Ken Berg: Jim Buss Open to Trading Bynum-maybe a 3 team trade

[guy]

You're right the Lakers can't outright sign him in the offseason but other teams can and will. So get a decent replacement while you can. Bynum and Odom will suffice.

Thats not a good deal at all. Its true that the Magic risk losing him for nothing, but the Lakers also risk missing out on someone that makes them better right now and will keep them contending for the next decade even as Kobe declines/retires.

What exactly are the Magic missing out on if they turn down a Bynum+Odom for Howard+cheap filler deal? Bynum isn't a franchise player. He's 24 years old and has had injury problems thats greatly impacted his potential every year for the last 4 years. Since when do problems like that go away as a player gets older? If he has these issues as the 3rd-4th best player on a team, how do you expect him to be if he's expected to carry a franchise? Mr. Kardashian is a celebrity on the wrong side of 30 that most likely has no interest at all in playing for a lottery small market team. This team probably doesn't make the playoffs, and if they do its as a 7th or 8th seed that gets dominated in the first round. And thats if the Magic even want to accept there team options next year. After that, both of these guys would probably want to move to better teams that actually have a chance of doing something. So basically in 2 years, this trade is worthless to the Magic. In fact, it might even be worse then doing nothing because they are a lottery team but not nearly bad enough to get a high lottery %.

On the other hand, Gasol+Bynum for Howard+Arenas means along with a less worked meaning healthier Bynum they get a legit top 15 player who still can play at a high level for the next few years due to his length and skillset and can lead a team to a decent record and the playoffs with a chance of winning a round maybe even two. Although they wouldn't be favorites against the top teams, a team of Bynum/Gasol/QRich/Reddick/Nelson can definitely compete at a high level in the East. Not to mention they're able to get rid of both of their horrible contracts, one by amnesty and one by this trade, and get huge financial and cap relief.

Not to mention they can probably can get a better deal then Bynum+Odom from a team like the Clippers with a package around Gordon, the Knicks for Amare, or the Celtics for Rondo+Green. If thats the best deal the Lakers would offer and the Magic takes a hardline stance and denied it, Howard would have to look at those other options.

[HylianNightmare]

Orlando can get a better deal than Bynum, but it really depends on what options Howard is willing to accept.

thhis, we might get the deal of a lift time but if he won't extend there we will have to settle for less

[HurricaneKid]

You're acting like their isn't an enormous difference between Bynum and Howard right now and especially the future. We're talking about a top 3 player in the league who will dominate for the next decade vs. a top 30 player at best that has problems staying on the court and probably will decline into a fringe role player over the next decade if he isn't out of the league altogether due to injuries.

No one (I hope) is arguing that Bynum is a fair trade. Its more about how Orlando can get back as much as possible for losing him.

My argument is that Bynum is a C who has never been > 15ppg, 9.4 rebs, has missed 126 games the last four years (on avg thats 50/82 games), has chronic knee problems and is making ~league max. If I'm a small market GM I don;t think I take that deal for nothing, much less a top 3 player.

[guy]

No one (I hope) is arguing that Bynum is a fair trade. Its more about how Orlando can get back as much as possible for losing him.

My argument is that Bynum is a C who has never been > 15ppg, 9.4 rebs, has missed 126 games the last four years (on avg thats 50/82 games), has chronic knee problems and is making ~league max. If I'm a small market GM I don;t think I take that deal for nothing, much less a top 3 player.

So you're in agreement with me? A deal for the Magic that centers around Bynum doesn't make sense right? Which is why the Lakers should have to add Gasol and be willing to take Arenas or Hedo.

[HurricaneKid]

So you're in agreement with me? A deal for the Magic that centers around Bynum doesn't make sense right? Which is why the Lakers should have to add Gasol and be willing to take Arenas or Hedo.

I agree that it is a terrible deal for Orlando. I just don't know that they have a lot of options. Dwight is being a bit of a dick about it. He is demanding to go to the two highest salaried teams in the league that he cannot possibly go to unless he can finagle a trade.

The Lakers will gladly take Hedo. I think its more likely to be LO and Bynum for Dwight and Hedo. Arenas is a problem because you have to match his salary and then you are talking about adding in Artest AND Pau. If you are the Lakers you have just given away your whole team outside of Kobe.

[NoGunzJustSkillz]

I don't see why the Magic wouldn't ask for Gasol as well AND make the Lakers take one of Hedo or Arenas. They have the leverage to dictate the terms on what they get back in return.

maybe the magic have the leverage, maybe they don't. all dwight has to say is i am going to give you guys 2 options. trade me to the lakers or i am leaving via free agency and you guys get nothing in return.

[NoGunzJustSkillz]

[QUOTE=rhythmic

[NoGunzJustSkillz]

Why don't the Lakers go after Bogut instead?

Bogut is a very good defender, rebounder, passer and can score in the post.

didn't bogut get seriously injured last season or was it the season before?

[Rooster]

The leverage is that they have to accept a deal for the Lakers to get him at all. This isn't a Melo/Knicks situation where Melo was able to wait till the offseason to outright sign with the Knicks if the Nuggets didn't like any deal the Knicks offered beforehand. The Nuggets had very little negotiating power in the Melo. Without taking what the Knicks were offering, all they were doing was just delaying the inevitable by like half a season. If the Magic don't take what the Lakers are offering, the Lakers don't get Howard AT ALL.

No, the Lakers have the team option on Bynum and Odom next year. If Howard wants to get in board this summer, the Lakers can decline those options and sign him. The point is Orlando will risk of losing him without getting nothing in return. Keep in mind that Howard has the player option next summer so he can opt out. This is the part that you can not seem to grasp that the Lakers can sign him outright in the next summer. The bottomline is the Lakers can sit and wait, the Magic can't.

[NoGunzJustSkillz]

No, the Lakers have the team option on Bynum and Odom next year. If Howard wants to get in board this summer, the Lakers can decline those options and sign him. The point is Orlando will risk of losing him without getting nothing in return. Keep in mind that Howard has the player option next summer so he can opt out. This is the part that you can not seem to grasp that the Lakers can sign him outright in the next summer. The bottomline is the Lakers can sit and wait, the Magic can't.

this entire post is a bunch of nonsense.

[Rooster]

I agree that it is a terrible deal for Orlando. I just don't know that they have a lot of options. Dwight is being a bit of a dick about it. He is demanding to go to the two highest salaried teams in the league that he cannot possibly go to unless he can finagle a trade.

The Lakers will gladly take Hedo. I think its more likely to be LO and Bynum for Dwight and Hedo. Arenas is a problem because you have to match his salary and then you are talking about adding in Artest AND Pau. If you are the Lakers you have just given away your whole team outside of Kobe.

The Lakers can trade either Gasol and Bynum but not both. They are not in desperate mode. They can wait and they can win without making any trade.
The Magic can definitely get better players than what Lakers can offer but the problem is if Dwight Howard is willing to sign that extension to make it happen because I don't think any team will give their players away just to have Howard play for them for a year. That's the bottomline.

[Rooster]

this entire post is a bunch of nonsense.

why, it's true. If Howard wants to stay at Orlando, he would have sign that extension. There is a reason why Melo and Lebron left those offers in the table.

[NoGunzJustSkillz]

why, it's true. If Howard wants to stay at Orlando, he would have sign that extension. There is a reason why Melo and Lebron left those offers in the table.

I don't think the Lakers can sign Dwight Howard next off-season. Like no possible way for that to happen.

[guy]

No, the Lakers have the team option on Bynum and Odom next year. If Howard wants to get in board this summer, the Lakers can decline those options and sign him. The point is Orlando will risk of losing him without getting nothing in return. Keep in mind that Howard has the player option next summer so he can opt out. This is the part that you can not seem to grasp that the Lakers can sign him outright in the next summer. The bottomline is the Lakers can sit and wait, the Magic can't.

Lakers have $68 million committed salary even without the team options in 2012-13 and $61 million committed in 2013-14. Like I said, Lakers can't sign him outright without trading for him. You are not grasping that.

[Rooster]

I don't think the Lakers can sign Dwight Howard next off-season. Like no possible way for that to happen.

They have the team option for Bynum and Odom next year. They can decline those options and sign Dwight Howard.