Dwight Howard Saga

[bigfoot5415]

Im not to worried about what Dwight Howard does in free agency, because I cant see it having too much effect on us. If he leaves, Orlando becomes a hell hole and NJ eats up a lot of cap space on two players. If he stays, they're a slightly more competitive hell hole filled with a lot of mediocre players (only because they have a lot of bad contracts locked up long term). However, I saw this article and it pretty much sums up the financial hit DH12 would take if he leaves and it also shows some of the new rules such as the "Carmelo Rule" take effect. Anyone who is interested in seeing some of the new rules from the CBA or is interested in the DH12 situation, give this article a read.

A Financial Look At Dwight Howard's Options Under New CBA
Feb 22, 2012 8:16 PM EST

Over the coming weeks and possibly months, the eventual resolution of the Dwight Howard situation will be the first major test of how, if at all, the new CBA has shifted the dynamics behind the efforts of teams to retain their franchise players.

The new rules were designed to increase team leverage while reducing the power players possess to dictate when and where they will be moved.

The home team, which holds the player’s Bird Rights, can offer 7.5% annual salary raises, compared to 4.5% annual raises for all other teams. The home team can also offer a fifth contract year while all other teams are limited to four.

And perhaps most significantly, a loophole has been closed: The player can no longer receive the larger annual raises and extra contract year with a sign-and-trade from the home team to another team. The only way, as a free agent, that the player can receive these twin benefits is by staying put.

Another scenario is for the player to be traded, prior to free agency, transferring Bird Rights to the acquiring team which would then be able to offer the larger raises and an extra year. This, of course, is the essence of Howard’s request that the Magic deal him to one of his preferred destinations – reportedly New Jersey or Dallas – before this year’s March 15th trade deadline.

Will the new rules be sufficient to keep superstars like Howard, who have expressed a strong desire to relocate, with their current teams?

Whether the Magic front office feels comfortable enough to press its advantages at the risk of losing Howard without compensation if he simply signs elsewhere – and how Howard’s camp would then respond, as a real measure of how strongly Howard values a change of scenery over financial security – will answer the question in this case.

Jerry West stated recently that if he found himself in the middle of such a dilemma, he would opt to try calling the player’s bluff.

“If I were an executive on a team where a player says he’s going to leave, let him leave,” West said.

Otis Smith, general manager of the Magic, might agree with West.

“He can still walk, but with a $30 million haircut,” Smith said of Howard.

It’s difficult to say, of course, whether Smith is truly prepared to follow this course of action or is simply posturing.

Below are the actual salary figures of the free-agent contract that the Magic can offer Howard compared to any other team, like the Nets or Mavericks, both of which project to have the available salary cap room to sign Howard outright this coming offseason.

Such a maximum-salary contract offer from Orlando would be $29.8 million larger than any other in total, but over the same four years, the difference is just $5.1M. Said another way, approximately 83% of Orlando’s financial edge comes from the extra fifth season, with the rest a product of the larger annual raises over the first four years.

The lion’s share of Orlando’s leverage could be decided by how confident Howard is in earning a maximum-salary contract in the season after his contract with New Jersey or Dallas would expire. Howard would be 31-and-one-half years of age when he went back on the free-agent market again (if he did not extend his contract before then, which certainly should not be taken as a given).

The first year of Howard's second contract with a new team, otherwise known as Year 5 if he remains with the Magic, would be no less than $21,741,334.

Orlando’s Free-Agent Max Offer to Howard

Year 1: $18,996,359
Year 2: $20,421,086
Year 3: $21,845,813
Year 4: $23,270,540
Year 5: $24,695,267
________________

$109,229,065

Other Teams’ Free-Agent Max Offer to Howard

Year 1: $18,996,359
Year 2: $19,566,250
Year 3: $20,136,141
Year 4: $20,706,032
________________

$79,404,782
Via RealGM Staff Report

Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap...#ixzz1nGcyXg2m

I doubt he walks away from that much. Otis might as well call his bluff, and let him suffer.

[Kyrie_K2]

No way in hell he actually comes here. But who says we can't dream?

[Silky Smooth]

Im not to worried about what Dwight Howard does in free agency, because I cant see it having too much effect on us. If he leaves, Orlando becomes a hell hole and NJ eats up a lot of cap space on two players. If he stays, they're a slightly more competitive hell hole filled with a lot of mediocre players (only because they have a lot of bad contracts locked up long term). However, I saw this article and it pretty much sums up the financial hit DH12 would take if he leaves and it also shows some of the new rules such as the "Carmelo Rule" take effect. Anyone who is interested in seeing some of the new rules from the CBA or is interested in the DH12 situation, give this article a read.



I doubt he walks away from that much. Otis might as well call his bluff, and let him suffer. If he does hit FA, I think a core of Kyrie, Thompson, a signed sg or sf, and a drafted sg or sf would be worth a look for him. A lot of upside, and a very large window.

Dwight Howard is not coming here no matter who we have on our team. He's thing about big market so be can get more endorsement deals.

[ReAL DeAL]

Dwight Howard is not coming here no matter who we have on our team. He's thing about big market so be can get more endorsement deals.

Well, what endorsement deals didn't LeBron actually get here? Dude had a f'n billboard. D-12 just wants a partner with stardom.

[bigfoot5415]

Ok the end of the post wasnt meant to be taken seriously. The post was more about the article than anything. Hell ill delete that part of the post to avoid derailing the thread.

[Silky Smooth]

Well, what endorsement deals didn't LeBron actually get here? Dude had a f'n billboard. D-12 just wants a partner with stardom.

Dallas, New Jersey, Los Angeles or Cleveland? He's not coming here.

[Silky Smooth]

Ok the end of the post wasnt meant to be taken seriously. The post was more about the article than anything. Hell ill delete that part of the post to avoid derailing the thread.

Looks serious to me.

[ReAL DeAL]

Dallas, New Jersey, Los Angeles or Cleveland? He's not coming here.

Why even buy into a sports team in this city then? If nobody will come here through FA and players leave for FA, why even bother ya know?

Hell, Ray Allen and Michael Redd didn't want to come here when we had LeBron.

Everybody has to start somewhere. Who exactly was Chicago before Michael?

[Silky Smooth]

Why even buy into a sports team in this city then? If nobody will come here through FA and players leave for FA, why even bother ya know?

Hell, Ray Allen and Michael Redd didn't want to come here when we had LeBron.

Everybody has to start somewhere. Who exactly was Chicago before Michael?

We've been over this already. Free agents have never came here. The best thing to do is draft our superstars and do everything we can to keep THEM here. If Kobe's a free agent he's not coming to the Cavs when he can go ANYWHERE else.

[blue_kahuna]

I wanna see Orlando call this bitch's bluff and start setting a precedence. The worse case is they'll be screwed for a couple years and their reward is high draft picks? What's not to like?

[Birdy89]

That extra year doesn't really mean much in the grand scheme of things because it is not like he won't get it on the next contract.

If anything, He would rather hit the free agent market again at 31 than 32 as he would probably be able to get another max deal anyway.

It says the difference in the first 4 years is only $5 million, which is not enough to keep these guys from walking away.

They needed to give home teams a real advantage when negotiating, not just that one year. It should have been like 3 extra years, making it too good to pass up. 1 year they will get anyway just isn't enough to deter these guys when the difference between staying and leaving is only a few million bucks a year.

[cafemerald]

Why even buy into a sports team in this city then? If nobody will come here through FA and players leave for FA, why even bother ya know?

Hell, Ray Allen and Michael Redd didn't want to come here when we had LeBron.

Everybody has to start somewhere. Who exactly was Chicago before Michael?

What exactly was basketball before Michael? It sure as hell wasn't large endorsement deals. Michael opened up the new income for NBA players... endorsements.

Now that endorsements are a large part of a players yearly income, the location becomes very important. Before endorsements? Who really cares if you are in a big or small market. Yearly income wasn't that vastly different.

[Dr. Gymbo]

I wanna see Orlando call this bitch's bluff and start setting a precedence. The worse case is they'll be screwed for a couple years and their reward is high draft picks? What's not to like?

Agreed. SOME team is going to ultimately have to make a stand to send a message to this bitch ass players. I doubly hope it's Orlando because I'd be lying if I didn't say I hope that team suffers as much if not more than Cleveland because of the playoff loss a few seasons ago.

[ChicagoCavFan]

I believe we have a solid pitch if Dwight is willing to listen.

First, Dwight is an outgoing personality. He would certainly love to play in a major market, but we have something going for us that other smaller markets do not: a proven, hungry fan base. Dwight saw this during their games against us in the playoffs. He saw what happened to our city with LBJ left. He knows he could be that person to lift us back up again (outside of Kyrie, which brings me to my second point...)

Second, we have Kyrie Irving. Dwight played some of his best ball when Jameer Nelson could actually play. When he was balling, I see similarities to what Kyrie brings. However, Kyrie is on a much higher level, and has already established himself as a winner. It would take a bit of a sales pitch to convince him, but there is something there.

Hurting this is the fact that Dwight wants to win a championship, and he will likely choose the path of least resistance (at least in his mind and what his agents/advisers are telling him). In the end, I believe we have an intriguing pitch, and will be something that Dwight should at least consider....maybe....get it done Grant.

[Mdog1]

I really hope Dwight gets a career ending injury, unless he comes to Cleveland of course. Since there is less than a 1% chance of him coming to Cleveland I hope he gets a career ending injury. I'm sick and tired of the inmates having the control, and it would only be fitting if he lost a leg.