espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8252042/sourc...r-team-deal-complete

If this is true and Orlando just traded Dwight Howard for Nikola Vucevic, Al Harrington, Arron Afflalo, and 3 protected first round picks...

Wow.



Lakers come out like a freaking bed of roses if they get to keep Gasol. They are obviously the prohibitive favorite to win the League with Howard, Gasol, Kobe, Nash, and MWP.

What a travesty man.

Just reposted with the link.

This knocks Kahn out of contention for GM of the year, I'm pretty sure. Unless Kahn pulls off a Derrick Williams for Afflalo swap or something like that.

P.S. I'm starting to cool down on Shved a bit. His defense and decision making have been pretty awful last few games as the competition has gotten better.

That is sad and pathetic.

Screw the Lakers. Screw the NBA.

Shit, I don't know if that makes the Nuggets better than the Wolves but it certainly puts them right there with us. Lawson, Iggy, Galo, Faried, McGee

Murphs56 wrote: The Nuggets are definitely better than the Wolves. They were better than us last year, and they improved a ton since then. Iggy + McGee > Our additions.

No doubt in my mind.

Aloha, Gentlemen!

Imagine my surprise at discovering the news within moments of turning on Sports Center after I got home and settled into the easy chair, margarita in hand.

Then, the news bulletin came on - Lakers pull off 4-team trade for Dwight Howard. Sweet.

Some of you may remember that I predicted the Lakers would get Howard by the time the season started. Thank you (I'm taking my bows.).

Yeah, Wolfenstein, Orlando also got a guy named Harkness, 76ers get Bynum & Jason Richardson. You already know the rest.

As far as Kahn's shot at GM of the Year, I would guess that Mitch Kupchak has moved to the top of the heap there by getting Steve Nash and Dwight Howard. You have to admit, that is pretty damn badass!

Obviously, Jerry West taught Mitch quite well! And, of course, Jerry learned from Bill Sharman. That is quite a string of excellent GMs!

College Wolf wrote:
You are both insane.

You are dramatically overrating McGee, and dramatically underrating Love. Love is easily (easily!) the best player on either team. McGee is likely to be the worst starter on either team, depending on how good Roy is this year. McGee's bonehead plays and effort level may have come up substantially, but you don't learn good basketball intelligence overnight. I would love him on our team in a role supplementing Love and Pek, but I would never trade Pek straight up for him, not even close.

Lawson was a good mid round pick, but is far from elite. He's a very good point guard.

Gallinari is fun to watch but not half the player Kirilenko is. Not close.

Iguodala would have a huge advantage over Roy or Shved or Budinger or whomever, but Iguodala isn't a guy who will go out and light up an inferior player for 40+.

Faried is a good energy guy. Work in progress.

With a healthy Rubio, the Wolves have 4 of the best 5 players in that game, and it's not close.

You are both nuts.

Revised WC Power Rankings after that trade:

1. Lakers

...

...

...

2. Thunder

...

3. Spurs
4. Wolves
5. Grizzlies
6. Clippers
7. Nuggets
8. Utah or Dallas I guess.

Maybe Memphis is better than us since they match up well, but it's not unreasonable to expect us to be battling out for home court this year. Kirilenko changes a lot of things if he is back to form. Of course everything hinges on injuries and Rubio coming back healthy and whole.

themerryprankster wrote:
The 76ers came out okay, besides trading Iggy for Richardson. Bynum was a big asset to them.

Orlando shaved a ton of salary, and other than that they pretty much got a huge crap-laden meatball sub.

I like Afflalo and all, but... could we not have offered more than that in exchange for a one year rental?

wolfenstein wrote:
You're really homering it up man. 4th in the west?

Hey Wolfenstein, I will bet you any amount of money that the Nuggets finish better than the Wolves next year.

How much do you want to bet? Name it.

Put your money where your mouth is. Let's do this!

wolfenstein wrote:
Derrick Williams, Chase Budinger, and a future 1st and 2 future 2nds to Orlando in exchange for Iguodala coming to Minnesota for a year.

Rubio
Iguodala
Kirilenko
Love
Pekovic

That's a team that would be fun to watch against the Lakers.