Re: Three-Way ORL/LAL/Cavs Rumor
I got that info from this article btw...
Terry Pluto's Talkin' about Dion Waiters, Andrew Bynum, the Browns, Tribe and more | cleveland.com
Terry Pluto's Talkin' about Dion Waiters, Andrew Bynum, the Browns, Tribe and more
Published: Saturday, July 21, 2012, 10:11 PM Updated: Sunday, July 22, 2012, 1:47 PM
Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer
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ABOUT THE CAVALIERS:
"1. There are at least 20 million reasons, and there could be more than 40 million reasons why Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum won't sign contract extensions to help complete a trade. That's right, 40 million, as in about $40 million. Or at least $20 million, as in one year's salary.
2. Howard and Bynum are under contract through the 2012-13 season. If they are traded and sign an extension now, it can be for no longer than THREE years.
3. That's why Howard's agent has said his client has no interest in signing an extension now. He'll wait for free agency. The new labor agreement changed the rules on players signing extensions before free agency. It made it wiser for players to wait to become free agents because they can sign longer, more lucrative deals.
4. Bynum is expected to follow the same path as Howard. Why sign a three-year deal in the $60 million range when he can wait a year, and sign for more than $100 million over five seasons, depending on his decision of where to play.
5. If Bynum is traded to the Cavs, and becomes a free agent in 2013, he can sign with them for FIVE YEARS.
6. If Bynum is traded to the Cavs, becomes a free agent and wants to sign with another team...it can be for FOUR YEARS.
7. This is why every proposed deal for Howard has been a mess. He won't commit to a contract now because he can get so much more later. Yes, Howard can be traded to the Lakers. He can even say he really wants to sign with the Lakers -- but not until he's a free agent. But a lot of things can change in a year. Cavs fans know all about verbal agreements/promises/hints or whatever from when Carlos Boozer bolted Cleveland.
8. The Cavs can trade for Bynum, wait a year and hope he signs with them for five years in 2013. But there are no promises, as he could go elsewhere even if it's only for four years.
9. Do the Cavs want Bynum? Of course. He's 24, a legitimate 7-foot center who averaged 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds for the Lakers last season. There are issues with Bynum. He has a cranky knee. He seems to float in some games. He has missed 83 games over the past four seasons because of injuries. But, yes, they want him. So do most NBA teams.
10. This from ESPN: "The longest Howard could sign an extension, according to ESPN Insider's Larry Coon, would be two years if he signed with Orlando . . . or it can be three years if he signed after being traded. If he waits until his current deal expires, Howard would be eligible to sign a new five-year deal for as much as $116.9 million."
11. The same basic math applies to Bynum. So if the Cavs deal for Bynum, they have to view him as a one-year rental and hope to convince him to sign with them in summer 2013.
12. It makes no sense for the Cavs to give up much in the way of draft picks and young players. That's what Orlando would want as part of a three-team deal sending Howard to the Lakers. If Orlando and the Lakers want to assemble a blockbuster trade and the Cavs can take on some veterans and add some drafts, they are interested.
13. The Lakers have no interest in trading Bynum anywhere unless they can get Howard as part of the deal. The Lakers are willing to take a chance on Howard for the last year of his contract, figuring he'll want to stay in L.A. and chase titles with Kobe Bryant. And they could be right. But Bynum could end up anywhere, and he wants the freedom to choose. That's why it's very doubtful he will end up in Cleveland."
This would be the first actual explanation to why Dwight isn't committing to signing an extension when/if he's traded.