The newest rumor

[thecampster]

So the newest rumor out there is that The Clippers are going to send a package to The Lakers in a sign and trade for Dwight Howard. This along with getting Rivers to coach and KG at PF (nightmare) would be the trick to have Paul stay. The deal would involve giving up their picks, Blake Griffin (to the Lakers), DeAndre Jordan to the Celtics and all hinges on them giving up Bledsoe as well and to which party.

Assuming these deals go down, Howard and Paul will be off the market without any team with cap room in FA participating.

So if you are the Hawks, now what do you do? If this deal goes down, expect Smith back for that 14 million a year I keep saying. Expect Teague back @ at least 8 million per. This will leave us with approximately 11 million in cap room.

Why Smith and Teague will be back.

The NBA has a minimum team salary each team must meet. In 2013 that number rises to 90% of the cap. With an expected cap of 58.4 million, that equates to a minimum team salary of $52.56 million.

As covered in numerous other topics the Hawks have 4 players under contract that should be back next year and 2 incoming first round picks. Not including holds that = approximately 22.4 million in salary. Meaning the Hawks are 30.16 million short of meeting the NBA minimum team salary and only 7 slots to fill. We will either be overpaying for our own players or for other people's players. Expect both back if this LA deal goes down.

Signing both for 22 million total = a cap number of 44.4 million (approximate) + holds, with 5 slots to fill. Expect one quality big to take up the majority of the remaining money (my guess would be Bynum, Jefferson or Pekovic) and then 4 players to fill out the rest.

And as far as the "deal is all but dead", that's a sure sign 2 weeks before free agency/draft happenings that its truly on and the teams are just gauging fan interest.

[KB21]

Josh Smith will not be resigned regardless, IMO. Danny Ferry isn't going to spend money just because he has it.

Instead, I would look for Danny Ferry to try and bring in a few players on one year deals and work on developing young players while the Hawks maintain their competitiveness on the court.

[NekiEcko]

There is no way that Clippers is going to trade with Lakers, no chance in hell.

But I dont think that ether deal is going to happen at all.

[DrReality]

As I said before. If it happens the good news would be it happened early so we could regroup. Your plan is plausible

[Admin]

Nothing to see here. It's speculation from some guy that nobody around here has ever heard of.

To cut to the chase, the Clippers have not offered it, and, I was just told by someone with knowledge of the consternation among the Clippers, won’t. Even if was more like a notion they were toying with than a plan, I can tell you where it started.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

How many times have we all heard stories of the Clippers going through this masquerade of talk of trading Jordan, Griffin, or Bledsoe... And yet they are still there. They almost let the CP3 deal fall through because they are so hell bent on keeping Bledsoe. They were looking at dangling Jordan at the deadline this season, but was heavily advised not to. They have labeled Griffin as "untouchable". In essence, they would be trading a young, talented center in Jordan, the face of their franchise in Griffin, and their prized-hen Bledsoe for Dwight, an OLD KG, Doc Rivers, and a one-year chance at getting a title. After next season, they would be left in cap hell with CP3 and Dwight and no real way to get that third guy or build a bench. Atlanta is still the best option for both players because Horford and Lou aren't going anywhere, Ferry is a draft master, and our coaching staff will be second only to SAS. The LA Swap will not happen because the Lakers will look at this as making their hallway mates stronger and giving them the city. They will also look at Griffin and know that he is not the guy that they want to succeed Kobe and as a cap-eater. These guys WILL see FAncy.

Edited June 17, 2013 by PSSSHHHRRR87

[NBASupes]

Not sure why this thread got 1 starred but yeah, it's not happening. LA will either sign Howard or they are going to go for broke in 2014 in FA.

[yungsta]

the lakers will never trade with the clippers. They rather let dwight walk then Sign and trade him to the clippers for griffin.

[Plainview1981]

So the newest rumor out there is that The Clippers are going to send a package to The Lakers in a sign and trade for Dwight Howard. This along with getting Rivers to coach and KG at PF (nightmare) would be the trick to have Paul stay. The deal would involve giving up their picks, Blake Griffin (to the Lakers), DeAndre Jordan to the Celtics and all hinges on them giving up Bledsoe as well and to which party.

Assuming these deals go down, Howard and Paul will be off the market without any team with cap room in FA participating.

So if you are the Hawks, now what do you do? If this deal goes down, expect Smith back for that 14 million a year I keep saying. Expect Teague back @ at least 8 million per. This will leave us with approximately 11 million in cap room.

Why Smith and Teague will be back.

The NBA has a minimum team salary each team must meet. In 2013 that number rises to 90% of the cap. With an expected cap of 58.4 million, that equates to a minimum team salary of $52.56 million.

As covered in numerous other topics the Hawks have 4 players under contract that should be back next year and 2 incoming first round picks. Not including holds that = approximately 22.4 million in salary. Meaning the Hawks are 30.16 million short of meeting the NBA minimum team salary and only 7 slots to fill. We will either be overpaying for our own players or for other people's players. Expect both back if this LA deal goes down.

Signing both for 22 million total = a cap number of 44.4 million (approximate) + holds, with 5 slots to fill. Expect one quality big to take up the majority of the remaining money (my guess would be Bynum, Jefferson or Pekovic) and then 4 players to fill out the rest.

And as far as the "deal is all but dead", that's a sure sign 2 weeks before free agency/draft happenings that its truly on and the teams are just gauging fan interest.

That should be considered a failure and a sign that this franchise has no future. Josh and Jeff are losers and you will never win anything with them as key guys. It's all but fact.

No more Josh/Al combo. It's been a failure and it will be a failure in the future if it remains.

Edited June 17, 2013 by Hotlanta1981

[Plainview1981]

Josh Smith will not be resigned regardless, IMO. Danny Ferry isn't going to spend money just because he has it.

Instead, I would look for Danny Ferry to try and bring in a few players on one year deals and work on developing young players while the Hawks maintain their competitiveness on the court.

I don't want to see Josh Smith back again unless he accepts something like 8 million. And even then I would still hate watching him.

I'm so done with him.

[IllestPamfilis]

Once I saw Doc wanted to go to the Clippers I immediately thought this. Like many though, I don't see the L.A. teams swapping stars like this, both not wanting to take the risk to look back at this move as the Lakers demise and the Clippers rise in L.A. or vice versa...On another note it DOES work for both squads. Lakers get younger and Clippers are immediately a Championship favorite.

Edited June 17, 2013 by IllestPamfilis

[JTB]

Guys Im a desperate son of a gun and be glad Im not the GM because at this point I would just be tampering on purpose and do my best to keep it hidden!

I mean Im only tampering if I really believe in these rumors or feel something is about to go down! Im not letting it happen that easily if I can help it.

[NBASupes]

We had the best offer for Dwight Howard and Orlando wouldn't even talk to us because we are rivals in the same division. Not fair but it is what it is.

[yungsta]

I don't want to see Josh Smith back again unless he accepts something like 8 million. And even then I would still hate watching him.

I'm so done with him.

I dont want jbrick back in any scenario at any cost. He is the prime example what has been wrong with the hawk's personnel for the last decade or so.

Low IQ

Soft

No competitive drive

Quitting mentality

[TheRedStripes]

I dont want jbrick back in any scenario at any cost. He is the prime example what has been wrong with the hawk's personnel for the last decade or so.

Low IQ

Soft

No competitive drive

Quitting mentality

I have always liked Josh. He has so much natural ability and he could be a dominant player if he would play within his limits. Unfortunately after all these years of watching him it is very obvious he is never going to play to his strengths. I also am sick of watching him waste all that talent by trying to be a player he is not. I would not want him back on the team, but I do wish there was a way to get something back and not just lose him without any compensation.

[IllestPamfilis]

No more Josh Smith please. Pekovic(sp)? Jefferson?

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

I mean seriously... Name a time when a team traded a key guy to another team in the same division, city, or to a rival. It just doesn't happen. The only instances I can think of is when the Chicago Blackhawks traded Chris Chelios to the Red Wings and when the Suns trade Steve Nash last season to the Lakers (which was a winning bargain for the Suns).

[MaceCase]

I mean seriously... Name a time when a team traded a key guy to another team in the same division, city, or to a rival. It just doesn't happen. The only instances I can think of is when the Chicago Blackhawks traded Chris Chelios to the Red Wings and when the Suns trade Steve Nash last season to the Lakers (which was a winning bargain for the Suns).

Even then with Nash it was a goodwill gesture for all he did for the Suns franchise and sticking it out with them for all those latter years when they both knew the team wasn't going anywhere. Dwight sure as f*** hasn't earned that kind of clout or admiration with his lone nightmare season though.

[Alex]

I have been on the Dwight to LAL bandwagon for weeks now. It wasn't serious at first, but it would be pretty funny if this happened. Even funnier would be if somehow Paul left town and Howard was all alone on the Clippers.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

I really think that Paul living wouldn't be a killing blow to what LAC is. Paul knows they are a regular season team... With Bledsoe starting in the place of Paul, they are still a great regular season team.