Will The Nets Enter The Dwight Howard Chase Again?
News is surrounding the NBA today that Kobe Bryant is “OK” with the Lakers trading Dwight Howard and of course that opens up the world to trade scenarios. Who else would be the number one target other than the Brooklyn Nets.
Let the hypothetical trades begin.
Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops came out today with this trade scenario…….
1. Dwight Howard from LA Lakers to Brooklyn Nets for Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Mirza Teletovic, Tyshawn Taylor, Togo Shengelia and the rights to Bogan Bogdanovic and Ilya Karaman.
Why it Makes Sense for Brooklyn: They’ve been after Howard for more than two years. They know he still wants to get there. They have more assets that can help the Lakers down the road than any other potential trade partner, and they know it. But they would need the Lakers to make a side deal beforehand – or turn this into a three-team deal – for LA to clear roster space to get down 11 so they could absorb the four NBA players in this deal. They play Brook Lopez as a 4-5 instead of strictly as a center. If they can hang onto Teletovic or Bogdanovic, all the better. They’d prefer to sacrifice future No. 1s.
Why it Makes Sense for the Lakers: They take on no long-term salary beyond 2014, and they go into the summer of 2015 with Steve Nash’s partial guarantee the only number on their books, allowing them to go after LeBron James if/when he becomes a free agent. There will be others, good ones. If they believe they will lose Howard for nothing over the summer, this deal at least allows them to rebuild for the future. Teletovic is a perfect stretch 4 for the Mike D’Antoni system. Taylor can be Nash’s understudy. If they can get Brooklyn to throw in a future No. 1 pick, it makes the deal even more palatable.