A few short weeks ago, someone on this site who claimed they knew what they were talking about wrote, "I can't foresee a repeat of some of the oddities that were present [in the 1999 season]." That season was, of course, the only other time the NBA missed games due to a work stoppage. He went on to say, "… the quality of play in the league is miles better than it was 13 years ago."
Yes, that writer was I. While I still largely agree with the latter assertion, you wouldn't know it depending on the games you've been watching. In Friday night's Lakers/Magic game, Orlando raced to a 23-point second quarter lead on the back of just 40% shooting. ESPN's Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy, who broadcasted and coached games in that 1999 season, respectively, couldn't help but remark on the game's poor nature. League broadcast partners are usually more diplomatic about such statements, although the contest deserved no such restraint.
Earlier in the week, those same Lakers played the Mavericks. The game film has since been incinerated by the league office in New York. If you had the game recorded on your DVR, David Stern's minions found a way to hack your hard drive and erase the game. The teams combined to shoot just 36.5 percent from the floor and 13.8% from three. The Mavs won the third quarter by 9, scoring 16 points. The 100th total point of the evening did not come until the 11:00 mark of the fourth quarter.
Of course, the common thread in the two ugly contests is the Lakers, who have a winning record but are saddled with the coaching of Mike Brown on offense. There are many adjectives to describe Brown's offenses as a head coach in the NBA, none of which include creative, efficient or entertaining.
The other comment I made three weeks ago about the oddities of the season looks to be completely wrong. Golden State, who is still struggling to find an identity under coach Mark Jackson, has 3 home wins. Two of the three wins are against the East's two most talented clubs, Miami and Chicago. On Wednesday, Oklahoma City lost at Washington, who came into the game at 1-12. The back-to-backs and constant travel have already made playing at a consistent, high level impossible, even for the league's best. Most casual fans decry how many off-days are taken during the playoffs. This year, they will be needed in the worst way.
As always, the lesson is not to hop on the jump to conclusions mat after just a week of games in any season in any sport.
Before that Lakers/Magic game on Friday night, the storylines centered around a possible Dwight Howard-to-L.A. deal involving Andrew Bynum going the other way.
The rationale for GM Mitch Kupchak to swing the deal is easy to figure out. It would give the Lakers' the league's best big man, pairing him with a top-five power forward in Pau Gasol. Howard would not have to be the go-to guy on offense for the Lakers, a role he has looked uncomfortable in at times for the Magic. Furthermore, it would eliminate concerns the Lakers have at the five about injuries. Howard has missed all of seven games in his eight-year career. Bynum has missed an average of 23 games a season in his seven years.
But neither Kupchak nor Orlando GM Otis Smith should pull off the trade.
For the Lakers, a straight-up Howard-for-Bynum deal is unlikely, especially after Howard eviscerated Bynum Friday night. Although Bynum is having a career year, Howard is better at both ends of the floor, and is a dominant rebounder. On Friday, Howard rebounded a phenomenal 40% of the Lakers misses on the defensive glass.
The only way Smith would make the swap is if he was absolutely sure Howard was opting out of his contract this summer and that he had no chance of re-signing the three-time Defensive Player of the Year. Right now, Orlando is 10-4 and could win the Southeast Division with Howard as their superstar. Bynum has never been the focal point of a team, and to ask him to start now with a different team in the middle of an unconventional season is optimistic at best.
If extra players were to be thrown into the deal, they would have to come from the Lakers' sub-par collection of role players. Luke Walton or Metta World Peace wouldn't exactly qualify as great additions to an Orlando team that has much better role players behind Howard.
The Lakers do own an additional first round pick this year from Dallas as part of the Lamar Odom trade (as well as sizeable trade exception from the same deal), but it is top-20 protected through 2017. Given Dallas' run of consistent winning seasons and willingness to spend in the summers, the Magic might not be seeing that particular pick for a while. For the reasons mentioned above, the Lakers should view any picks as valuable assets to improve the team's depth.
The other teams on Howard's list of preferred potential trade destinations are the Mavs, Nets, and Clippers. Let's nip the most far-fetched one in the bud first. Due to CBA rules, the Clippers cannot trade center DeAndre Jordan until December 21. Add to that the fact that the team needs to extend Blake Griffin in the next two years with limited cap space, and you have a situation where the Clippers are only on Howard's list because they are better now and play in Los Angeles.
The Nets are hindered by Brook Lopez's injury and the fact that like Jordan, Kris Humphries and Mehmet Okur have restrictions that prevent them from being traded at the moment. Although the Nets have two first rounders for 2012, other players the team could offer are likely undesirable to Smith. The Mavs would have to dip into an aging rotation to offer something of value to the Magic, despite possessing four trade exceptions to try piece together a deal with.
In other words, no other team Howard wants to go to has something as good as Bynum to offer the Magic.
The picture for the Lakers to acquire Howard becomes much clearer in the summer. Assuming Howard opts out, the Lakers could sign him as a free agent, and decline Bynum's option for 2012-13. If you're the Lakers, it doesn't make sense to sacrifice your team's already suspect depth for a player you have a good chance at acquiring in July. If you're the Magic, you still have a good team that could get hot in May and June. Smith could very well lose Howard for nothing, but can still offer the center $30 million more than any other team and a longer contract.
The Lakers probably don't have much of a chance to win a championship this year, even with Howard. The offense and bench are bad. Kobe Bryant has been beyond amazing this year, but he shouldn't be expected to play 40 minutes or more every night. If the Lakers want to improve their team, they should be patient and not sacrifice a potentially bright long-term future.
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