Magic Worried Dwight Howard Will Opt Out, Follow Other Stars (Orlando Sentinal)

[rondohondo]

The Magic are concerned that Dwight Howard will opt out of his contract and follow the recent trend of stars aligning to form title contenders.

"At end of day, I think he wants to stay here and wants to win here," general manager Otis Smith told the Orlando Sentinel. "But with so many marquee guys moving, it's kind of hard for me not to have any angst about it.

"I'd be crazy if I didn't. Of course."

Orlando realizes that they could face a Carmelo Anthony situation if they aren't able to sign Howard to a contract extension before next season.

Howard has the ability to opt out of his deal after the 2011-12 season.

"I don't know what happens. My crystal ball is telling me Dwight wants to stay here," Smith said.

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/71179/20110116/magic_worried_howard_will_opt_out_follow_other_stars/



Rondo + Howard = dominate defensive team/ fast break team . They could easily attract some other scorers/ defenders .

[Mazingerz]

The Magic will be worried if and when DA will have a heart to heart talk with Dwight Howard to join the Celtics.

If DA has this in his plans then we might be unstoppable in the future

[GreenEnvy]

Seems like Otis Smith doesn't have a firm grip over there in Orlando.


I will say if 'Melo gets what he wants, CP3 demands a trade, and Howard leaves, regardless of where they go, it's not good for the NBA. These players have way too much power. They call their own shots and get what they want by going to the media, tweeting, sulking, pouting, coasting, or whatever. Loyalty is gone in the NBA apparently.

[rondohondo]

Seems like Otis Smith doesn't have a firm grip over there in Orlando.


I will say if 'Melo gets what he wants, CP3 demands a trade, and Howard leaves, regardless of where they go, it's not good for the NBA. These players have way too much power. They call their own shots and get what they want by going to the media, tweeting, sulking, pouting, coasting, or whatever. Loyalty is gone in the NBA apparently.

I don't think Otis Smith is very smart at all. He traded for a backup PG making 100 mil . Unless they plan on using Jason Richardson's expiring contract and Nelson to try and get an all-star wing ( Iguodala? ) and Move Arenas into the starting lineup.

But at this point Jameer is a MUCH MORE efficient player. Arenas is shooting about 35% since getting traded to Orlando, and his 3pt% and ft% are awful too.

[LilRip]

Seems like Otis Smith doesn't have a firm grip over there in Orlando.


I will say if 'Melo gets what he wants, CP3 demands a trade, and Howard leaves, regardless of where they go, it's not good for the NBA. These players have way too much power. They call their own shots and get what they want by going to the media, tweeting, sulking, pouting, coasting, or whatever. Loyalty is gone in the NBA apparently.

I don't think Otis Smith is very smart at all. He traded for a backup PG making 100 mil . Unless they plan on using Jason Richardson's expiring contract and Nelson to try and get an all-star wing ( Iguodala? ) and Move Arenas into the starting lineup.

But at this point Jameer is a MUCH MORE efficient player. Arenas is shooting about 35% since getting traded to Orlando, and his 3pt% and ft% are awful too.

yes, but he did get Hedo who is playing even better than anyone thought he would/could. plus, he traded away Rashard who is playing very very very bad. traded away Vince Choker for J-Rich and that's not such a bad move either. he upgraded both his wing positions at the expense of a good backup center and an inconsistent backup wing.

[Roy H.]

Seems like Otis Smith doesn't have a firm grip over there in Orlando.


I will say if 'Melo gets what he wants, CP3 demands a trade, and Howard leaves, regardless of where they go, it's not good for the NBA. These players have way too much power. They call their own shots and get what they want by going to the media, tweeting, sulking, pouting, coasting, or whatever. Loyalty is gone in the NBA apparently.

I don't think Otis Smith is very smart at all. He traded for a backup PG making 100 mil . Unless they plan on using Jason Richardson's expiring contract and Nelson to try and get an all-star wing ( Iguodala? ) and Move Arenas into the starting lineup.

But at this point Jameer is a MUCH MORE efficient player. Arenas is shooting about 35% since getting traded to Orlando, and his 3pt% and ft% are awful too.

yes, but he did get Hedo who is playing even better than anyone thought he would/could. plus, he traded away Rashard who is playing very very very bad. traded away Vince Choker for J-Rich and that's not such a bad move either. he upgraded both his wing positions at the expense of a good backup center and an inconsistent backup wing.

The Phoenix trade was a good one.  Smith basically made up for his mistake of letting Hedo walk in the first place, and then bringing in Carter as a supposed replacement.

The Washington deal, though, was poor.  Rashard wasn't having a great year, but it still was better than Arenas (and Rashard's numbers have shot up in Washington).  Plus, Rashard is healthier (there's speculation that Arenas' knee is bothering him again), and has a shorter contract.

I would have made the Phoenix trade, and would have seen how much, if at all, Rashard's numbers improved playing next to Hedo again.

I think, though, that Smith felt pressure from Howard, and to appease his superstar, he gambled on bringing in a potentially dynamic player like Arenas.  I think that gamble is going to backfire.

[housecall]

Personally i think Otis Smith bringing in Arenas was mainly a personal move.He hasn't played at a star level in about 2yrs.To hold on to Dwight Otis Smith would have to bring in a player like CP3 or on that level.He might give you a few good games here/there but i don't think he will ever get back to being a consistent big time scorer.

[rondohondo]

Personally i think Otis Smith bringing in Arenas was mainly a personal move.He hasn't played at a star level in about 2yrs.To hold on to Dwight Otis Smith would have to bring in a player like CP3 or on that level.He might give you a few good games here/there but i don't think he will ever get back to being a consistent big time scorer.

I totally agree , if Otis can't get a chris Paul type of player before 2012 , Dwight will likely leave . Their second best player at this point is either Turk or Nelson and that is just not good enough to win a championship .

And Otis just took on a year extra of awful salary with the trade of Rashard for Arenas. They won't have any salary cap room til about 2013 , so unless they can trade Nelson and Bass for a star player , I don't see how they keep Dwight, and I don't think you are going to be able to get a Chris Paul type star with a package of Nelson and Bass....

[housecall]

Personally i think Otis Smith bringing in Arenas was mainly a personal move.He hasn't played at a star level in about 2yrs.To hold on to Dwight Otis Smith would have to bring in a player like CP3 or on that level.He might give you a few good games here/there but i don't think he will ever get back to being a consistent big time scorer.

Think about this scenerio if the Hawks could make it work.1.Dwight is v.good friends with Josh Smith2.Dwight is from the ALT3.Joe Johnson is a superstar player4.Al Holford is an allstar player.Dwight can filled that void the Hawks has desperately needed,the center position.Horford slips to the 4 and Josh to the 3.just saying
I totally agree , if Otis can't get a chris Paul type of player before 2012 , Dwight will likely leave . Their second best player at this point is either Turk or Nelson and that is just not good enough to win a championship .

And Otis just took on a year extra of awful salary with the trade of Rashard for Arenas. They won't have any salary cap room til about 2013 , so unless they can trade Nelson and Bass for a star player , I don't see how they keep Dwight, and I don't think you are going to be able to get a Chris Paul type star with a package of Nelson and Bass....

[rondohondo]

Personally i think Otis Smith bringing in Arenas was mainly a personal move.He hasn't played at a star level in about 2yrs.To hold on to Dwight Otis Smith would have to bring in a player like CP3 or on that level.He might give you a few good games here/there but i don't think he will ever get back to being a consistent big time scorer.

I totally agree , if Otis can't get a chris Paul type of player before 2012 , Dwight will likely leave . Their second best player at this point is either Turk or Nelson and that is just not good enough to win a championship .

And Otis just took on a year extra of awful salary with the trade of Rashard for Arenas. They won't have any salary cap room til about 2013 , so unless they can trade Nelson and Bass for a star player , I don't see how they keep Dwight, and I don't think you are going to be able to get a Chris Paul type star with a package of Nelson and Bass....

Think about this scenerio if the Hawks could make it work.1.Dwight is v.good friends with Josh Smith2.Dwight is from the ALT3.Joe Johnson is a superstar player4.Al Holford is an allstar player.Dwight can filled that void the Hawks has desperately needed,the center position.Horford slips to the 4 and Josh to the 3.just saying

Atlants won't have the cap room to sign Howard. They just signed Horford and Joe Johnson to long term contracts . They won't have cap room til 2013

[housecall]

Personally i think Otis Smith bringing in Arenas was mainly a personal move.He hasn't played at a star level in about 2yrs.To hold on to Dwight Otis Smith would have to bring in a player like CP3 or on that level.He might give you a few good games here/there but i don't think he will ever get back to being a consistent big time scorer.

I totally agree , if Otis can't get a chris Paul type of player before 2012 , Dwight will likely leave . Their second best player at this point is either Turk or Nelson and that is just not good enough to win a championship .

And Otis just took on a year extra of awful salary with the trade of Rashard for Arenas. They won't have any salary cap room til about 2013 , so unless they can trade Nelson and Bass for a star player , I don't see how they keep Dwight, and I don't think you are going to be able to get a Chris Paul type star with a package of Nelson and Bass....

Think about this scenerio if the Hawks could make it work.1.Dwight is v.good friends with Josh Smith2.Dwight is from the ALT3.Joe Johnson is a superstar player4.Al Holford is an allstar player.Dwight can filled that void the Hawks has desperately needed,the center position.Horford slips to the 4 and Josh to the 3.just saying

Atlants won't have the cap room to sign Howard. They just signed Horford and Joe Johnson to long term contracts . They won't have cap room til 2013

If this turned into a situation where Dwight said he   wanted to go to Atlanta don't you think O.Smith would try to get what he can in a sign and trade deal before Dwight walked without getting anything.The Hawks might lose a few quality players but the Hawks will have their c.

[rondohondo]

But why would Howard want to go there if they aren't going to be contenders ? Is Horford and Johnson along with Dwight that much better than what he has now in Orlando?

 They would probably want to trade Josh Smith a pieces for Howard , but would Orlando want that? Josh Smith will have to be signed the following year(2013) to a long term contract . Plus there is no way Orlando is going to trade him to a team in the same division.

[housecall]

But why would Howard want to go there if they aren't going to be contenders ? They would probably want to trade Josh Smith a pieces for Howard , but would Orlando want that? Josh Smith will have to be signed the following year(2013) to a long term contract . Plus there is no way Orlando is going to trade him to a team in the same division.

Im not saying they will lose all their talent.I feel they could probably afford to lose 1 good player and still be contenders with Howard aboard.I don't think Orlando would want Josh Smith.I just don't see Stan Van Gundy and Josh Smith coexisting.But you do make a good point about not wanting to trade him in the same division.tp

[Q_FBE]

Somebody needs to put World Wide Wes in jail. He has done a lot of damage to this league.

[Moranis]

But why would Howard want to go there if they aren't going to be contenders ? Is Horford and Johnson along with Dwight that much better than what he has now in Orlando?

 They would probably want to trade Josh Smith a pieces for Howard , but would Orlando want that? Josh Smith will have to be signed the following year(2013) to a long term contract . Plus there is no way Orlando is going to trade him to a team in the same division.

Horford actually makes more sense for Atlanta in that situation as Smith is a much more dynamic player to have next to Howard.  If Howard says he is leaving and wants to go to Atlanta then I actually think a Howard for Horford swap straight up makes a lot of sense for both teams.