Dwight Howard drama finally over (apparently) as he's traded to the Lakers

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After months of drama and saga, it seems that Howard finally will get his wish. According to sources, the 4 team proposed trade is as follows: the Lakers would of course receive Dwight Howard, the Denver Nuggets will get Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia (coming from Philadelphia) will get Andrew Bynum (coming from the Lakers) and Jason Richardson (coming from the Magic), and the Magic would get a first round draft pick from each of the other 3 teams,  and Rookie Moe Harkless from Philadelphia.
Now several key notes to consider, first Dwight Howard will still NOT sign an extension with the Lakers, he would still seek to become a free agent next summer and it is  perceived that the Dallas Mavericks would be his preferred destination should he not return to the Lakers. Secondly, notice that Kobe Bryant got his wish, Pau Gasol was not traded. The Lakers now catapult themselves into immediate championship contenders alongside the Oklahoma City Thunder and the defending champions.
The Philadelphia 76ers here are the surprise winners, they have been looking to trade Iguodala for some time now, who could have thought that they would land the second best center in the league in Bynum???? If this trade goes through, there is no reason why Bynum would not sign an extension with the 76ers, they are a already a playoff team without him, they have great young talent and Bynum grew up about an hour away. Could you imagine a backcourt of Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, Nick Young, alongside Thaddeus Young and Andrew Bynum? They will be scary, perhaps not tittle contenders, but trouble in a first or second round series.
The Denver Nuggets acquire Iguodala and George Karl will put the swift army knife to good use, they are young and exciting. Ultimately, the Magic will now be very bad for a few years as is usually the case when a team trades their superstar away. As for the Lakers, the success of this trade (SHOULD the trade go through) depends on two things, the first their ability to win a championship right away, and two, can they manage to convince Howard to stay in LA.  There are still many questions to be answered, will Kobe and Nash make it work in the backcourt? How will Howard's back hold up coming off surgery? And finally, Will David Stern pull a "Basketball reasons" excuse to cancel this trade just as he did with Chris Paul's trade to the Lakers?

The Dwight drama continues, nothing new here

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The latest statement coming from Howard's camp about not signing an extension no matter where he's traded should not be a surprise. Dwight Howard's drama continues on just like Carmelo's drama back in his twilight days in Denver. While the Brooklyn trade talks have died out temporarily, the rumor mill continues. This drama has some people tired, and others just itching with excitement about the possibilities.
The Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers have been at the top of the rumor mill in the Howard sweepstakes ever since. The Rockets have recently signed Harvard graduate sensation Jeremy Lin. The move obviously gives Howard business reasons as to why he would like to play for Houston. It would give Howard a chance to expand his brand just like Tracy Mcgrady did in his days playing with Yao Ming. Houston is also interested in acquiring Andrew Bynum should they fail to get Howard.
That leads us to the always involved Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are not worried about Howard not wanting to sign an extension, they believe that once he sees the Los Angeles life and the Lakers franchise he will want to stay.
The Lakers are looking for a trade that will land Howard in Los Angeles and Bynum being in the center of the trade. The problem of course is Bynum's willingness to leave LA and agree to sign an extension wherever he goes. The Lakers need a third team that will provide Orlando with the draft picks and salary relief that the Magic are looking for. Cleveland is one of the names that have came up ( Kyrie Irving and Andrew Bynum is a scary thought).
But we believe the drama will continue on at least until training camp if not longer for a couple of reasons. First, the Magic are in no rush and will look to make the best deal possible whether it takes a day or all the way until the trading deadline. Second, no team has spoken to Bynum directly (the Lakers have given no team permission to speak to Bynum or his representatives) and would be foolish to trade for him without first speaking if he has interest in playing long term there. Finally, the Magic can always wait until january where the Nets would once again be available once Brook Lopez is available for trade.
That being said, Our Committee of one find its ironic, that after the Heat were under such scrutiny for forming a "super team" now the Lakers are trying so hard to form another "super team". After all, the Lakers are intent on keeping Gasol and still acquiring Howard. Its specially intriguing, considering that one of the reasons for the lockout was to try to prevent teams from being able to do what the Lakers are so desperately trying. All in all, expect the Howard drama to continue, and leave us with plenty more rumors to contemplate.
News around the league
-Courtney Lee is officially part of the Boston Celtics
-Suns Resign Shannon Brown for 2 more years
-The NBA has decided to extend the use of instant replay
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The Nets will move forward today, is Howard to Brooklyn a good move for the league?

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Dwight Howard has consumed the news for quite some time now, but is Howard going to the Nets really a good thing? When the lockout was in full effect before this season started, one of the many problems to be resolved was competitive equality. Owners were worried that big market teams would always have the advantage because they can offer more money than most other teams (such as the Lakers, Knicks, Miami) to big time players. Such was the reason that a hard salary cap will kick in with the new collective Bargaining agreement in a few seasons. A Hard salary cap means that teams who go over the allowed spending limit, will have to pay luxury tax. This will allow small market teams better chance at superstar players.
But until the new hard cap kicks in, we are still facing the same issue, many general managers around the league do not want to see another quote on  quote "super team" formed. whether the Nets can be considered a super team if they acquire Howard is up to debate. However,  acquiring Howard would definitely portray the Nets as a another super team so lets think of Brooklyn as such. This would not be good for the league for a number of reasons. First, if the Nets acquire Howard it will continue the trend that  Lebron James started. since Lebron's "decision" every team wants to bring together a bunch of superstars, so Howard would definitely convert a trend into regularity. Second, that leads to lack of competitiveness around the league, if there's only 4 great teams and 26 mediocre teams, what will be the point of watching basketball when you already know what the conference championships will look like?
Now you can argue that it wont matter, look at the Oklahoma City Thunder for example. They created a championship team purely out of the draft and some smart low key trades. But it takes luck to be able to do that, the Thunder had the benefit of drafting a once in a generation superstar in Kevin Durant and happened to be bad enough to get other high picks in the draft while Durant developed. They also happened to assert correctly in their picks of Harden and Westbrook. So to do what OKC did it takes a lot of luck and picks at the right time. Thats why Howard to the Nets isn't a great move for the league. The Heat brought the league a lot of revenue and fame with their decision to come together because they did something that had never been done before, in addition it doesn't hurt that one of the players was Lebron James, one of the most polarizing players in all of major sports. whether you hate him or love him, everybody wanted to see if the Heat would fail or succeed. If Howard, goes to the Nets it will not generate the same buzz because it wouldn't be the first time it was done, and because Deron Williams and Dwight Howard aren't as popular as Lebron James and Dwyane Wade.
Even Howard to the lakers would be better for the league. The lakers wouldn't be a "Super" team, and everybody outside of Lakerland should know that. Kobe will turn 34 this august and he's in the twilight of his brilliant career. Steve Nash also happens to be 38, so they will be a very good team, but by no standards a "super" team.
Are Super teams good or bad for the league? If so what do you think would be a good solution or method to deal with them?
-Restricted free agent Linn says he was upset at the Knicks for not making the first move
-Heat introduce Allen and Lewis as they sign contract today
-Lakers will introduce Nash today
-Nets have added Stackhouse and are moving today to sign Lopez either to sign and trade him, or sign him to make him part of Brooklyn's core group for the future
-Hibbert will return to Indiana after they match Portland offer
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Deron Williams resigns with Nets, how good can Brooklyn be this year?

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Deron Williams resigns with the Nets for 100 Million and 5 years. He rejected the Mav's 4 years and 75 million, and will continue to be the face of the franchise. With Williams now resigned and Joe johnson on his way, how good can this team be in their first year in brooklyn? With D.Will at the point and Joe johnson at the 2, they now have one of the best (if not the best) backcourts in the NBA, along with Gerald Wallace you are looking at a dangerous team.
Before we can determine how good they really can be, we have to wait and see what happens with Dwight Howard. The Nets have offered the Magic, Brook Lopez, Kris Humphris, three first round picks (2013,2015,2017), and promising stud MarShon Brooks. Regardless of what happens with Howard though, expect the Nets (barring injury) to reach playoff. If they manage to get Howard, no doubt they could be as good as second in the east behind the Heat. If they don't trade for Howard then they wll resign back Lopez and have a formidable starting 5.
The reason we like this team so much is because they have addressed specific needs. While everybody is talking about D.Will and Joe Johnson, people forget about their first offseason signing of Gerald Wallace. Wallace will start in almost any team and is a proven defender. When the Nets play the Miami Heat or Oklahoma City, they will have a very good defender to guard Lebron or Durant.
Deron Williams will have a great year, last year his assist numbers went down a little bit (8.7) and his scoring went up because of a lack of weapons. Lopez missed most of the year and without him, the Net's offense depended solely on Williams scoring. This year, he will have Lopez back, and fans should not worry about injury concerns. Before this year, Lopez had not missed a SINGLE game in three years since he entered the league. Gerald Wallace can also score the ball, and then there's Joe Johnson.
Johnson is a polarizing player, many like him and many hate him. It is agreed that the Hawks made a mistake in giving Johnson a max contract. However, we cannot crucify him for taking the best available offer on the table and use it as an excuse to downgrade how good this guy is. A 6 time all-star, and a guy that can give you 20 points every night. Johnson was simply on a team where he had to be the #1 indisputable option and he's not that player. Now he goes to a team where he is the second or third option and with one of the best point guards in the league. Avery Johnson is a great coach and he will put him in situations to score, and not dribble out at the three point line for 20 seconds of the shot clock. The nets regardless of what happens with Howard, are in a great position going forward and will have home court advantage come april 2013.
-In other news, the Celtics are close to a deal with Jason Terry that will pay him 5 million for three years, which raises the question: what now for Ray Allen? The Celtics still are intent on signing him, but Allen does not like the idea of coming of the bench for Avery Bradley
-The Toronto Raptors have agreed with Landry Fields on a three year 20 million contract, he is a restricted free agent so the Knicks will have three days to match the offer
What do you think of the Net's offseason moves so far? All questions and comments are welcomed

Joe Johnson to the Nets as free agency, big mistake for nets???

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With free agency on its way the Atlanta Hawks have made the most noise so far by getting rid of Joe Johnson. The Hawks have made a great move by getting rid of perhaps the worse deal of the 2010 free agency. The trade will go through as followed: the Nets will receive Joe Johnson (who still has almost 90 million and three years left on his contract), while the the Hawks receive Jordan Farmar, Johan Petro, Anthony Morrow, Jordan Williams, and Deshawn Stevenson.
The Hawks are clearly looking to clear cap space, they also traded away marvin williams for Devin Harris. So in one week they have gotten rid of their two biggest contract. This trade works perfectly for both teams, the Nets are looking to give Deron Williams a reason to stay, and now they have. This deal will only go through under the notion that Williams will resign with the Nets and he should.
The Nets will play this year in their new arena in Brooklyn, signed Gerald Wallace to a 4 year deal, and managed to keep Promising guard MarShon Brooks. The Nets will have in their starting 5 Deron Williams (should he resign), JJ, Gerald Wallace, and Brook Lopez. People perhaps have forgotten how good Brook Lopez is, he sat out this year with a foot injury but was averaging 19.2 ppg before he went down. Joe Johnson did not deserve the contract he has, and is definitely not a first option star, but joe as a second or third option behind Brook Lopez and Deron Williams is a devastating option.
The Nets will definitely make the playoffs with this group and perhaps challenge for home court in the first round. Specially against the weaker eastern conference in which after the defending champions, there is not an established second best or third team at this point. What this does though, is take the Nets out of contention for Dwight Howard. Howard made the mistake of opting into the last year of his contract, and essentially putting the ball back in the Magic's court.
Which now leads us to the other side of the trade. The Atlanta Hawk's new general manager Danny Ferry noticed something we have known for a few years. This Atlanta Hawks group's ceiling has been no more than the second round of the playoffs for the last few years. They did not get any relevant players in comparison to Joe Johnson, but now put themselves in position to sign none other than Dwight Howard next summer. The Hawks also have promising young players Al Horford and Jeff Teague to shop around. This is one of those rare big name trades in which both teams come out winning.
For years, the Hawks have had Joe Johnson dribbling the ball at the top of the key for 20 seconds of the shot clock at the end of games. Making everybody wonder why did they give him the biggest contract in the heralded 2010 free agency. Now they position themselves to potentially make a run at Dwight Howard. That being said, Joe Johnson is a GREAT player and a proven All-Star, he just isn't good enough to be the de facto go to guy. Now he'll potentially play with one of the best point guards in the game. Now, remember this only goes through if Deron Williams resigns with Brooklyn. Meanwhile the Hawks now put themselves in position to sign Dwight Howard and another great point guard who will also be a free agent in the summer of 2013, Chris Paul.
-Any questions or comments will be responded so feel free to comment