NBA

Don’t Look Now, But Dwight Howard Might Actually Be Getting Traded (UPDATE: Basically A Done Deal)

UPDATE: Well, it looks like this thing is really, actually going to happen. As of now, it would go something like this: Howard to L.A., Andrew Bynum and Jason Richardson to Philadelphia, Andre Iguodala to Denver, and Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, Nikola Vucevic, Moe Harkless, and three first-rounders to the Magic.

First impressions: Must be weird for Iguodala to get traded while playing on the U.S. Olympic team. And while he’s a big loss for the Sixers, we’re pretty damn interested to see what they can do with Bynum on board. Also, the Magic rejected this deal for Howard. Compare that to the one that actually appears to be happening: Orlando either knows something we all don’t, or has just made an absolutely baffling move.*

*Addendum to this – Ken Berger at CBS has a solid explanation of why the Magic would do this; i.e. that new GM Rob Hennigan wants to build entirely from the ground up rather than acquire building blocks through trades. And really, while Brook Lopez is pretty good, is he a “building block,” exactly? Still, Hennigan had better make this strategy pay off, or trading one of the league’s top players and getting that in return is going to haunt his entire Magic tenure.

As for the Lakers… man. Assuming Howard comes back from his back surgery at full strength, four of the Lakers’ starting five will be: Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard. Look at those names. Keep looking. Keep trying to imagine them all on the court together. And now, if you are a fan of an NBA team that is not the Lakers, you are free to break down in tears of anguish.

Yeah, they had to give up Bynum, one of the NBA’s top big men in his own right, but they’re getting the best in return. Defensively, Howard’s a game changer every time out. Offensively, one has to think he’ll be seeing more easy baskets than he ever has, courtesy of Nash. Wish Nash pushing 40, Kobe and Gasol in their 30s, and Howard still a free-agent-to-be, the Lakers are still in win-now mode, but they’re poised to do some serious, serious winning for the time being. The Heat are still the team to beat, but… wow, these Lakers have a chance to be something.

One final note: assuming this deal goes down, then, at least for the moment, the “what’s happening with Dwight Howard?” question can be put to rest. WE DID IT EVERYONE WE MADE IT

The original post is below.

And the plot thickens. Just when the Olympics made you forget all about Dwight Howard ESPN’s Marc Stein tweeted something very intriguing Thursday night and his musings seem to indicate that when you wake up on Friday morning, the NBA’s tectonic plates will have shifted, ESPN will really have nothing left to talk about and most importantly, Dwight Howard will be a Laker.

Source close to talks tells ESPN that trade call with league office has been scheduled for Friday morning to process four-team Dwight deal

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) August 10, 2012

Boom. He has dropped the bombshell. What else do you know, Marc?

Names in deal still emerging but sources say ORL definitely getting Afflalo, Harrington, Vucevic & one future 1ST from all three other teams

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) August 10, 2012

Sources tell ESPN trade also calls for Sixers to get Jason Richardson with Bynum, with Iguodala to Denver & Dwight, obviously, to Lakerland

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) August 10, 2012

Other names bound to emerge. Example: Just heard Harkless to Magic. But deal being submitted for league approval Friday is indeed Pau-less

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) August 10, 2012

Well there is quite a bit to digest here. It’ll be tough to dissect through the murky developments now as the trade is only in its infancy, but we do know that the rich have gotten richer and the Lakers have pissed off just about every single person who doesn’t work or root for the Lakers. More definitively, we know some Olympians will come home to a very different landscape, most notably Andre Iguodala, whose new landscape is going to be very mountainous.

And let’s just say Kobe and Pau are going to have plenty to talk about should they face off in the gold medal game. Regardless of whose country manages only silver, I can’t see either being too upset. Hell, Kobe and Pau should just go stand on that gold medal podium by themselves. For better or worse, they are the real winners.