After months and months of endless bull, theย Orlando Magicย and Los Angelesย Lakersย completed a trade package that includedย Dwight Howardย andย Andrew Bynum. But thanks to two unlikely teams, this deal would notย have been completed. Who is the winner? Who are the losers?ย
I can finally breathe after being suffocated by Dwight Howard talk the past 12 months. Wait, is that oxygen!? Nope. Now more pollution enters because Howard will be in the news for the next three months until the season tips-off. Just when you think you have avoided a speed-trap, they hit you with another and now I got to pay a huge ass fine.ย
I don’t know where to begin with Howard? If you don’t know, I have a pissed-off stance on Dwight Howard as a player and person. You can find those articles here:ย Is Dwight Howard the BIGGEST B*itch in sports?ย
My opinion still has not changed. I think that he is probably a good person but the way he handles his own business is more childish than the ungodly shoulders he possesses. Theย Lakersย should beย worried of two things: his back and that he didn’t sign an extension (at least not yet). He isn’t coming off any ol’ back surgery. This is major back surgery, repairing a herniated disk. It’s no easy thing to come back from 100% completely healthy. The nice thing is that he is only 25 years old and in great shape.ย
So let’s break down this trade.
Lakersย get: Dwight Howard
Nuggets get:ย Andreย Iguodala
Sixersย get:ย Jason Richardsonย and Andrew Bynum
Magic get: Arronย Afflalo, Al Harrington, Nikolaย Vucevicย and Moeย Harkless. The Magic will also receive a protectedย 1st-roundย pick from each team.
So who is the winner of this trade?
Theย Lakers,ย of course, because they didn’t have to give up Pauย Gasolย in the deal. They will now pair Howard andย Gasolย in the frontcourt, and Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash in the backcourt. In acquiring Howard, the Lakers are now the favorite to win the Western Conference and meet theย Miami Heatย in theย NBA Finals.
Orlando is the big loser in all of this. Look at what (not who) they got in return. They will be one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference this year and I don’t believe any of those players, except Afflalo, will be on the team in the next two years.
That’s all I have for now. I will write more later.
Peace.
