Here's the RUMOR 4-team trade..

[Lucky17]

Didn't Bynum say he would extend with Dallas or Houston?

If so, why not just make the deal with the Lakers, and flip Bynum to either of those teams for picks, prospects, and financial relief.

Maybe the rookie GM in Orlando is trying to get another suitor to step up. Or, maybe he's just a rookie GM, and he's letting his superstar call the shots.

[TripleOT]

The Cs should trade Pierce, JJJ, Melo, three firsts and the Bobcats second for Howard and Richardson.  Or three firsts if need be.

Instead of getting stuck with a broken footed big on a max deal, they could flip Pierce to the Clips for Butler, Bledsoe, Gomes and a pick. 

Magic: Butler at a reasonable $8m, promising young guard Bledsoe, expiring Gomes, JJJ, promising Melo, and four firsts and a high second. 

Clips:  enough top of the roster firepower to actually contend in the West.

Celtics: a real chance at a title, and the best defensive team in basketball - maybe basketball history.   

[BballTim]

A.Bynum and no picks is a better offer.

Not only does Dwight have no interest in signing an extension with LA, but Bynum has no interest in signing an extension with Orlando.  The Magic would be in the same darn position.

I've been sayin this for months... leverage, folks.  Leverage.  Brooklyn is where Dwight will more than likely end up unless some crazy GM is willing to give up assets for a possible 1 year rental.

  So what's Howard going to do after a year in LA, retire or sign a mle contract in NJ? Go back to Orlando maybe?

Who knows.  It's a risk.  From what I understand, Orlando is the team hesitating more than the Lakers.  Dwight re-signing with the Lakers long-term might be a safer bet than Bynum re-signing with the Magic long term.  They'd be basically swapping out one bad situation for another.  It's not a stretch to think that a team like Dallas could put themselves in position to make a major run at Dwight if he reached free agency.  The Lakers would still be taking a considerable risk by giving up Bynum.

Leverage, baby.  Leverage.  Dwight demands Brooklyn... Brooklyn doesn't have to come up with the "best offer for Dwight"... they just have to come up with a better offer than the rest of the league.  And since Dwight is adamant that he will not sign an extension with any team other than Brooklyn... the rest of the league isn't going to give up equal value for a rental. 

  It depends what the gm wants to do, but if Orlando doesn't trade Dwight to Brooklyn he never goes there, plain and simple. If Brooklyn doesn't get Howard they have a good but not great team that will probably never win a title and don't have the resources to improve it for at least a few years.

  If Orlando keeps Howard this year, what are the odds he decides to stay there (when he has no real path to Brooklyn)? If they don't re-sign him next summer, they can still get assets at the time in a sign and trade. Is the chance to re-sign DH worth risking the difference between the Nets offer and what they'd get in a sign and trade? There's also a chance someone else will trade for him, under the assumption that he might stay there if he can't get to Brooklyn.

  Again, Orlando might trade him to Brooklyn, but I don't think it's their only path or even their smartest path, and I think that all of Howard's supposed leverage evaporates if they call his bluff.

[Kane3387]

A.Bynum and no picks is a better offer.

Not if he won't sign an extension. Plus Orlando is getting rid of some bad contracts. I mean look at what we gave up for KG. Look at what we gave up for Ray. Look at what Melo went for. The Jazz and Hornets are the only teams to get crazy value for their franchise guy.

[Django]

 Ugh.

Im sorry for but what Dwight is doing is worse than LeBron.

[crownontherocks]

Hearing some buzz Cavs out of potential trade involving Nets & Magic, replaced by Bobcats. Cats would take MarShon Brooks, eliminating Clips
Saw on Sam Amico twitter

[Liam W]

The Lakers are really stalling right now. Mitch Kuptcheck should have done a deal for Howard along time ago. Now they could miss out altogether.

Look I dont want the Lakers to get better by any means but It makes you wonder why LA havent been talked about here. Bynum is decent no doubt but Howard is a superstar

We should have been making moves for him not New Jersey, But Danny Ainge thinks a 36yr old Kevin Garnett is the way forward.

We would have had all that cap room to go for him, you could have traded Pierce and got something back in return. Allen has already left thats more money to the pot, yet we resign a 36yr old Kevin Garnett to a 3 year deal.

This team ran out of gas in Game 7 and it was the same thing in 2010. The team has to be reconstructed not continued to be "retooled" and "putting the band back together" can Danny Ainge not let this team go?

[crownontherocks]

Orlando is scared Bynum won't sign extension if he's traded, I think lakers already offered bynum and artest

[BballTim]

The Lakers are really stalling right now. Mitch Kuptcheck should have done a deal for Howard along time ago. Now they could miss out altogether.

Look I dont want the Lakers to get better by any means but It makes you wonder why LA havent been talked about here. Bynum is decent no doubt but Howard is a superstar

We should have been making moves for him not New Jersey, But Danny Ainge thinks a 36yr old Kevin Garnett is the way forward.

We would have had all that cap room to go for him, you could have traded Pierce and got something back in return. Allen has already left thats more money to the pot, yet we resign a 36yr old Kevin Garnett to a 3 year deal.

This team ran out of gas in Game 7 and it was the same thing in 2010. The team has to be reconstructed not continued to be "retooled" and "putting the band back together" can Danny Ainge not let this team go?

  I don't think you dismantle a team that came within a game of getting to the finals on the off chance that a player who keeps coming up with lists of teams that he'll play for that *don't* include you will suddenly have a change of heart and join your squad.

[crownontherocks]

The latest team linked to the multi-team Dwight Howard trade? The Timberwolves. They may get involved in the talks, according to sources.

[D Dub]

Where's ATL?

Would think Horford, Teague, Zaza & some 1sts would beat the Nets offer...

[Who]

Where's ATL?

Would think Horford, Teague, Zaza & some 1sts would beat the Nets offer...

Yeah, but why would Dwight Howard sign a contract extension in Atlanta at that point? They will have gutted their team. Only quality player left there is Josh Smith. I don't think that is enough to hold onto Dwight Howard.

Better off keeping Horford.

[BostonNative]

I'm hoping he goes to the nets it would make the league more competitive. I don't want Dwight and J smooth on the same team unless its boston lol...BLOCK CITY!....

[saltlover]

Where's ATL?

Would think Horford, Teague, Zaza & some 1sts would beat the Nets offer...

Yeah, but why would Dwight Howard sign a contract extension in Atlanta at that point? They will have gutted their team. Only quality player left there is Josh Smith. I don't think that is enough to hold onto Dwight Howard.

Better off keeping Horford.

I mean, he's from Atlanta.  That has to count for something.