Nothing has changed on the Howard front, but I wrote a FanPost about it anyway.

by tkow on Jun 13, 2011 2:01 PM EDT

Dwight Howard intimated that if the Magic don't win a title next year, "then things have to change." The Magic have as good a shot at the title next year as LeBron James does to not put his foot in his mouth ever again, so it seems like things are going to have to change.

Hop, skip, and jump.

Obviously, Chris Paul is already on our radar, with the most likely route to acquiring him being through a trade, though he could also be signed as a free agent. On the other hand, Howard seems intent on sticking it out for another year with Orlando, and therefore it might be easier to sign him rather than trade for him. It stands to reason that it makes more sense to simply sign Howard as we would be able to keep more assets, but as aforementioned, that's an option with Paul as well. The advantage to trading for Paul or Howard rather than waiting for free agency is the certainty that comes with it; rumors constantly swirl that Howard might prefer the Lakers or Nets to the Knicks (I've also seen a few "Heat should trade LeBron for Dwight" stories today, but whatever). As you can see, that applies more to Howard than Paul, however, as Paul has been almost exclusively linked to the Knicks.

Whenever a trade for Dwight Howard is discussed, the name of our beloved Amare Stoudemire comes up as a possible trade chip. I, for one, have no interest in trading STAT for Dwight. I know that it might be necessary to use him as a chip, but I feel personally indebted to STAT for pulling the Knicks out of the depths of hell and can't bring myself to support stabbing him in the back (side note: Orlando is the one place I could be convinced to send him to, since he grew up there; I'm still against it though). The only positive in trading STAT for Howard and acquiring Paul is the uniqueness of our Big 3: Anthony, Howard, and Paul are all first names as well as last names! James is alone in that regard, as is Ray Allen. I guess you could name your son Pierce or Wade, but they're not horribly common, especially Wade. Still, no one's naming their children Bosh or Garnett. That would be silly. But I digress.

This has gotten completely off topic. Just vote in the poll and comment.

P.S.: I didn't include sign both or trade for both, because those aren't feasible options. Also, I didn't include building the team around just Melo and Amare because I didn't feel it was relevant to the post. I'm not saying it isn't an option, just that it's not necessary in this poll.

Poll

What would you most prefer to do, assuming these options are all legitimate?

Trade for Chris Paul

10 votes

Trade for Dwight Howard, assuming STAT needs to go

6 votes

Sign Chris Paul

18 votes

Sign Dwight Howard

21 votes

Sign one and trade for the other, assuming STAT needs to go

7 votes

Buy LeBron a burrito and see if he chokes

2 votes

Oh, wait, LeBron makes more than I do, he can buy his own damn burrito

12 votes

76 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 44 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

The article is complete distortion and exaggeration. Not once does Dwight Howard say he will be a free agent in 2012.

All he said is what hes been saying for the last 2,000 times which is if Orlando can’t put good enough players around him to win a championship then hell chose to play for another team. The article suggests he wouldn’t accept a trade or is determined to be courted in the open market Lebron-style. More media bullshit for the sake of ad revenue.

by bababooey2 on Jun 13, 2011 2:06 PM EDT reply actions

You're right, that's my fault.

I skimmed the article and thought I saw a quote saying that he wanted to declare for free agency. Oops. Whatever, the rest of my post still stands.

by tkow on Jun 13, 2011 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions

listen we all make mistakes. and its not your fault, its nba.com's. btw, i would do amare/billups for howard if that was possible.

by bababooey2 on Jun 13, 2011 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions

howard/arenas

by bababooey2 on Jun 13, 2011 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Big 3

NYK don’t need a big 3. We need good serviceable players to put around our big 2. F the whole big 3 thing. A big 1 just won the NBA Chip

The greatest player ever!!!

by terellchewy on Jun 13, 2011 2:35 PM EDT reply actions

+1

by bababooey2 on Jun 13, 2011 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Mark Cuban disagrees.

@mcuban
Mark Cuban
how amazing was it that dirk, brian cardinal and ian mahini planned to all sign with the Mavs this summer !! #big3 #makingithappen

I love that guy.

by tkow on Jun 13, 2011 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

Wade is a much more common first name than Pierce

And this being summer, I will argue this point to the death.

by superturboultra on Jun 13, 2011 3:50 PM EDT reply actions

Who would win in a fight

between Wade Boggs and Piece Brosnan?

by flossy on Jun 13, 2011 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions

deadpool would kill them both

I sprinkle diamonds on everything I eat...1. its the most baller shit ever! 2. it makes my dookie twinkle baby.

by GottaLoveMelo on Jun 14, 2011 1:17 PM EDT up reply actions

At first, I forgot that either one was a legitimate name.

Then I remembered Pierce Brosnan. I was blanking on Wade, but I did realize that it was a name. Either way, I want to name my kid Garnett now.

Scratch that, Garnett’s a dick.

by tkow on Jun 13, 2011 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Dick can be the first name, Garnett can be the implied nickname

by superturboultra on Jun 14, 2011 9:57 AM EDT up reply actions

If the option was there to trade Amar'e straight up for Dwight and then sign Paul, I'd do that in a second.

That being said, any trade with Orlando would require taking Arenas or Turkoglu, so that eliminates the possibility of a Melo/Dwight/Paul trio. I do think if you were to add any superstar with Dwight, you would have the opportunity to beat anyone just because he’s so dominant in a position that most teams don’t have their best players at. Not to mention Dwight is a better defender, rebounder, younger and less injury prone than Amar’e.

But I’d be more than happy getting Paul to add to our big 2 because I think that Paul would make AMar’e/Melo even better. I’d also be happy adding a bunch of good role players to our current core. (allow the latter isn’t my preference).

I’m excited for what we have with Stat/Melo and I think them alone could carry us to the ECF, I just think we’re gna need Paul, Deron or Dwight to win the Finals.

by hvino on Jun 13, 2011 4:31 PM EDT reply actions

what about darius bro?

by bababooey2 on Jun 13, 2011 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Not gonna happen and there are 80 million uninsured reasons that I am right!

by Robert Curre on Jun 13, 2011 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions

If you're taking a risk

Which is the bigger risk: Dwight leaving to pursue a ring and getting nothing for him, or Amare guaranteed to play for you unless he gets injured?

by superturboultra on Jun 14, 2011 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Really?

I think if Orlando is losing Dwight for nothing, they will take Amare and they’ll like it. At least until Dolan gets involved.

by superturboultra on Jun 14, 2011 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Dolan will give them 2018, 2020 first round picks

and whatever 2nd rounders we have left, if there are any (there aren’t)

Last night, a comedian died in New York. Somebody knows why. Somebody knows

by Rorschach44 on Jun 14, 2011 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions

Why stop there?

Why not figure out a way to get Gallo Felton and Mozgov back, and then just throw them in for fun!

by superturboultra on Jun 14, 2011 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Figure out a way to re-sign Felton

Give him a longer contract and stuff…. and then trade him away again to Orlando for Gilbert!

by WSD on Jun 14, 2011 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions

i think if we wanna win a championship we need to build around STAT AND MELO (STAT AND MELO STAT AND MELO)

that said if we are to add a third star, as much as i want CP3 dwight howard should be our option, we need D and he is the best at it in the league.we can try to teach DWTDD to run the Offense or move him over to SG (assuming ofcourse that we have to include fields in a trade which btw i’d hate to do). if DWTDD cant run the O, then we need to draft a future starting PG and Get a reliable VET.
there is ofcourse the big 4 option, which would include getting DW12 & CP3 while keeping stat and melo (nearly impossible, but i will explain how it happens)
we would need to trade for CP3, Which would include giving up billups, fields, + position player + starter + picks. then pray that not only do the Magic not win a championship, but that DW12 isnt traded, and sign him in the offseason. you’re prbably thinking that, oh we dont have cap for that. well ofcourse both DW12 and CP3 will need to take a cut (DW12 has said he would do that for a big market), a large cut. and when STAT AND MELO’S contracts are up, they all need to take cuts. (its not gonna happen we know that, i know that, you know that, dont get you’re hopes up)
And their is the best (or second best, deffinitley in top 3) option, Build Around Stat and Melo, Sign Gasol this offseason, or maybe the MAVS let you know who go and get him (i dont think he wouldnt resign now that they won). so get one of those guys, hope to strike fields (Gold) in the draft again, develop the team (remember, Melo only had a few weeks with this team b4 the playoffs, we can play much better.maybe try to get AI2 (Iggy), he gets boards, we need boards. and just build around this core. That wins you a championship. we need a bench more than we need a 3rd star.

Dear fox.... Fire Aikman
Lebron james is a bitch
The new Prince of NY is here
Desean Jackson IS a punk
27 Going on 28 NYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Lawrence Taylor The Real LT on Jun 13, 2011 9:32 PM EDT reply actions

oh, and if we were to get a 3rd star

DW12 and CP3 are perfect because we dont need a 3rd scoring star, but a star that makes players around him better, CP3 is great at that.
we also need D and DW12 is great at that (he may come with ewing)

Dear fox.... Fire Aikman
Lebron james is a bitch
The new Prince of NY is here
Desean Jackson IS a punk
27 Going on 28 NYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Lawrence Taylor The Real LT on Jun 13, 2011 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions

So

Billups, Fields, Douglas, and a first rounder in 2025 for Chris Paul who then takes the vet’s minimum and then Dwight Howard who also takes the vet’s minimum. lol

Or….

Sign Marc Gasol with the -2m in cap space this offseason or the Mark Cuban let’s Tyson Chandler walk. And get Andre Igoudala for Billups, Douglas, Fields and a 2025 first rounder.

I like how you spent all that time writing that instead of coming up with something realistic. Why not something like Kurt Thomas or taking a chance on Greg Oden? Did you not realize the Knicks have little assets outside of Carmelo and Amare and no cap space at all?

by fumblesnout on Jun 13, 2011 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions

hey, i never said it was realistic. especially not the top part

but we got about 1 million dollars in cap room.
and we could give gasol a contract that works out, like 1 mil. this year, like 2 or 3 next, etc. something like that. its not unrealistic to sign gasol.
and the iggy stuff is pretty unrealistic.
i was really just messing around. the only stuff i see realistic is the gasol stuff.

Did you not realize the Knicks have little assets outside of Carmelo and Amare and no cap space at all?

i’ve been saying that since the melo trade.

Dear fox.... Fire Aikman
Lebron james is a bitch
The new Prince of NY is here
Desean Jackson IS a punk
27 Going on 28 NYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Lawrence Taylor The Real LT on Jun 13, 2011 10:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Are you serious man?

Signing Marc Gasol, a restricted FA (which means that Memphis can match any offer) for 1 mil. a year? First of all, we, the fans, have no idea how the cap will look next season, so let’s stop playing around with numbers. We probably won’t have room for Gasol, and we will DEFINITELY not sign him for 1 million.

How is signing one of the best available centers in the NBA to a 1 million contract realistic dude?

I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.

Vince Lombardi

by moose35 on Jun 14, 2011 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions

you didnt read what i said.

you can work the contract to manipulate the cap.
its not one mil every year. its one mil this year.

Dear fox.... Fire Aikman
Lebron james is a bitch
The new Prince of NY is here
Desean Jackson IS a punk
27 Going on 28 NYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Lawrence Taylor The Real LT on Jun 14, 2011 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions

That's still unlikely almost to the point of being impossible.

Posting and Toasting: DWTDD.

by Seth on Jun 14, 2011 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions

improbable, yes. impossible maybe

i dont think gasol even wants to come here, so that wont help.
do i feell dumbe for suggesting it? yes
am i gonna take it back? hell no
in all seriousness, the knicks may have fucked themselves again.
i did support resigning CB4, and i still think keeping the player in him was good but his contract is well not so much.
if we wanna win we need to trade. and with little assets that arent a crucial part of our succsess… we’re fucked.
on a lighter note, DW12 is beginning to hold the magic hostage

Dear fox.... Fire Aikman
Lebron james is a bitch
The new Prince of NY is here
Desean Jackson IS a punk
27 Going on 28 NYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Lawrence Taylor The Real LT on Jun 14, 2011 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions

The benefit of Billups’ contract is that it’s expiring. That gives us at worst, one more year to replace him, and at best, a good shot at (don’t kill me) any superstar who would need a large salary displaced. Most likely is that it’s just an asset to improve an area of need near the trade deadline.

If the new CBA still has an MLE, then we still have that this year and next.

by superturboultra on Jun 14, 2011 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions

i think we need to trade billups for a superstar. only way to insure we replace him

what good players have MLE’s left?

Dear fox.... Fire Aikman
Lebron james is a bitch
The new Prince of NY is here
Desean Jackson IS a punk
27 Going on 28 NYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Lawrence Taylor The Real LT on Jun 14, 2011 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

?

This doesn’t really parse. If you mean long contracts that their teams want out of, I’d look at Iguadola for Billups if something better doesn’t come along.

by superturboultra on Jun 15, 2011 4:04 AM EDT up reply actions

yes. something like that if we cant get cp3 or dw12

Dear fox.... Fire Aikman
Lebron james is a bitch
The new Prince of NY is here
Desean Jackson IS a punk
27 Going on 28 NYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Lawrence Taylor The Real LT on Jun 15, 2011 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Do you feel dumbe for "dumb" wrong? Ha

Sorry, couldn’t resist

by WSD on Jun 15, 2011 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Do you feel dumbe for “dumb” wrong? Ha

by superturboultra on Jun 15, 2011 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't think you understand the current CBA

The yearly raises are limited to 8% for players who switch teams. The next CBA – from what the owners are pushing – is very unlikely to allow larger raises.

by superturboultra on Jun 14, 2011 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Oops sorry LT

I just re-read that, my intention wasn’t to be as much of a dick as it appeared!

by superturboultra on Jun 14, 2011 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions

lol, you succseeded];\

Dear fox.... Fire Aikman
Lebron james is a bitch
The new Prince of NY is here
Desean Jackson IS a punk
27 Going on 28 NYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Lawrence Taylor The Real LT on Jun 14, 2011 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions

its pretty unrealistic to sign Gasol to that offer

not only would Memphis match that, but plenty of other teams with more cap room would be willing to sign him for those bucks or even parlay their assets which dwarf the Knicks into signing Gasol.

We’re not getting him. Its unrealistic to talk about Gasol signing here.

Last night, a comedian died in New York. Somebody knows why. Somebody knows

by Rorschach44 on Jun 14, 2011 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Melo + Dwight + CP3 = Dynasty

That team would never lose. And its not unfeasible to put it together.

I strongly like Amare, personally; and I strongly dislike Dwight personally. But the fact remains that Dwight is the much much better player and I’d pull the trigger on that trade in a nano-second.

Melo and Dwight are a much better fit together. Their strengths enhance each other and also cover each other’s weaknesses. Dwight is not a natural primary offensive option, but Melo is. Melo is not a natural plus defender, but Dwight can clean everything up near the rim. If Dwight gets it going in the low post, things open up for Melo; and vice versa.

Adding CP3 to that mix enhances all of that. It would be like adding a fat nugget of hash to the best blunt you’ve ever smoked (from what I hear).

by Crackback on Jun 14, 2011 7:36 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

Trading Stat for Dwight, and signing Paul would win us a few championships no doubt. The 2 and 4 are pretty easy positions to find solid quality starters and depth at, so we would be able to put together a great team.

At the same time though, I would feel really really bad for Amar’e. He single-handedly made the Knicks relevant again. It would be really F’ed up. I don’t think you can pass the opportunity of those 3 playing together up though…

Best PG in the game.. Best scorer in the game (arguably).. Best Center in the game.. DAMN.

"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."