Dwight to Lakers

[DigitalDownsJoe]

Shaq Jr, off to the west coast. Everyone improved and the magic are left as the worst team in the NBA. I guess they can draft another first pick, make em miserable for a couple years and send them packing to LA?? As for the Lakers, you have to think with them somehow keeping Gasol, that that has to make them the favorites to win the title this year. They lose injury prone Bynum, big deal, I never liked that guy anyways...

[redshift1]

Miami still favored with Lakers jumping to second spot. James will not be driving and scoring at will like this years finals. Thunder still a threat.

[dav4463]

David Stern would be happy with a four team league. Lakers, Heat, Celtics, and Bulls could just play each other over and over.

I hate that players pretty much dictate where they want to play.

Then when some of their players lose some ability, they would be able to raid the minor league (all of the other teams) and take their best players to keep the big guys on top.

It's a miracle how the Spurs won four titles this past decade without being one of the favored few.

[cj]

I still think the Thunder are better than the Lakers.

[Striker]

David Stern would be happy with a four team league. Lakers, Heat, Celtics, and Bulls could just play each other over and over.

The Bulls will be in some serious trouble next year IMO. Rose is out for at least a good portion of the season and Deng is still needing wrist surgery and could be out for a little while also. They lost Asik who was very valuable coming off the bench filling in for Noah, who almost certainly be injured at some point this season. The Bulls bench is completely revamped with Korver, CJ Wilson, Ronnie Brewer, John Lucas all gone. Getting Kirk Hinrich back will help ease those losses a tad but the other signings of Nazr Mohamed and Radmanovic aren't anything to get excited about.

[elysiantraveller]

I still think the Thunder are better than the Lakers.

Yep.

1) Heat
2) Thunder
3) Lakers

A healthy Thunder team beats a healthy Lakers team in 6 IMO. Gasol is a shell of himself, Howard is much closer to Bynum mentally than most think, how useful is Steve Nash really going to be in that offense?...

Could it work? Sure. But even if it does the Thunder still match up just fine with them.

[Robert Fischer]

The Heat have a team on par with the 96' Bulls (72 win season).

They should win ≥ 65 games and cakewalk to the finals.

The addition of Howard to the Lakers makes them somewhere near the level of OKC.

That isn't going to be enough to stop a pretty much pre-ordained 3peat by the heat.

the longshot-
This is one of those possible "greater-than-the-sum-of-it's-parts" scenarios. The given is that this takes pressure off of Steve Nash. The hope of Laker's fans is that Howard can elevate his game playing for a winner, and be a more complete player.

[Canarsie]

I still think the Thunder are better than the Lakers.

I tend to agree but its really to early to access the season. Who knows what additional moves will be made.

For the Thunder to repeat as Western Conference Champions Durant has to take hold of this team. Its his anyway from the moment training camp starts he has to be the leader in the locker room not a poinjt guard who is at the end of his career.

Who knows how Howard will respond to back surgery. As one who suffers through back pain its not a pleasant thing to endure. Nash is thirty eight and one of my favorite players but father time can catch up to him this year pretty quickly. Somehow I get the feeling if he drives to the rack he's going to get hammered more than he ever experienced before.

[DigitalDownsJoe]

Im a little bitter, because I am an Orlando fan. I hate that the players dictate the league. He cried for 2 years and played when he felt like it. He is not as good as shaq in his prime, I am just mad we didnt get ANYTHING DECENT FOR HIM! Yea lets give him away and get some bums and clear up some salary room so we can get 2 top 3 picks the next three years. Meanwhile the magic suck once again...I can say this, I enjoyed magic basketball a few years back with "heart and hustle" maybe they will bring it back and I get to atleast see some good effort on the court. I can also watch the lakers who wont need DH to do much on the offensive end other then clean up some missed Kobe/Nash threes and block 8 shots a game. The lakers are the best team in the league now(if they gel) I dont see how they wont be.

[mountainman]

Howard is tons better than Bynum. If Kobe can somehow restrain himself from heaving up 30 foot fall-aways, the lakes are in great shape now.

Have come, however, to dislike Howard intensely. Always thought his van gundy impersonations mean-spirited and inappropriate, and can't beLIEVE he's already doing Kobe.

[cj]

Howard is tons better than Bynum. If Kobe can somehow restrain himself from heaving up 30 foot fall-aways, the lakes are in great shape now.

Have come, however, to dislike Howard intensely. Always thought his van gundy impersonations mean-spirited and inappropriate, and can't beLIEVE he's already doing Kobe.

Good luck with Kobe and sharing the ball.

As for Howard, I'm not buying this back thing was as minor as we were told. In any case, it will be a short run, then the Lakers will have to buy some new players.

[dav4463]

I still think the Thunder are better than the Lakers.

Until the league decides that they are getting too good and finds a way to send a few of their players to the Lakers or Celtics!

[cj]

Until the league decides that they are getting too good and finds a way to send a few of their players to the Lakers or Celtics!

We'll see. The penalties the Lakers will owe in a few years are insanely high, even for a big market team with a great TV deal. There is no way they can maintain that kind of spending.

[redshift1]

Dr Jerry Buss worth $600 million plus what ever the Laker organization earns including the T.V. rights.

[cj]

Dr Jerry Buss worth $600 million plus what ever the Laker organization earns including the T.V. rights.

I don't think he wants to pay $200 million in luxury tax in one season no matter how much money he has.

[Canarsie]

I don't think he wants to pay $200 million in luxury tax in one season no matter how much money he has.

If this article becomes fact I will admit to being wrong and proclaim myself an "idiot". No biggie many think that already. :D

The Lakers are going to pay a serious luxury tax because they can afford it

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/dwight-howard-tow-lakers-facing-huge-luxury-tax-235034960--nba.html


Los Angeles Lakers: Dwight Howard Deal Will Cause Huge Luxury Tax

http://www.rantsports.com/los-angeles-lakers/2012/08/15/los-angeles-lakers-dwight-howard-deal-will-cause-huge-luxury-tax/

[Robert Fischer]

Regardless of stuff like Luxury Tax, the NBA is a business first and foremost. Certain franchises are better commodities than others.

Same is true with the players. It's no accident Jordan got to play with all stars and win 72 games in a single season along with 3-peats...
Same is true with Lebron James.

[redshift1]

Lakers T.V. deal worth 3 billion, makes sense to put an attractive package together for the first few years. I see maybe two years for the current laker contingent.

Bryant
Gasol
Artest
Nash

All are in the last 2-3 years of their careers even if the team pays them longer.

Will be glad to see Bryant go ability notwithstanding.


http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22748484/27529082

.

[cj]

Regardless of stuff like Luxury Tax, the NBA is a business first and foremost. Certain franchises are better commodities than others.

Same is true with the players. It's no accident Jordan got to play with all stars and win 72 games in a single season along with 3-peats...
Same is true with Lebron James.

Jordan played for one of the all time cheap owners. You couldn't be more wrong on this one.

[ElKabong]

If this article becomes fact I will admit to being wrong and proclaim myself an "idiot". No biggie many think that already. :D

The Lakers are going to pay a serious luxury tax because they can afford it

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/dwight-howard-tow-lakers-facing-huge-luxury-tax-235034960--nba.html


Los Angeles Lakers: Dwight Howard Deal Will Cause Huge Luxury Tax

http://www.rantsports.com/los-angeles-lakers/2012/08/15/los-angeles-lakers-dwight-howard-deal-will-cause-huge-luxury-tax/

Or they could do what Hicks, etc etc did....Spend incredible amounts of $$ on player salaries, then when it looks like the bubble is about to burst you put your hand out to the league office for "loans", sell the franchise, take your profit ---allthewhile solidfying more business / sponsorships contacts for other ventures for other franchises.

'That game won't last forever, but grab it while you can'......it's all such nonsense, really

[BlueShoe]

Good luck with Kobe and sharing the ball.
Nash will see to it that Kobe gets his shots. The thing about Nash that I like is that he makes the other players better. He will pass up the good shot and pass the ball to another man that has an even better shot. Assuming a resonably healthy Howard, these two additions should send the Lakers deep into the playoffs and perhaps all the way.

[cj]

Nash will see to it that Kobe gets his shots. The thing about Nash that I like is that he makes the other players better. He will pass up the good shot and pass the ball to another man that has an even better shot. Assuming a resonably healthy Howard, these two additions should send the Lakers deep into the playoffs and perhaps all the way.

Kobe will see to it that Kobe gets his shots.

There is no denying the Lakers are better, I'm just not sure they are good enough and it won't last long. Kobe isn't what he was, neither is Nash, and Howard is a head case coming off a serious injury. Who knows which Gasol will show up?

[Hosshead]

The one important piece to the puzzle that the Lakers didn't get (yet),
.. is a new coach. Too bad.

[BlueShoe]

The one important piece to the puzzle that the Lakers didn't get (yet),
.. is a new coach. Too bad.
Hinting that they should bring Phil back??

[Striker]

Same is true with the players. It's no accident Jordan got to play with all stars and win 72 games in a single season along with 3-peats...

The only reason the Bulls won 72 games in the 95-96 season was because of the strength of their bench that included Steve Kerr, Bill Wennington, Toni Kukoc, Randy Brown, and Jud Buechler. Yes it helped getting Rodman on defense but the only all stars on that squad were still Jordan and Pippen. Without those guys coming off the bench they do not even finish close to 72 games.

[Hosshead]

Hinting that they should bring Phil back??
If only that was possible.

After the last season ended, there was a poll on the L.A. evening T.V. news, asking if Mike Brown should be fired and bring in a new head coach.
The result was about 90% in Favor of getting rid of him.
Magic Johnson predicted this reaction from the fans long before the end of the season.

Almost ANY coach would be better ! (but probably won't happen)

[BlueShoe]

Almost ANY coach would be better ! (but probably won't happen)
So, what is Lenny Wilkens doing these days, is he avilable? ;) :D