Houston's Latest Insane Trade Proposal for Dwight Howard

Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is slowly going insane.

He has been trying to acquire Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard for months. The amount of trades he has offered/completed in order to gain pieces to entice the Magic would make any man snap.

It doesn't make Morey's job any easier when Howard publicly announces that he would only sign an extension with the Brooklyn Nets.

Well, ESPN reported that Morey is about to propose the Magic an offer they can't refuse. How much can Houston afford to offer a team for a player who has no intentions on staying more than one season?

Want to know what Morey is offering? Check it out after the jump...

The rumored offer is so lopsided and ridiculous that it is hard to believe that a GM would ever offer this deal.

Orlando Magic would receive: Kevin Martin, Patrick Patterson, Marcus Morris, Chandler Parsons, Jeremy Lamb, Royce White, Terrence Jones, and at least two future first-round & second-round draft picks, AND Toronto's 2013 first-round pick (potential lottery pick).

Houston Rockets would receive: Dwight Howard, Jason Richardson, Glen Davis, Chris Duhon, and Hedu Turkoglu.

Let that offer sink in for a few seconds.

...WHAT THE HELL, DARYL?!

Houston would be sending the Magic a top-of-the-rotation guy (Martin), their last two draft classes, and their next few drafts will be worthless without first-round picks.

What's sad is that I really like what the Rockets did in this year's NBA draft. Lamb, White, and Jones are NBA-ready and could all be rotation guys in their rookie season. They would be throwing it away for a shot at convincing Howard that Houston is where he belongs.

Houston would just receive Howard, who may only stay one season, and a bunch of deadweight contracts. The Magic will have a clean slate to rebuild the team in the post-Howard era.

I have a feeling that Morey was a nerd in high school. He probably had a crush on the head cheerleader (Dwight Howard). He would stay at home and think up scenarios in which she would agree to go on a date with him. He finally put together the absolute perfect plan in which he would ask her out and there would be no chance she would say no. The plan would consist of Morey riding to school in a carriage with white horses. He would be dressed in a tuxedo with tails and have a dozen roses ready to give to her (trade entire team for Howard). He would ride in front of the entire school, gives her the roses and ask her out...she would say 'yes' (Dwight agrees to play one season with Houston). They would go out on a date, it goes alright, and he would drop her off at home at the end of the date. He would assume that a second date is right around the corner and his life is perfect (Howard contract extension).

Well, Morey wasn't aware that the entire school was laughing at him when pulled up in a horse-driven carriage (every NBA GM & fans). The head cheerleader said yes because she didn't want to seem like a bitch. Also, after their date, the captain of the football team was in her driveway waiting to sneak up to her room (Brooklyn Nets).

This is a move that can and will get a general manager fired. If this deal goes through and Howard doesn't sign an extension, he will be responsible for two separate GMs losing their jobs (Orlando's former GM Otis Smith was fired after the season).

Everyone knows that Morey is a smart guy. He speaks at the Sloan Conference at MIT every year about using advanced metrics in sports. He is helping to pave the way by relying on new statistics to build a professional basketball team...but, I don't see how he could argue that this trade is logical by using statistics to back it up. "Dork Elivs" is getting a little too cute and maybe the eyeball test is all someone needs to know that this is a horrible deal.

I feel sorry for Rockets fans. You have a GM who clearly has a gambling problem and he's playing with your money. This would truly be a 'Dwightmare' for Houston.

Brook Lopez Re-Signs With Nets, Kills Dwight Howard Deal

This should finally end all of the Dwight Howard to Brooklyn trade rumors...until January 15th.

According to the The Star-Ledger, Lopez and the Brooklyn Nets agreed on a maximum-salary contract of $61 million over four years.

The deal means the Nets are officially out of the Dwight Howard sweepstakes. Teams are not able to newly-signed players, other than sign and trade deals, until January 15th, 2013. Lopez will be Brooklyn's starting center at the opening of the 2012-13 season.

What does this mean for Dwight Howard? Is this a smart move by Brooklyn? Will Howard's asking price drop by January?

Howard appears to be the odd man out in Orlando. He has done everything but spit on the Magic franchise since he "injured" his back late last season and missed the playoffs. The big man has made it clear that he wants out and his relationship with the team is beyond fractured.

I look for Howard to realize he can't put a Magic jersey back on and forces a trade to another team. Magic fans will no longer embrace him and he has to go.

The Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers have made it clear that they would like to trade for him, even if it's a rental for one season. Those teams believe they could entice Howard to sign a long-term deal once he is within the organization. Brooklyn made a similar gamble when they traded with the Utah Jazz for Deron Williams...he just signed a long-term deal to stay with Brooklyn.

The Nets are looking more and more like a playoff team. Their team currently has Lopez, Williams, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallce, MarShon Brooks (who's underrated), and Mirza Teletovic in their rotation. This team looks like a top-five seed in the Eastern Conference.

I feel like this isn't the last time we will hear Dwight Howard & Brooklyn Nets in the same sentence, but this should end that trade rumor for a few months.

Jerry Sloan Pulls Out of the Running for Bobcats Coaching Job

Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan told SI.com he pulled out the running for the Charlotte Bobcats head coaching job. He was believed to be one of the finalists to replace Paul Silas after he was let go in late April.

There are other coaching jobs that would be more attractive to Sloan. The Portland Trail Blazers and Orlando Magic are both looking for coaches this off-season. Could he be the lead coaching candidate for either of the teams or does he just not want the headache of trying to coach a team with the least amount of talent in the league? I would assume that it is a little of both.

Charlotte has a few other coaching candidates. If they would have been able to hire Sloan, it would have been a mandate that the front office is doing everything they can to turn the franchise around. Since Sloan is out of the question, which two young coaches does Michael Jordan have his eye on?

Charlotte's open head coaching job will most likely be filled by someone without head coaching experience. The two lead candidates are Brian Shaw, who was an assistant under Phil Jackson with the Los Angeles Lakers and most recently the associate coach of the Indiana Pacers, and Quin Snyder, former University of Missouri Tigers coach and most recently an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Shaw missed out on the vacant Los Angeles Lakers coaching job last offseason when he was leapfrogged by Mike Brown. He licked his wounds and took an assistant job with Indiana last offseason. Indiana was one of the most improved teams in the NBA, further helping Shaw's coaching stock. He is also a candidate for the vacant coaching jobs in Portland and Orlando. He is rumored to prefer either of those jobs over Charlotte. His #1 destination would be Portland, even though he has ties to the Orlando area since he once played for the Magic.

The biggest surprise is the emergence of Quin Snyder as a coaching candidate. He has only been an assistant with the Lakers for one season, but Kobe Bryant has been outspoken about Snyder's coaching ability. Jordan is been rumored to be impressed that he has impressed Bryant so fast. Snyder has experience coaching at the NCAA level (Mizzou), NBA D-League (Austin Toros), and two seasons as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers and Lakers.

Shaw could be viewing the Charlotte job as a dead-end. If he doesn't get either the Portland or Orlando job, he has a lot going for him in Indiana. The Pacers will be good again next season and his name will be at the top of the list for coaching vacancies next offseason.

My educated guess is that Charlotte hires Snyder to be its next coach. He is young and energetic, which will keep the young talent from getting discouraged through the long rebuilding process the team will endure. It is the perfect job for a guy to cut his teeth coaching at the NBA level.

It is unknown if Charlotte plans to hire a new coach before the NBA Draft later this month. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Andre Drummond, and Thomas Robinson are the three favorites to be picked at #2 if the Bobcats keep the pick. Although, Charlotte doesn't see the value of picking either Kidd-Gilchrist, Drummond, or Robinson with the second pick. They could move the pick for a player and a mid-round first round pick and/or a 2012 first round pick.

Whomever is hired as Charlotte's next coach will be given a minimum of three years to improve the team. The organization realizes they have dug a pretty deep hole for themselves. There are no fast and easy fixes for the team, so expect the same from them in 2012-13.

Will Phil Jackson Coach the Orlando Magic Next Season?

The Orlando Sentinel reported last week that Phil Jackson was a serious candidate for either the Orlando Magic's coaching vacancy or to fill a spot in their front office. The talks were rumored to fall apart last week, but former Magic player Sam Vincent sparked them back up.

Vincent played with the Chicago Bulls while Jackson was an assistant and he spent the final portion of his playing career with Orlando. He is trying to broker a deal that would land Jackson and other well-known basketball figures in Orlando.

Jackson has a large compound in Montana and his girlfriend is in the Los Angeles Lakers front office. Would Jackson be able to commit enough time in Orlando? Would Dwight Howard stay if the Magic hired Jackson?

Vincent's proposal to the Magic would land Jackson and himself in the Magic's front office. The head coaching vacancy would be filled by current Indiana Pacers assistant Brian Shaw, who was Jackson's lead assistant during his tenure as coach of the Lakers. Shaw has ties to the Orlando area. He played on the Magic during their successful run with Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee Hardaway leading that squad.

The crazy part of Vincent's proposal would be the inclusion of Scottie Pippen. He would be Shaw's lead assistant. Pippen hasn't had any coaching experience and his only post-playing career NBA job has been as the Bulls team ambassador. He played most of his career under Jackson, so he could be there to help teach how to play the 'triangle offense.'

Jackson will come with a hefty price tag. He made $12 million in his last season as the coach of the Lakers. He wouldn't be in the same position with the Magic, but having him associated with the franchise won't come cheap.

Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins is rumored to be looking for a front office staff that would spend a lot of their time locally. In Vincent's proposal, Jackson would dedicate one week every month in Orlando along with various community appearances sprinkled throughout the year.

Dwight Howard and Jackson have communicated throughout the young center's career. Jackson has told Howard that he would love to coach the him at some point. If the Magic hired Jackson as an employee, even as a figurehead, Howard could change his mind about leaving Orlando.

If Vincent's proposal is turned down, a person could argue that Brian Shaw would accept a coaching job in Orlando. The GM position will be filled before the coaching vacancy is addressed. Shaw would be on any newly-hired GM's list. Shaw was in line to get the head coaching job with the Lakers, but he was leapfrogged by Mike Brown. He went to the Pacers as an assistant and along with coach Frank Vogel, improved the team.

Martins is rumored to be looking at a laundry list of front office candidates. Former New Orleans Hornets general manager Jeff Bower, San Antonio Spurs vice president/assistant general manager Dennis Lindsey, Oklahoma City Thunder vice president/assistant general manager Troy Weaver, Thunder assistant GM Rob Hennigan and Indiana Pacers director of player personnel Kevin Pritchard are on his short-list.

Jerry Sloan Wants NBA Coaching Job, Eyes Bobcats & Magic

Jerry Sloan, the former Utah Jazz coach who resigned during the 2011 season after 23 seasons with the team, wants another shot. He is ready to return to the NBA and has expressed interest in the open Charlotte Bobcats and Orlando Magic coaching positions.

Would he be a good fit for either of those teams? Should he make a comeback and ruin his legacy?

If he gets the Charlotte Bobcats job, does he call John Stockton to see if he would come out of retirement? I'm only half joking...have you taken a look at their roster lately?

The former Utah Jazz coach, who resigned during the 2011 season after 23 seasons with the team, told the Salt Lake Tribune on Tuesday that he has talked to Bobcats owner Michael Jordan about his team's vacancy and could meet with him as soon as this week. Sloan isn't afraid of the Bobcats past history of losing. He told the Tribune, "Obviously, you probably wouldn't win (a title) right off the bat."

As far as the Magic job is considered, he just mentioned that the job would be intriguing. Orlando recently fired Stan Van Gundy and GM Otis Smith, so Sloan would more personnel control than in Charlotte. Orlando still has hopes of retaining Dwight Howard after the upcoming season. Howard could be the guy who has the final decision on who is hired as Orlando's next head coach.

I would assume that Van Gundy would be another candidate that Charlotte would be interested in interviewing. He is a talented coach, but he needed a change of scenery. The Bobcats would have to pick between head coaches who have both made NBA Finals appearances, but yet to win a title.

Sloan retired during the 2011-12 season and used "exhaustion" as the reason for his resignation. The Jazz traded Deron Williams at the trading deadline and Sloan still stepped down. It was no secret that Deron Williams and Sloan butted heads on and off the court. Tyrone Corbin took over as head coach and remains at the position.

Sloan ranks third all-time in regular-season NBA coaching victories with 1,221. Former coaches Lenny Wilkins (1,332) and Don Nelson (1.335) are the only two to have more regular-season victories than Sloan.

10 Reasons: Why Indiana Pacers Can Win NBA Title

The Indiana Pacers didn't have a nationally televised game this season. At one point this season, they had the NBA's lowest attendance numbers in the league. Yes, even the Charlotte Bobcats were beating them in attendance for most of the season. Indiana surprised everyone this year and took a leap from last year's #8 seed to this year's #3 seed in the playoffs.

NBA analysts have been divided on whether the Pacers benefited from this year's schedule or if they are legit. Indiana is full of young players who are still peaking, so they are a bit unpredictable. They started off the season on fire, but suffered a mid-season slump. After acquiring Leandro Barbosa, they went 18-9 and finished the season 42-24. Can the Pacers be consistent enough to win a series against the Miami Heat? How does Indiana match-up against the best teams in the West?

1. Roy Hibbert is a defensive nightmare for the Miami Heat. Hibbert is one of the most improved players in the NBA. He hasn't put up get offensive numbers in the playoffs, but he can block any guards that drive in the lane. There aren't many legit big men in the playoffs and the ones that are left (Joakim Noah, Andrew Bynum, Marc Gasol), he has had big games against in the past. Joel Anthony isn't an offensive threat, but Hibbert is more physical and will be able to score.

2. Paul George is turning into an elite defender. George came into the league with a big question mark. He had all of the tools to be a great player in the league, but no one knew if he would develop into one. He was good at a lot of things, but not great. He didn't have a position out of college, much like Evan Turner. He has improved his game at every level and could be the Pacers' franchise player very soon. In the past, Indiana has relied on Dahntay Jones to defend the team's best scorer. He has done well, but he is an offensive liability. He takes too many bad shots and he has a quick trigger. George was top-10 in steals, steal %, and steals per game. He would guard Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Dwayne Wade with Danny Granger sharing the duty.

3. Danny Granger is a consistent scorer. I couldn't say this at the beginning of the season, but he finished the season on a hot streak. He raised his points per game to 18.7 and finished the season shooting 38% from behind the arc. He doesn't have the pressure to be the team's leading scorer, since George, Hibbert, and David West could all easily have 20-point games. I have confidence in him taking the final shot and cemented his place as the team leader.

4. David West is fully-healed from his knee surgery. Before the All-Star break, West wasn't playing maximum minutes and Tyler Hansbrough would often finish the games at power-forward. West is turning into a 20-10 guy and help the Pacers go 18-9 down the stretch. He is the enforcer in the paint, much like Kendrick Perkins was during the Boston Celtics title run. Teams are scared to go in the paint with West and Hibbert occupying it.

5. George Hill is a better starting point-guard than Darren Collison. When Collison went down with an injury a month ago, Hill stepped in and the team went on a seven-game winning streak. The team is much better on the fast break than in the half-court and Hill is a better scoring threat on the break. Hill only averages 1.0 turnovers per game, Collison improved his turnovers per game to 1.9, but Hill is better with the ball. Pacers' fans are now happy that they traded their first-round draft pick (that turned into Kawhi Leonard) to the Spurs for Hill.

6. Indiana's bench is one of the deepest teams in the league. At the trading deadline, the Pacers traded a second-round draft pick to Toronto for Leandro Barbosa. They needed a bench scorer and he has delivered. Hansbrough, Barbosa, Collison, Louis Amundson, Jones, and Lance Stephenson are an exciting second unit. Hansbrough and Amundson are motor guys that always fight for the ball and Jones can deliver perimeter defense. They will have an advantage when the opposing team rests their starters.

7. Indiana has the confidence that they can beat any team. As in #8 seed in last year's playoffs, they made the Chicago Bulls fight for every win. They weren't supposed to make that series close, but Derrick Rose had to give 100% to win that series. They have beat most of the teams in the playoffs and have only had a few games this season that were out of reach early. The team is peaking at the right time in the season.

8. The Pacers are an excellent road team. They had a winning road record (19-14) and even averaged more points per game away from home (95.5). If they slip up at home, like they did against the Magic in Game 1, they can make it up on the road. I know that it is tougher to win on the road in the playoffs, but like I said before, their confidence is at a season-high.

9. Derrick Rose's unfortunate injury opens up the Eastern Conference race. Indiana has to play their way through Miami to face where Chicago would be, but they match-up well again the top part of the Eastern Conference playoff bracket. Miami will be their toughest challenge in the East, so if they make it to the Conference finals, they will be favored. They will have a difficult match-up against the Western Conference winner, but it won't be as lopsided as experts would predict.

10. A playoff match-up against Indiana will be a "trap series" for the Heat. Miami has only one goal, to win the NBA Championship. Their season would be a disappointment if they fall short of their goal. No matter who the Heat face in the second-round, Magic or Pacers, their focus will be past their opponent. A team will be able to sneak a couple wins against them throughout the playoffs, so that extra win could sway the series. I'm excited to see Indiana play Miami, since the entire country will be rooting for them to knockout Lebron and his "South Beach talents."

No matter how far the Pacers make it in the playoffs, this season will be considered a success. They are a young team and are expected to make the playoffs many times in the near future.

I just hope that this is the year that Indiana hangs their first banner as a member of the NBA.

Van Gundy v. Howard - What To Do?

Dwight Howard isn't making things easy for the Orlando Magic. He has been denying rumors about him wanting Stan Van Gundy fired. The story really started to pick up steam a few weeks ago when a story came out that if he were to re-sign, the team would give him the ability to fire the general manager and head coach. He has been denying everything negative and has kept a pretty squeaky clean image throughout this whole ordeal. Van Gundy just made the Orlando Magic situation a little more awkward.

During an interview this morning, Van Gundy was quite candid about his position with the Orlando Magic. He said that until he is told otherwise, he is the coach of the Orlando Magic. He said that "if I am fired later today, I'll still have a good day. I'll go home and find something else to do."

He kept answering questions and his responses really started to cut with a knife. He made a vague comment about "one of the people here doesn't like his boss" and that he has been told by management that Howard wants him to be fired. He ended the press conference that he isn't worried about any of that right now and that he's just worried about stopping Carmelo Anthony tonight...this is where things got even more awkward. Howard saw an opportunity to do a little "PR photo op" in front of the press, but he didn't know that Van Gundy just told them that he wants the head coach fired. He started to hug Van Gundy and said that we have to win tonight and we don't have anything to worry about. As Van Gundy exited, the press corps started to tell Howard what was just said. He looked like he just got his hand caught in the cookie jar. He denied everything said that he has not been told anything. I have never witnessed him look so uncomfortable, he was clearly not telling the truth.

It is odd how Howard managed to keep such a positive image over the last year. He has been stringing the fanbase along and being very passive about what he's going to do. He has denied that he has every been shown a contract to sign, has been negative when asked if he's taking a Shaq-like career path, and at times, he has been visually upset on the sideline. He brushes off any negative questions with an aura of ignorance and a smile. He has a very good PR person, they deserve a raise.

What should the Orlando Magic do? I think they have to give Dwight Howard what he wants. Van Gundy is a great coach and if he's fired, he'll get a job coaching next season. Otis Smith has been a sub-par General Manager and he should be evaluated...even if Howard signs with another team. Howard brings in millions of dollars in ticket and merchandise sales. You can replace these guys and you will not be able to go out and replace the face of your franchise and one of the best 10 players in the NBA. I don't agree that it is a morally correct decision, but this is the business of the NBA.

I am guessing that Stan Van Gundy's height will not be a determining factor in keeping his job, but Howard clearly has the height advantage. There needs to be a height requirement if you're an NBA head coach. You need to at least come up to your center's armpits. I love Van Gundy, but can you blame Howard for not respecting this guy?


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McGrady Would Be Nice Fit For Bulls

The Chicago Bulls are rumored to be interested in signing Tracy McGrady. The 31-year old has been on the shelf with injuries over the last few seasons, but has shown the ability to score points in a hurry in the past. Would he accept a bench role for a chance to make it out of the first-round of the playoffs? Would he accept a a one-year, incentive based, low salary deal? Those questions are yet to be answered, but I believe he would be a nice fit on the young Bulls team.

The Bulls have been very active this off-season and they are making a push to be contenders this season. They have had the moniker of "team on the rise" over the last three seasons, but with the addition of Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, and Ronnie Brewer, they are becoming a very deep team. Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah had career years last season and they are yet to hit their prime. The Bulls know that the window for this team is a few seasons, but that could change with key injuries.

McGrady, who is still younger than his body seems to be, could mentor some of the players on the team and help them mature. He has been a leader on some very good teams, but has always fell short of making it out of the first-round. The only season in which his team made is past the first-round, was when he was injured and couldn't play. The risk of signing McGrady would be his knee. He had microfracture surgery and it usually takes two years for a player to regain his prior form or it never comes back at all. Amar'e Stoudamire had the surgery two seasons ago and he came out in 2009-10 and had a very productive year. He is a success story, but with that story come many others that aren't as positive. Chris Webber had the surgery and even though he was solid when coming back, he was never the same. Age could be to blame in Webber's case, but having the microfracture surgery couldn't have helped.

Signing a player who has a history of injuries is very risky. It usually doesn't work out and with the guaranteed contracts in the NBA, it's a chance that many GMs don't want to take. The one example of an injury-plagued player bouncing back later in his career is Grant Hill. He basically had his ankle completely reconstructed and had various other injuries when he was with the Orlando Magic. He signed a very cheap deal to resurrect his career with the Phoenix Suns and he has had a second-life with the team. I hope McGrady has the same luck, because he was such a phenomenal scorer during his prime, it would be a shame that an injury could shorten his career.

2009-10 NBA Preview: Orlando Magic

The Magic had a dream season last year, but fell short in the NBA Finals. They made a lot of changes to their roster, but are they a better team? A lot of teams in the East went out and tried to improve their teams and the Magic tried to keep up. Can Vince Carter stay healthy this year? Will the Magic miss Hedo Turkoglu? Who is the whitest guy on the team, Jason Williams or J.J. Redick? Here is our 2009-10 NBA Preview for the Orlando Magic.

Additions/Subtractions - For a team coming off of an NBA Finals appearance, this team has done a lot to change their roster. One of the biggest trades this off-season was when they traded Courtney Lee and Rafer Alston to New Jersey for Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson. The Magic had to do something to fill void that Hedo Turkoglu left. He is more athletic than the "Turkish Jordan," but he's getting up their age and you can't bet that he'll be healthy for the entire season. They also went out and signed Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes. Bass is expected to split time with Ryan Anderson and Matt Barnes is a nice option off the bench. Also, they signed "White Chocolate" Jason Williams, who is coming out of retirement to back-up Jameer Nelson. The Magic could have lost Marcin Gortat, but matched the offer than Houston gave him. He's a nice insurance policy in case Dwight Howard gets injured.

2009-10 Expectations - The Magic had a great season last year and they are building this team to win the NBA championship. They had to keep up with San Antonio, Los Angeles, Boston, and Cleveland with their off-season roster moves. If they don't win a ring this year, the team would consider this season as a loss. They hope to have Jameer Nelson for the entire season. He looked like a franchise player before he tore his labrum last year. Dwight Howard will have to have another MVP-caliber season for the Magic to match their success from last year. He demanded double-teams, but with Bass/Anderson splitting time at PF, you would think that they would be in the market for a better option before the trading deadline. Rashard Lewis could move to PF and put Vince Carter at SF and Michael Pietrus would be at SG, but Lewis would lose his length-advantage playing PF. The Magic have to have a better record than the Celtics and Cavaliers going into the playoffs, because home-field advantage is huge for those teams and they have to take that away to have a shot in beating them.

2009-10 Prediction - It's going to be very difficult for the Magic to duplicate the success of last season. All of the better teams in the East have improved and the Celtics didn't match up well with them last year, but that changed with them signing Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels. Vince Carter will not playing in more than 65 games and this could very well be his last season. He has a lot of miles on those knees and he isn't the high-flying star that played in Toronto, but he's still pretty good. Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard will be All-Stars, but this team stays around the same win total as last season. They will end the season as a #3, right behind Boston and Cleveland.

2009-10 Win Total - 58-24

Vince Carter to Orlando

ESPN reported that the New Jersey Nets will trade Vince Carter along with Ryan Anderson to Orlando for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie, and Courtney Lee. Orlando was looking to move Alston, since he was more of a short-term fix when Jameer Nelson went down mid-season. New Jersey have been trying to trade Vince Carter for over a year and they look to have finally succeeded. Carter will helped Orlando put points on the board, but he doesn't have to carry the team.

The Nets didn't need Rafer Alston since they have Devin Harris running the team. Alston doesn't do well coming off the bench, but to make the contracts match up, Alston had to go. Courtney Lee is interested on the Nets, he proved that he belongs in the league last season. He could end up becoming a star with Harris and Brook Lopez, but they are still a couple pieces away from really doing damage in the East.

Orlando had to make a big move to keep up with Cleveland and San Antonio. The Magic are looking to keep competitive and be perennial title contenders for years to come. I don't like trading Lee, but they needed a veteran on the team.

We'll see how this trade helps the team in 2009-10, but I think it will help both teams. It's unusual to see a trade these days that isn't just a salary dump.

Why "Shaq To Cavs" Could Be Bad For Lebron

The rumor mill is busy tonight with a pending Shaquille O'Neal trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs will send Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace to Phoenix for basically two expiring contracts. Shaq resurrected his career last season and wants to win another championship before he retires. He got into great physical shape, thanks for the Phoenix Suns trainers. This trade is great for Cleveland, but is it good for Lebron James?

Cleveland is Lebron's team from the first day he grabbed a wine-colored jersey. He has been hyped as the "next great player" and a championship would be a given. He has flourished with the talent around him, but never seemed to have enough talent to get him a ring. Lebron has never had a true big man, even though Big Z is a good player, he isn't much of a physical presence in the paint. Shaq will help Cleveland and probably land Cleveland a championship.

Do you remember the talk about Kobe Bryant won a championship with Shaq and didn't win one without Shaq until this past season? All the talk on sports radio and with fans never really recognized that Kobe even won any championships, since they were just with Shaq. Will the same argument be made if Lebron wins a championship with Shaq and then struggles the next couple seasons?

The Cavs do need a big man, it's a no-brainer. The way that Dwight Howard man-handled them and scored at will, even with the offensive post-moves of a toddler. The Cavs need a tall-wing player more than a big man. Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu hurt the Cavs more than Dwight Howard, it's not even close. The backcourt in Cleveland are short and fast, but not physical. If the Cavs made a trade for Vince Carter or maybe even sign Trevor Ariza. A tall wingman isn't available in this year's draft. If Lebron James is Michael Jordan, he needs a Scottie Pippen. It's going to be hard when you 2nd best guard is Mo Williams, a guy who seems to disappear in big games.

If things go rough the first month of the season, expect Shaq to throw out a couple of Tweets that will bash Lebron or Mike Brown. Shaq is a fun-loving guy, but when he's on a contender, he tends to be not so light-hearted. You are always gambling when signing Shaq, I'm not saying that he's like Terrell Owens, but you have to worry a little. The Phoenix Suns training staff is the best in a league and works miracles on guys. If Shaq and Grant Hill play more than 90% of games in a season, you know that they are doing some special. When Shaq leaves the training staff, is he still going to be motivated enough and stay healthy for a full season?

Can a season with Shaq, turn Lebron into a bitter Kobe-like player? If Cleveland wins next season, will Lebron leave and try to win in another city without Shaq? There are so many question marks with this trade. The Cavs are smart and realize that they may only have one season to make a run with Lebron, but I'm wondering if the cons outweigh the pros for Lebron James.

Hedo Turkoglu: Prized Free-Agent?

Why is Hedo Turkoglu smiling? Well, he played his way into a possible new, huge contract. "The Jordan of Turkey" didn't take very long to opt out of his contract and test free agency. Trevor Ariza and Turkoglu could be the two best free agents out there this year. They weren't considered in the top 10 possible free-agents before the beginning of the year, Ariza wasn't even in the top 30.

Turkoglu started out very slow this year, but turned it on in both the Boston series and in Cleveland. He could very well re-sign with Orlando for a major contract, a very smart choice, or could a pretender turn into a playoff team with the signing of Turkoglu? Here are some teams that could turn their fortunes around.

Indiana Pacers - This would be my personal choice, but I don't think that the Pacers have a shot. Turkoglu's old running mate, Peja Stojakovic did very poorly in Indiana and doesn't have many pleasant memories of his time there. He does fit Larry Bird's mold. He's tall, can shoot the 3, and he's white. I don't think Lary Legend has a penchant for the European players, but he would look good next to Danny Granger.

Phoenix Suns - If the Suns trade Shaq for Ben Wallace and Pavlovic, they should offer Wallace a buyout, let him retire, and sign Turkoglu. He is a better shooter than Pavlovic and can spread the floor. I would love him in Phoenix.

Chicago Bulls - The Bulls will lose Ben Gordan and probably Hinrich soon. They need another shooter and Turkoglu can do everything those guys can, but he can start and play 40 minutes a game.

Oklahoma City Thunder - The Thunder could have a huge turnaround if they get Rubio in the draft. Turkoglu to go along with Durant and Westbrook would look like a possible playoff team in maybe two seasons. Would Turkoglu want to wait? OKC definitely has the cap room to afford a nice free agent.

New York Knicks - I don't think the Knicks have the cap space to pull this off, but D'Antoni would like to add an experienced playoff veteran to his team. He would do well in the fast-paced system and he loves to shoot the ball. He could be the piece the Knicks need to make the playoffs.

Hedo Turkoglu should re-sign with the Magic. After his stint with Sacramento, he was a free agent and signed with San Antonio. He didn't do very well there and got lost in the rotation. He needs to choose his next team wisely and not go after money, but try to find the team where he would fit in the best. On the right team, he could be the piece to put a team over and make a playoff run.

J.J.Redick To Pacers?

J.J. Redick seems to be a little lost in the backcourt of the Orlando Magic. He has started five games this season, but when he came into the NBA he didn't expect to be averaging roughly 5 points a game in his best season. It makes sense for both teams for the Orlando Magic to trade J.J. Redick to the Indiana Pacers for Jamaal Tinsley. Neither of these players are being used by their team properly and since Jameer Nelson may be lost for the season, it makes sense for the Magic.

I thought about this post before the Magic pulled a trigger on a trade that sent Keith Bogans to Milwaukee for Tyronn Lue. I believe my trade makes much more sense for Orlando and could possibly still happen. Lue had his lone moment of glory as a member of the Lakers when he basically shutdown Allen Iverson in the NBA Finals all by himself. Lue signed a huge free agent contact that following season and has never been the same. Orlando will still need to fill the void that Nelson left and could still possibly make a trade to acquire a much better point guard.

A trade for Jamaal Tinsley makes sense for Orlando, since the Pacers have given him the "Starbury" treatment since the end of last season. He hasn't even been allowed to be with the Pacers all season and they ever went as far as removing his name off of his locker. In order to trade Tinsley to the Magic, the Pacers would need to offset the contracts. If the Magic would put Redick in the package, the Pacers would probably have to take the bad contract of Brian Cook and might possibly have to send Roy Hibbert. Another possibility would be that the Pacers would pay a large amount of Tinsley's contract and send him to the Magic for either Redick alone or maybe just a 2nd round draft pick.

As it stands right now, the Pacers are needing to rid themselves of Tinsley. He has had off-court troubles since the beginning of his career. At this point, the Pacers will take anything they can get for him and the Magic and the rest of the league probably knows that. The J.J. Redick trade may not happen for that reason, but I believe it makes sense for both sides. The Magic need a true point guard with scoring ability and the Pacers need a Jason Kapono-type of shooter to help free up Granger and Dunleavy, plus it would help fill out their team with yet another "white boy."