Houston, perhaps they have a better chance of convincing Smoove to resign there than they do of Bynum. Edited July 12, 2012 by Uuus

[ATLHawks3]

Yeah, but we can offer young talent (Teauge), expirings (any of the guys from the Nets trade-I believe they can be traded again, its just signed free agents that you can't trade immediately...correct me if i'm wrong), and draft picks (I don't believe Lakers have any left after the Nash trade) in addition to Smoove. And if we go thru Houston, perhaps they have a better chance of convincing Smoove to resign there than they do of Bynum.

If I was the Magic, I would first look at what LA is willing to give up, which would be Bynum. He's the 2nd best center in the league, and if both are going to leave the teams they got traded to, why not trade? The reason they haven't been traded is because ORL isn't stupid and they would want a long term committment. If we were to offer Smith to Orl, it would be basically the same thing. Offer Smith/Expiring/Draft Pick - Which would be in the late first round, it wouldn't be attractive at all. That's why it makes more sense to deal Horford/Teague/1st for Howard.

[Pmeehan]

Actually espn said today that we have the best package for Dwight Howard. I couldn't believe my ears

[MaceCase]

Actually espn said today that we have the best package for Dwight Howard. I couldn't believe my ears

Potential package. I can't for the life of me understand how or why people haven't reconciled this yet. The Nets package is out there. The Rockets package is out there. The Lakers package is out there. All there is on the Hawks package is what people on this messageboard are speculating is out there. Most reports have been emphatic that Al isn't on the table though.