Merged: CP3 and D12 trying to team-up via Multiple Sources

[NBASupes]

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[NBASupes]

CP3, Jenkins, Horford, and Dwight

[GameTime]

Paul and Howard will be the biggest free agents on the market this summer and their desire is to play together, the sources said. "They would love to play together if somebody can make it happen," one of the sources said. The Atlanta Hawks could make it happen. Atlanta, which is Howard's hometown, has the cap room to sign both players to maximum-salaried contracts. Howard is not particularly fond of the idea of returning to Atlanta, but he would do so to team up with Paul, the sources said. But Paul, despite recently being upset with the Clippers over the perception that he got coach Vinny Del Negro fired, is unlikely to leave Los Angeles, one source said. He has gotten over his anger with the club and likes living in Los Angeles. "It would be very tough for him to go to Atlanta," the source said. "He loved Atlanta when they should have drafted him in '05 but not so much since then. But hey, everybody is an option at this point." The preference for both players would be to play together for the Clippers, according to the sources. Because the Clippers don't have enough cap room to sign Howard as a free agent, it would take a sign-and-trade deal with the Lakers to make it happen. The Clippers would be open to working out a deal, but they fear the Lakers would never trade Howard to them, according to the sources. But while trading Howard to a team in their own building seems unthinkable, the Lakers are not likely to get a better trade package elsewhere than say, Blake Griffin and Eric Bledsoe. Sources say there was a faction of the Clippers organization that entertained the idea of trading Griffin for Howard when Howard wanted out of Orlando in 2012. But others within the franchise regarded Griffin as "untouchable" and there were never any serious discussions with Orlando. Multiple sources insist Griffin remains untouchable. But realistically he would have to be included in any deal that brought Howard to the Clippers. Paul and Howard have been communicating via text messages. This is not the first time they've talked about teaming up together. During the lockout of 2011, they spoke often about going to Dallas together to play for the Mavericks. But their subsequent trades, Howard's decision to opt into the final year of his contract in Orlando, and Dallas' current payroll situation, seemed to eliminate the possibility of them ever becoming teammates.

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/9386386/chris-paul-dwight-howard-hoping-play-together-sources

https://twitter.com/Chris_Broussard/status/345549873761882112

Edited June 14, 2013 by GameTime

[NBASupes]

Chris Paul and Dwight Howard have been in consistent contact recently about the possibility of becoming teammates next season, according to league sources.

Paul and Howard will be the biggest free agents on the market this summer and their desire is to play together, the sources said.

"They would love to play together if somebody can make it happen," one of the sources said.

The Atlanta Hawks could make it happen. Atlanta, which is Howard's hometown, has the cap room to sign both players to maximum-salaried contracts.

Howard is not particularly fond of the idea of returning to Atlanta, but he would do so to team up with Paul, the sources said.

But Paul, despite recently being upset with the Clippers over the perception that he got coach Vinny Del Negro fired, is unlikely to leave Los Angeles, one source said. He has gotten over his anger with the club and likes living in Los Angeles.

"It would be very tough for him to go to Atlanta," the source said. "He loved Atlanta when they should have drafted him in '05 but not so much since then. But hey, everybody is an option at this point."

The preference for both players would be to play together for the Clippers, according to the sources. Because the Clippers don't have enough cap room to sign Howard as a free agent, it would take a sign-and-trade deal with the Lakers to make it happen.

The Clippers would be open to working out a deal, but they fear the Lakers would never trade Howard to them, according to the sources.

But while trading Howard to a team in their own building seems unthinkable, the Lakers are not likely to get a better trade package elsewhere than say, Blake Griffin and Eric Bledsoe.

Sources say there was a faction of the Clippers organization that entertained the idea of trading Griffin for Howard when Howard wanted out of Orlando in 2012. But others within the franchise regarded Griffin as "untouchable" and there were never any serious discussions with Orlando.

Multiple sources insist Griffin remains untouchable. But realistically he would have to be included in any deal that brought Howard to the Clippers.

Paul and Howard have been communicating via text messages. This is not the first time they've talked about teaming up together.

During the lockout of 2011, they spoke often about going to Dallas together to play for the Mavericks. But their subsequent trades, Howard's decision to opt into the final year of his contract in Orlando, and Dallas' current payroll situation, seemed to eliminate the possibility of them ever becoming teammates.

Chris Paul, Dwight Howard hoping to play together - sources - ESPN Los Angeles

[Dragitoff]

Lakers can't sign & trade anyone under the new CBA can they?

[GameTime]

"Multiple Sauces" did call the Big 3 in Miami.

Edit: Now Dwight wants to come but Paul doesn't? Something isn't adding up. No way I see Dwight wanting to stay in LA if he leaves the Lakers.

Edited June 14, 2013 by GameTime

[HawkItus]

They never want to play in Atlanta :-(

[NBASupes]

LOL, the Lakers fanbase would become Clippers fans if D12 is traded to the Clippers. LA would never do that like Orlando would never trade us Howard and they can't even do a SnT right now unless they amnesty MWP and even then, they would have a LT of over 35 mil after the SnT. In other words, D12 to LAC will NEVER happen.

Edited June 14, 2013 by Leadership

[macdaddy]

Man we have to be the most successful bottom feeder in the league.

[NBASupes]

The bandwagon is coming....

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[Chinky_eyed_hawk]

I was excited this whole summer until espn got their hands in the mix. Now, not so much cause it probably wont happen anymore

Also thought Paul's comment on his feelings for the hawks, and them not drafting him were very interesting. Wonder how true that sentiment is?

[MaceCase]

I wonder what guys like Jamal and Willie have been telling Paul about the Hawks organization. I already know Josh would call Dwight every night to bitch about everything.

[NekiEcko]

We are the NBA verison of "Everybody hates Chris", seriously. This team goes to playoff on a yearly basis, still get hated on. What else does Hawks need to do?

[NBASupes]

We are the NBA verison of "Everybody hates Chris", seriously. This team goes to playoff on a yearly basis, still get hated on. What else does Hawks need to do?

It's the problem when you settle on being in the middle of the pack with no exciting players and poor fits. No one respects you.

[NBASupes]

Very true. I can only laugh at folks thinking this makes Houston the most likely landing spot for both. "Oh, all they have to do is gut their team and they can make it happen." Nobody's taking Lin's or Asik's contracts just to help the Rockets get CP3 and Howard.

Meanwhile the only team that can sign both outright is seen as the longshot.

Houston fans can dream but they don't have enough to offer even one the max right now.

Aisk will be due 15 mil/each in 2014-15. No one is taking that poison pill when one is overpaid at the MLE in Lin and the other while having a nice impact on the game gets outproduced more than he produces. In other words, if they want to play together Atlanta is their best and only legit option outside of Utah which has to move Marvin's contract.

[NBASupes]

We loved Jamal and Willie in Atlanta. It would be a surprise if they had bad things to say about Atlanta. Now Smoove will but they know how Smoove plays, his style is the not liked by most fans in the NBA.

[Guest]

I hope Chris "ugly a$$" Broussard didn't just jinx us. I hate you espn, die slow.

[Sothron]

This stuff just confirms what my old source told me that I posted earlier this week. I just pray they both decide to come to Atlanta.

[Watchman]

So we have an over-zealous sales rep that gets us fined for tampering, but these two guys, still under contract, can text each other about getting together somewhere. Why isn't the league filing tampering charges against them?

[macdaddy]

So we have an over-zealous sales rep that gets us fined for tampering, but these two guys, still under contract, can text each other about getting together somewhere. Why isn't the league filing tampering charges against them?

Players can do anything they want i think. I don't think there are any rules against them discussing these things right?