Joe Johnson Deal Done.

[LarBrd33]

And I'm actually not convinced this takes them out of the running for Dwight... how do you figure?  Dwight continues to reiterate that the ONLY team he will sign an extension with is Brooklyn.  He has flat out said that if a team trades for him (that isn't Brooklyn), he's going to play out the season and then weigh his options on the open market.  Once again... for the 50th time... someone please tell me what team is going to give up considerable assets for a possible 1 year rental of Dwight Howard.  Once again for the 50th time... someone tell me what your offer to Orlando would be, as a Celtic fan.  Would you offer them Ray Allen in a sign-and-trade?  Would you dare offer them Paul Pierce?  How about Rajon Rondo?  ... Think about it.  HOw much are you willing to give up to potential see Dwight leave for nothing.  Houston was stockpiling picks to offer and willing to take a major risk in losing all those assets for nothing in a year... maybe that's the best deal... maybe there are slightly better deals.  But doesn't Brooklyn still have the ability to sign and trade Humphries or Lopez... include future picks and Marshon Brooks? ... Are there really going to be better offers than that??  Would the Lakers really give up Bynum for Dwight when Dwight supposedly was so opposed to going to the Lakers that he opted in for his final year in Orlando when the Magic threatened to trade him there? 

Maybe Orlando just decides they would rather screw Dwight and not trade him to the Nets regardless.

What exactly do the Nets have to offer that would be better than just letting Howard expire?  Orlando would be best served at this point to just let Howard walk if they can't get expiring contracts and a draft pick.

Orlando should have traded Howard a long time ago.  Now both sides are screwed.

Isn't a package around a sign-and-traded Brook Lopez and Marshon Brooks better for Orlando than just letting him walk?  I've heard that before... I don't buy it.  If you know he's a goner, at least get some draft picks and assets for him.  Brook Lopez is a quality big man.  He's not Dwight, but who is going to give up equal value for a guy who is only going to play 1 season and bolt?  No seriously... who?  Houston and who else?  I don't get it.

I agree with you that nobody is going to offer anything worth while for Howard.  It'd be foolish.

I just think Lopez is not that good, or, at least not worth the contract he'll be signing.  Brooks is ok,  but a lottery protected pick isn't worth over-paying Lopez.

If I'm Orlando's GM, I bench Howard for the year and tank.  The cap space gained by letting Howard walk, plus the high lottery pick you'd get this year for tanking is worth more than Lopez and a lottery protected pick in  my eyes.

Didn't Omar Asik just get a contract paying him 15 million in year three?  Roy Hibbert just got a max contract.  YOu can't tell me that a 24 year old 7 footer who gives you 20 points and a couple blocks a night doesn't have value in this league.  If Orlando doesn't have interest in having a vastly overpaid Brook Lopez, that doesn't mean there aren't a dozen other teams that wouldn't gladly take him.  Can you do sign-and-trades as part of 3 team deals?  Some desperate team in need in size will gladly welcome Lopez with open arms... Dwight goes to Brooklyn... and the team taking Lopez sends assets to Orlando (while Brooklyn also sends assets to Orlando like Marshon Brooks and future draft picks). 

Point is... I don' see how "Dwight to Brooklyn" is now considered impossible.

[KCattheStripe]

Orlando trades Dwight Howard for Al Jefferson, Eric Kantor, and nothing else.

Utah starts mo Williams, Gordon Hayward, Marvin Williams, Paul Milsap, Dwight Howard, and Derrick Favors comes off the bench.

Houston trades Orlando Kyle Lowry, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin for Al Jefferson and Hedo Turkoglu.

Dwight Howard and the Jazz challenge as a fringe contender out West.

Houston takes a huge step forward with some cap space and young assets to work with still.

Other than the fact that you have the Jazz trading the Republican Congressman from Virginia and not Enes Kanter, I like it.

[hondotorondo]

who says dwight still doesnt go to the nets?.. maybe johnsons contract just ficilitates the deal. or wallace. anything is possible

[KGs Knee]

And I'm actually not convinced this takes them out of the running for Dwight... how do you figure?  Dwight continues to reiterate that the ONLY team he will sign an extension with is Brooklyn.  He has flat out said that if a team trades for him (that isn't Brooklyn), he's going to play out the season and then weigh his options on the open market.  Once again... for the 50th time... someone please tell me what team is going to give up considerable assets for a possible 1 year rental of Dwight Howard.  Once again for the 50th time... someone tell me what your offer to Orlando would be, as a Celtic fan.  Would you offer them Ray Allen in a sign-and-trade?  Would you dare offer them Paul Pierce?  How about Rajon Rondo?  ... Think about it.  HOw much are you willing to give up to potential see Dwight leave for nothing.  Houston was stockpiling picks to offer and willing to take a major risk in losing all those assets for nothing in a year... maybe that's the best deal... maybe there are slightly better deals.  But doesn't Brooklyn still have the ability to sign and trade Humphries or Lopez... include future picks and Marshon Brooks? ... Are there really going to be better offers than that??  Would the Lakers really give up Bynum for Dwight when Dwight supposedly was so opposed to going to the Lakers that he opted in for his final year in Orlando when the Magic threatened to trade him there? 

Maybe Orlando just decides they would rather screw Dwight and not trade him to the Nets regardless.

What exactly do the Nets have to offer that would be better than just letting Howard expire?  Orlando would be best served at this point to just let Howard walk if they can't get expiring contracts and a draft pick.

Orlando should have traded Howard a long time ago.  Now both sides are screwed.

Isn't a package around a sign-and-traded Brook Lopez and Marshon Brooks better for Orlando than just letting him walk?  I've heard that before... I don't buy it.  If you know he's a goner, at least get some draft picks and assets for him.  Brook Lopez is a quality big man.  He's not Dwight, but who is going to give up equal value for a guy who is only going to play 1 season and bolt?  No seriously... who?  Houston and who else?  I don't get it.

I agree with you that nobody is going to offer anything worth while for Howard.  It'd be foolish.

I just think Lopez is not that good, or, at least not worth the contract he'll be signing.  Brooks is ok,  but a lottery protected pick isn't worth over-paying Lopez.

If I'm Orlando's GM, I bench Howard for the year and tank.  The cap space gained by letting Howard walk, plus the high lottery pick you'd get this year for tanking is worth more than Lopez and a lottery protected pick in  my eyes.

Didn't Omar Asik just get a contract paying him 15 million in year three?  Roy Hibbert just got a max contract.  YOu can't tell me that a 24 year old 7 footer who gives you 20 points and a couple blocks a night doesn't have value in this league.  If Orlando doesn't have interest in having a vastly overpaid Brook Lopez, that doesn't mean there aren't a dozen other teams that wouldn't gladly take him.  Can you do sign-and-trades as part of 3 team deals?  Some desperate team in need in size will gladly welcome Lopez with open arms... Dwight goes to Brooklyn... and the team taking Lopez sends assets to Orlando (while Brooklyn also sends assets to Orlando like Marshon Brooks and future draft picks). 

Point is... I don' see how "Dwight to Brooklyn" is now considered impossible.

I definitely think Lopez has value.  I just don't see why Orlando would want him.  He's the type of player you add to a team on the brink.  Not a team in rebuild mode.

Asik is getting 15m in the 3rd year, but only because he's being paid 5m in the 1st 2 years.  Houston's cap hit will only be about 8m per year (in all 3 years).  Lopez is worth about 8-10m also, just not for Orlando.

Also, Lopez will be a BYC player, so Brooklyn would have to send out additional salary to take on Howard's mamoth deal.  I doubt Orlando wants any bad contracts.  The only players Brooklyn could send would be Humphries or Morrow, and niether player are worth building around.

I maintain, short of a possible three team trade that brings Orlando expiring contracts and picks, they'd be better off just letting him walk.  It may not look good to their fans, but might end up being their best move.

[Kwhit10]

Danny Ferry GM of the next 4 years.

[Fafnir]

I did zero cap homework here btw, so if it's crazy, don't blame me.

Houston won't facilitate Howard going somewhere else they want him.

[mctyson]

I am sorry, but I don't see how anyone can defend this trade for the Nets.  Based on what I am hearing, this takes them out of the running for Dwight Howard if D-Will resigns.  More importantly, they traded for one of the worst contracts (if not the worst) in the league.

Joe Johnson is owed $88M over the next 4 years. 

I don't care what rationale you use, you never, never, NEVER, trade for a contract like that. 

Or in others words, this is a classic Billy King move.

[Brendan]

Doesn't seem terrible for Nets to me, seems like a good move for Hawks.

Derron Williams & Joe Johnson is probably the best backcourt in NBA, and very hard to matchup against for most teams because of the size.

[LarBrd33]

Chris Sheridan:

The Nets remain very much in the hunt for Dwight Howard — even after agreeing to the outline of a trade that will bring Joe Johnson to Brooklyn.

The goal is to have a Big Three of Deron Williams, Dwight Howard and Johnson, and it remains doable if the Magic are willing to play ball, a league source tells SheridanHoops.com.

Orlando would have to accept a package of Brook Lopez, Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, MarShon Brooks and multiple future first-round draft picks, and the Howard deal would take the form of a massive sign-and-trade.

Wallace has already agreed in principle to a four-year, $40 million deal, and the outlines of deals with Lopez and Humphries would have to take shape before the deal could be agreed upon.

http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2012/07/02/nets-looking-at-big-three-of-d-will-dwight-and-joe-johnson/

Well I don't know how reputable Chris Sheridan is, but I agree with his "sources".  Again... don't get why people assume this means they are out of the running for Dwight. 

[Swoopz]

As a Georgia resident and a minor Hawks fan this is great. I've always liked JJ but that contract is horrendous and Williams a huge disappointment. Now they can rebuild with Horford, Teague, and maybe Smith and hopefully become more than a mediocre playoff team.

[Change]

How is Billy King still employed? Average Joe Johnson contract will go down in history as worst contract ever. Deron Williams go to Dallas if you are smart. Flee now before it's too late.

[LarBrd33]

How is Billy King still employed? Average Joe Johnson contract will go down in history as worst contract ever. Deron Williams go to Dallas if you are smart. Flee now before it's too late.

Even if the Nets don't end up with Howard... they arguably still outmatch us in 3 of their 5 starting positions.

Deron > Rondo **
Johnson > Bradley/Ray
Lopez > whoever ends up playing center next to Kevin Garnett

Not a bad team when you fill it out potentially with Gerald Wallace and Kris Humphries... with Marshon Brooks off the bench.

**don't argue with me.  I said arguably.  

[pearljammer10]

I see this nets team not working for some reason. Dwill is a ball dominant PG. Johnson is a special offensive talent but works way too much in iso. Wallace is a great rebounder defender but wil get in johnsons way. Humphries gets his points off misses and hard work and Lopez is mediocre IMO down low in the paint. Individually these guys are great but I dont see this as the right fit for them to mesh together...Plus they have no bench.


And im sorry. But DwILL is not better then Rondo.

[The Walker Wiggle]

Even if the Nets don't end up with Howard... they arguably still outmatch us in 3 of their 5 starting positions.

Deron > Rondo **
Johnson > Bradley/Ray
Lopez > whoever ends up playing center next to Kevin Garnett

Not a bad team when you fill it out potentially with Gerald Wallace and Kris Humphries... with Marshon Brooks off the bench.

**don't argue with me.  I said arguably.  

Well, with so many suitors for Marcus Camby, and so few other legitimate centers available in free agency, I'm going to assume it's actually Garnett > Lopez for now.

For a hypothetical Nets team with Williams but without Howard, a great deal is going to depend on Joe Johnson, who before he started knocking down the long ball again this season had been in slow decline since 07-08.

[LarBrd33]

Even if the Nets don't end up with Howard... they arguably still outmatch us in 3 of their 5 starting positions.

Deron > Rondo **
Johnson > Bradley/Ray
Lopez > whoever ends up playing center next to Kevin Garnett

Not a bad team when you fill it out potentially with Gerald Wallace and Kris Humphries... with Marshon Brooks off the bench.

**don't argue with me.  I said arguably.  

Well, with so many suitors for Marcus Camby, and so few other legitimate centers available in free agency, I'm going to assume it's actually Garnett > Lopez for now.

For a hypothetical Nets team with Williams but without Howard, a great deal is going to depend on Joe Johnson, who before he started knocking down the long ball again this season had been in slow decline since 07-08.

Yeah, but playing with a top 3 point guard oughta help with that.  Joe Johnson will be perfectly fine playing there.  He's not going to have to create his shots as much.  Deron will be hooking him up (presuming he sticks with Brooklyn).