[jamesofwhite21Participant]

The Lakers fans are calling for wholesale changes. Kobe has to be livid, hardly anyone looked like they wanted to play. Steve, the Lakers’ most expensive offseason acquisition, looked like garbage. They need a trade. Orlando, if Howard lets it be known that he wished to be traded, needs to get something HUGE in return. Would something like this be out of the question:

 

2011/2012 Player Salaries:

 

Magic —

Gilbert Arenas: $19,269,308

Dwight Howard: $17,885,400

Brandon Bass: $4,000,000

Chris Duhon: $3,460,000

Quentin Richardson: $2,446,200

Earl Clark: $2,031,240

 

Lakers —

Pau Gasol: $18,714,150

Andrew Bynum: $15,157,667

Lamar Odom: $8,900,000

Ron Artest: $6,790,640

 

Those figures would come to roughly $49 million in salary for the Magic and $49.5 million for the Lakers. This would solve many problems. Here’s the breakdown:

LA…

– The Lakers have no firepower off of the bench. With QRich you get a shooter who can’t be any worse than Steve Blake has been this year, there is no way his performance this season was worth $4 million a year especially with the new CBA looming.

– They have two new options at point guard. Chris Duhon had a great shooting year with NYK before he came over to Orlando, I don’t see why he couldn’t get back to that form and contribute. Arenas is old and pretty much washed up but there is no way Orlando moves Howard to any suitor not willing to take on Arenas’ ugly contract as well. If Howard gets moved, they may as well shake their nasty contracts for more dollars to throw at FAs. Anything beyond what Arenas did this year for the Magic would be a bonus for the Lakers.

– Reload on bigs. As far as the frontcourt, the Lakers wouldn’t lose a whole lot. Bynum is often injured, he is a giant building block but who wants to build a mansion on a so-so foundation? No way. Too high a risk. Pau is butter soft. He has no inside post moves. It’s all hooks and fade-aways. The big loss would be Odom. Call me crazy but when he plays with a fire under him he is unstoppable. He has great handle, plays pretty good defense and is probably the most athletic big in the western conference. That is where Earl Clark comes in. IF he develops he could be a similar player. He is young, it’s worth the risk, he showed flashes in Orlando. Bass is tough and could clean up around the rim and be a body on defense. I don’t really need to explain what Dwight Howard would bring to LA.

Orlando…

– Pau Gasol is signed  through the 2013/2014 season. That way at least they get SOMETHING for Dwight. Pau had more than a down year, but maybe he could get back to form in Orlando. He played nothing like what we saw the two seasons prior. His best basketball was last year’s finals against Boston, he gave Kevin Garnett everything he had and more. That Pau was gone this year, and he probably is looking to rebound next season.

– Andrew Bynum has a 2012/2013 team option. If he suffers a terrible injury, the Magic don’t go Michael Redd mode and have a player sitting on the bench for a few years to the tune of $20 mil. If he stays healthy, he and Gasol are a scary frontcourt.

– Lamar Odom and Artest are not the best in terms of keeping their motors high. If Lamar truly played to his true potential he would be in the top 150 players ever easily, but he doesn’t which is ridiculous. Lamar and Artest would pretty much bring what you’d expect from them.

 

Both teams benefit. Both teams need a shakeup. This avoids a PR mess for Orlando and Howard’s camp… Brian Shaw (or insert Laker coach here) gets at least a good shot with their first season and the Lakers reload. Other players could be added to make things work and both teams still need to try and build through the draft as well but I see no reason why this trade wouldn’t/couldn’t work. Thoughts?

[B FreeParticipant]

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=4yq38vh

I put it in the trade machine minus Earl Clark (not allowed)

It didnt know if you knew about the trade machine but it makes it alot easier then doing math.

[GlenTaylorSucksParticipant]

As interesting as that sounds, there’s no way in hell that trade happens. The Lakers would give up their 3 or 4 best non-Kobe players, and Orlando would basically gut their team. They’d basically be trading teams, lol. I have a legitimately hard time coming up with what would be a good value for Howard. He’s one of maybe 4-5 guys in the league right now that will change a franchise (Durant, Griffin, Rose, potentially John Wall and DMC (IF (and a big "if") he gets his head straight)).

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

So you’re telling me to trade their entire teams?

[NardDog NationParticipant]

 I like the deal but I think the Lakers should hold onto Odom and the Magic hold onto Bass. They are better fits with their current teams and would have a more limited role with their new teams.

[sheltwon3Participant]

Lakers can’t afford to give up 4 of their top 6 players for Howard and Orlando’s garbage

[What The DevilParticipant]

Why do people keep insisting on Howard going to the Lakers? Why don’t we wait until he says he wants to be traded before we start speculation? 

[JimmeredYaWabafetParticipant]

http://oi52.tinypic.com/2h742fm.jpg

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orlando-magic/os-dwight-2012-interactive,0,1600830.htmlpage

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