It's Christmas in August for NBA fans tired of the constant Dwight Howard trade rumors and speculation — the Magic finally moved their franchise center today in a huge, four-team deal that netted them six players, five picks, and some cap relief.
It will likely be years before we can truly determine which teams "won" and "lost" this trade, but with the deal officially announced, we can at least examine each franchise's present-day thinking and take a stab at which club we think came out on top.
So was it the Lakers, who parted with the league's second-best center but landed the prize of the 2012 trade market? Or the Sixers, who were finally able to move Andre Iguodala and acquired a potential franchise center in return? How about the Nuggets, who unloaded arguably their two worst contracts and received an All-Star for their troubles? Maybe you even like the deal for the Magic, who loaded up on draft picks and did about as well as they could, given their lack of leverage.
Before making your pick, you can read up on the full details of the trade right here.
In all honesty, everybody made out great in this trade EXCEPT for Orlando: the Lakers got the best C in the game, Philly got the 2nd best C to team with their dynamic backcourt, and Denver upgraded from Afflalo to Iggy while shedding two large contracts. Orlando was never going to get equal value for Dwight, but at first glance, this trade seems somewhat inferior to the packages that Houston, Cleveland, or even Brooklyn were offering. Only time will tell, I suppose.
My main gripe is with the draft picks honestly why did they settle for protected draft picks is what I don’t understand considering your trading a top 5 talent you shouldn’t settle for nothing but unprotected first rounders period.
the sixers they traded AI for bynum jason Richardson
DEN trading Afflalo, Harrington, and two first round picks for Iguodala seems pricey.
Wouldn’t say that’s pricey at all honestly AI is a near all-star talent every season and the first rounder you gave up isn’t till 2014 so yea if anything Denver solidified there team.
Fair enough. I guess I just don’t see what others seem to see in AI. His only All Star selection came in what was arguably his worst season as a pro. What’s funny about that is it should have been a peak year, since he’s 28.
The contracts they dumped are probably more important in the long run. They definitely drove down the value of the players.