BLOCKBUSTER TRADE Howard, Bynum, Iguodala (ESPN confirming its done)

[laker-bob]

Maybe Orlando wanted Bynum. 

If they didn't, perhaps his performances against Dwight, head to head, were a factor.  It probably had more to do with Bynum not wanting Orlando.

[LEHGOCELTICS]

Orlando traded a superstar for not even 1 "star". They are the new laughingstock of the league. I see them and the Bobcats competing for the worst record in the league next year.

[CelticsFan9]

Question: how much do you think Howard's back surgery factored into the Lakers possibly not agreeing to this deal in principle?

I don't really think Howard's back surgery was a factor in this decision at all.  The Lakers probably assume he is coming back healthy.

IMO, that's a pretty risky assumption.  This is the first major injury of Howard's career, and I could see it plaguing him for years.

[Mencius]

Sometimes mere rankings don't come close to telling the story.  I mean, there was Jordan, and then there was who at the other end of that chasm between #1 and #2, Drexler?  In some cases, just characterizing a trade as best at position vs second best can really minimizes the the lopsidedness of a trade. 

Nobody's saying that Bynum is Ryan Hollins.  Just that Howard is much better than Bynum, and that the Lakers got a steal for what they gave up.

I guess you are forgetting that Dwight is a free agent at the end of the year and thus Orlando has no leverage to just pick and choose any player in the NBA.

If Jordan guaranteed the Bulls he was leaving, the Bulls had absolutely 0 leverage,and the Bulls were forced to trade him,  Drexler wouldn't be such a bad return.

Miami isn't going to suddenly offer up LeBron.  Let's be realistic here.  Bynum was the best player on the table.  You can't acquire players that aren't made available.

Well, for one thing Bynum's not going to Orlando in the first place, but I frankly don't care about Orlando's return, which I think is a barrel full of mediocrity; from the players going there, to the picks, of which the Lakers pick will probably be 28-30, and the Philly and Denver picks probably in the 18-22 range, but my irritation has to do with the Lakers, yet again, being the recipients of a lopsided deal in their favor in terms of what they got, and what they gave up.

Bynum and the 28th-30th pick for Howard is a flat out steal.

Regardless, Bynum was the best option out there.  The Lakers have no reason to offer more than the best offer. Bynum was the best piece on the table and they offered it.  They had no need to go even higher. Giving up any more would have been foolish.  The Lakers are many things, positive and negative, but they are not foolish.

My feeling on this pretty much agrees with poster BUTerrier when he says

Seriously, I get that the Lakers didn't want to give up both Gasol and Bynum in the deal, but I'm not sure how everyone else LET them avoid it.

And again, of course I'm not saying that the Lakers were anything but shrewd in making this deal.  That's not the argument I'm making.  I'm saying that they got a steal in only giving up Bynum and a 28-30 pick for the guy who's been the best center in the league for at least 5 years, and is still a young guy.

I see this deal for Philly.  I even see it for Denver.  I don't really see the need to pull the trigger now for Orlando.  I think they could have done better later, but who knows.  Mainly, I'm just irritated that the Lakers, yet again, got a big upgrade relative to what they sent out. 

[Tradetime]

Sometimes mere rankings don't come close to telling the story.  I mean, there was Jordan, and then there was who at the other end of that chasm between #1 and #2, Drexler?  In some cases, just characterizing a trade as best at position vs second best can really minimizes the the lopsidedness of a trade. 

Nobody's saying that Bynum is Ryan Hollins.  Just that Howard is much better than Bynum, and that the Lakers got a steal for what they gave up.

I guess you are forgetting that Dwight is a free agent at the end of the year and thus Orlando has no leverage to just pick and choose any player in the NBA.

If Jordan guaranteed the Bulls he was leaving, the Bulls had absolutely 0 leverage,and the Bulls were forced to trade him,  Drexler wouldn't be such a bad return.

Miami isn't going to suddenly offer up LeBron.  Let's be realistic here.  Bynum was the best player on the table.  You can't acquire players that aren't made available.

Well, for one thing Bynum's not going to Orlando in the first place, but I frankly don't care about Orlando's return, which I think is a barrel full of mediocrity; from the players going there, to the picks, of which the Lakers pick will probably be 28-30, and the Philly and Denver picks probably in the 18-22 range, but my irritation has to do with the Lakers, yet again, being the recipients of a lopsided deal in their favor in terms of what they got, and what they gave up.

Bynum and the 28th-30th pick for Howard is a flat out steal.

Yes, this was exactly my sentiment. How in the hell did LA get Howard for sending Bynum to a third party, retain Gasol, and bring in Nash, all in the same offseason?

I cringe of thinking about KG trying to guard Bynum as a new member of the Sixers.

[Celts Fan 92]

LOL @ Big Baby being Orlando's star player now

[laker-bob]

Bynum is more than what the Lakers usually send out in these type of deals.  What put them in position to make this kind of deal is not messing up that one lottery pick they had.  They picked a gem at #10..

[AB_Celtic]

LOL @ Big Baby being Orlando's star player now

The way Orlando is doing things right now I bet we could get him for a second round pick.

[celtsfan84]

Sometimes mere rankings don't come close to telling the story.  I mean, there was Jordan, and then there was who at the other end of that chasm between #1 and #2, Drexler?  In some cases, just characterizing a trade as best at position vs second best can really minimizes the the lopsidedness of a trade. 

Nobody's saying that Bynum is Ryan Hollins.  Just that Howard is much better than Bynum, and that the Lakers got a steal for what they gave up.

I guess you are forgetting that Dwight is a free agent at the end of the year and thus Orlando has no leverage to just pick and choose any player in the NBA.

If Jordan guaranteed the Bulls he was leaving, the Bulls had absolutely 0 leverage,and the Bulls were forced to trade him,  Drexler wouldn't be such a bad return.

Miami isn't going to suddenly offer up LeBron.  Let's be realistic here.  Bynum was the best player on the table.  You can't acquire players that aren't made available.

Well, for one thing Bynum's not going to Orlando in the first place, but I frankly don't care about Orlando's return, which I think is a barrel full of mediocrity; from the players going there, to the picks, of which the Lakers pick will probably be 28-30, and the Philly and Denver picks probably in the 18-22 range, but my irritation has to do with the Lakers, yet again, being the recipients of a lopsided deal in their favor in terms of what they got, and what they gave up.

Bynum and the 28th-30th pick for Howard is a flat out steal.

Regardless, Bynum was the best option out there.  The Lakers have no reason to offer more than the best offer. Bynum was the best piece on the table and they offered it.  They had no need to go even higher. Giving up any more would have been foolish.  The Lakers are many things, positive and negative, but they are not foolish.

My feeling on this pretty much agrees with poster BUTerrier when he says

Seriously, I get that the Lakers didn't want to give up both Gasol and Bynum in the deal, but I'm not sure how everyone else LET them avoid it.

And again, of course I'm not saying that the Lakers were anything but shrewd in making this deal.  That's not the argument I'm making.  I'm saying that they got a steal in only giving up Bynum and a 28-30 pick for the guy who's been the best center in the league for at least 5 years, and is still a young guy.

I see this deal for Philly.  I even see it for Denver.  I don't really see the need to pull the trigger now for Orlando.  I think they could have done better later, but who knows.  Mainly, I'm just irritated that the Lakers, yet again, got a big upgrade relative to what they sent out.

They did.  Philly got a steal too. And Philly is in our division and in our conference.  There was talk that they wanted to salary dump Igoudala due to too much redundancy on their team and his high salary.  And now instead of salary dumping him for nothing, they got the second best center in basketball for him.

A team in our conference and in our division just picked up a young elite center for a guy they considered salary dumping.  Such is life, my friend.

[Ogaju]

I almost gave laker bob a TP ...da horror.

[celtsfan84]

Bynum is more than what the Lakers usually send out in these type of deals.  What put them in position to make this kind of deal is not messing up that one lottery pick they had.  They picked a gem at #10..

Another great point.  The five guys picked after him: Fran Vasquez, Yaroslav Karolev, Sean May, Rashad McCants, Antoine Wright.  And everyone said the Lakers reached at the time!

If the Lakers took Sean May instead, they wouldn't have been able to complete this trade.  Give the Lakers some credit at least for hitting a home run with their only lottery pick that I can remember.

[KGs Knee]

Hopefully things don't go so well in Philly, and Bynum decides he doesn't want to stay.

C's could possibly put together a trade package.  They need to pounce, if it looks possible.

[Mencius]

...
A team in our conference and in our division just picked up a young elite center for a guy they considered salary dumping.  Such is life, my friend.

Yep, tis true.  Philly's a lot bigger obstacle now.  The Nets and Philly are both majorly improved.  The Atlantic will be no cakewalk this year. 

[CelticsFan9]

LOL @ Big Baby being Orlando's star player now

The way Orlando is doing things right now I bet we could get him for a second round pick.

We could probably trade a Big Mac for him, but Rob Hennigan would give it to Davis because Big Baby said, "Please!"

[The Walker Wiggle]

They did.  Philly got a steal too. And Philly is in our division and in our conference.  There was talk that they wanted to salary dump Igoudala due to too much redundancy on their team and his high salary.  And now instead of salary dumping him for nothing, they got the second best center in basketball for him.

A team in our conference and in our division just picked up a young elite center for a guy they considered salary dumping.  Such is life, my friend.

Eh, while the trade makes L.A. front runners over Miami barring a not-out-of-the-question injury to any one of Howard (back), Nash (age) Bryant (wear-and-tear), the 76ers roster was a mess prior to adding Bynum. The team has now lost three of its four best players from last season's hard nosed squad. Evan Turner and Nick Young leave a lot to be desired as decision makers. Overspending on Kwame Brown was baffling.

Barring more moves I expect Phiadelphia to miss the playoffs. And in that environment Bynum could go either way. Dominate as the team's first option and win games. Or get his, but lose, sulk and tune out disciplinarian Doug Collins.

Just an awful deal for Orlando regardless.