CP3 and D12!!!

[starbigd]

Clippers don't have to trade squat to Lakers, Howard isn't under contract. They can trade elsewhere to remove salary and sign him to a lower deal if he'd be willing to take it.

 

[wildturkey]

I can't see both of them playing together. Sure the Clippers would easily trade Blake Griffin and another piece to the Lakers for Dwight. But at the same time do you really want to help out your division rival in the Clippers? Then again from the Lakers standpoint, it's better to get something then nothing and Blake Griffin hasn't even hit his prime and Bledsoe is a nice addition as well.

Dallas may be a possibility, but it's hard to say. I read an article where Dirk said he'd sacrifice money (which was needed in the Heat Big 3 to work CBA-wide).

I'm also wondering why no one's mentioning the collusion part with Dwight and CP3? Isn't this what everyone was bitching about with the Heat?

It's not collusion because they're free agents. You can plan as long as you're not under contract. People bitched about the Heat because it was speculated that they had planned their pairing as far back as the 08 Olympics when all 3 were still under contract.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Recent rumor is Howard going to the Clippers, and Clippers sending Bledsoe and Griffin to the Lakers.

Y! SPORTS

I would take that trade in a heart beat, Howard is not nearly as good as Griffin and not nearly as physical. Kobe would take that young man and teach him some post moves.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Clippers don't have to trade squat to Lakers, Howard isn't under contract. They can trade elsewhere to remove salary and sign him to a lower deal if he'd be willing to take it.

Clippers have enough money under the cap to sign Chris Paul or Dwight Howard, but not both. Under the new CBA rules, I am not sure if they could sign Howard first and then claim bird rights on Paul and go over - if that's no longer allowed then they would have to get some help and give something up - the question is do they want Griffin and Paul or Howard and Paul. I kind of think that Howard and Paul would be a better combo, but I like Griffin better then I do Howard.

 

[bone3421]

if they want to play together i wonder how much of a discount they would take.........cuban could also say screw the cap for one year and then when dirk is a FA next year sign him for cheap

 

[GunsUp_ShootinBlanks]

@guns up, off topic but what is up with Schaub? Can he get the job done or is he a better Romo?

Texans were on my short list of preseason picks last year. (Bet on them, 49ers and Ravens...so I guess it worked out. )

As much as I hate Romo, I'm not sure Schaub is even on his level. He is the definition of a game manager.

I'll be interested to see how he does now that he should have another good outside receiver, but I don't expect much. I love his toughness, but I'm not sold on his ability to win a Super Bowl until I see it.

 

[wlk3]

Recent rumor is Howard going to the Clippers, and Clippers sending Bledsoe and Griffin to the Lakers.

Y! SPORTS

I'll take that!!! Throw in Jamal Crawford and lets get this thing done!!!

 

[Retroram52]

I agree Wlk!!!

 

[Retroram52]

I am with Hizzle and Outlaw on this one!

 

[tlance]

It's not collusion because they're free agents. You can plan as long as you're not under contract. People bitched about the Heat because it was speculated that they had planned their pairing as far back as the 08 Olympics when all 3 were still under contract.

Actually, they are not free agents until July 1, so.......

My guess is that if this happens, some people will be upset, but not nearly as much as they were when LeBron and Bosh signed in Miami. This is ironic because aside from a couple bad PR moves, LeBron has never done anything to hurt the franchise he was under contract with while D12 has been an absolute cancer.

Why Lebron gets lumped in with this guy I will never understand.

If CP3 and Howard end up on a team with a couple other pieces, they will be instant contenders. Their path will be more difficult than Miami's has been, but they will have a shot.

Anyone near a sportsbook, place longshot bets on Houston and Dallas for the 2014 title right now. Could be a good investment with the odds you will get.

 

[Heatles84]

It's not collusion because they're free agents. You can plan as long as you're not under contract. People bitched about the Heat because it was speculated that they had planned their pairing as far back as the 08 Olympics when all 3 were still under contract.

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

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 becoming teammates.

You were saying...

 

[Jims_Doors]

"For the owners, pretty much half the reason for the lockout last year was to put in place an economic system that prevents stars from doing what the Miami Heat did with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. (Technically they still could have done that because they stripped the roster all the way down and those guys took less money, but you get the idea).
So when you hear things about superstars talking about teaming up right now, take it with a grain of salt. Actually, more like the entire Bonneville Salt Flats.
That’s my lead in to the latest rumor from Chris Broussard of ESPN.

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.
​

Not. Going. To. Happen.

I have no doubt that the two have texted about this. Dwight Howard and Chris Paul are friends, they get along, and no doubt the tandem would be a force.
But back to that whole lockout and logistics thing.
Broussard says Atlanta can do it.

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.
​

Actually, no Atlanta does not have the room to make it happen. Teams have a lot less money to spend than you think because of cap holds and other restrictions..

Atlanta could have up to $35 million in cap space, which is not enough to give max deals to both players, but maybe you could convince them both to take paycuts (ala Miami). But to get that $35 million they have to renounce/let sign elsewhere Josh Smith (he’s gone, but until he signs elsewhere there is a cap hold on the Hawks salary space). Then they have to renounce every other free agent on their roster — Kyle Korver, Devin Harris, Zaza Pachulia, Johan Petro, Ivan Johnson, Jeff Teague, Dahntay Jones, Hilton Armstrong, Erick Dampier, Etan Thomas, Randolph Morris and Anthony Tolliver. Then they have to waive DeShawn Stevenson, Shelvin Mack and Mike Scott. Or they could amnesty Al Horford.

You really think Danny Ferry is going to play that game?

Besides, Chris Paul isn’t leaving the Clippers. So for Howard to team up with CP3 all you have to do is convince Lakers management to do a sign-and-trade that sends Howard to the Clippers. Good luck with that. And by the way, the Lakers can’t do a sign-and-trade unless it is one that brings them down to a salary level below the tax apron (roughly $76 million) so a third team that wants to soak up a lot of salary and bad contracts has to be brought in.

So good luck with that.

If you’re thinking the Clippers would sign-and-trade CP3 to the Lakers, I think that’s not a tobacco pipe in your hands.

Chris Paul and Dwight Howard together is never going to happen. But they can text about it all they want. Free country and all that.

Report: Chris Paul, Dwight Howard text about teaming up. This will not happen. | ProBasketballTalk

 

[tlance]

Good analysis Jim.

I know that the NBA owners want to achieve parity like they have in the NFL, but it simply will never happen. There are too many mismanaged franchises who are unable to land quality players and who overpay for those they do get. One reason why the NFL has been so successful in this aspect is because of non-guaranteed contracts. The players' association will never allow that without a huge battle.

 

[bksballer89]

I think that's what some people are understanding. There is no rule saying that players on another teams cannot talk to each other. The issue comes when a GM/OWNER of another team speak to another player under contract with a different team about playing with their organization

 

[RobToxin]

Good analysis Jim.

I know that the NBA owners want to achieve parity like they have in the NFL, but it simply will never happen. There are too many mismanaged franchises who are unable to land quality players and who overpay for those they do get. One reason why the NFL has been so successful in this aspect is because of non-guaranteed contracts. The players' association will never allow that without a huge battle.

Pretty much Pops and Spoelstra called these franchises out, when it came to the glaring lack of coaching stability in the NBA.

Spo is third on the list of current head coaches in terms of tenure. And he was hired in 2008.

Think about that. Going into next season, at least 27 of the 30 head coaches will have been at their current job for less than five years. And maybe 28 if Doc Rivers leaves Boston.