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[Birdman]

Am I the only one who thinks Dwight Howard and Chris Paul will be playing for the Dallas Mavericks in 2013-14??

[Who]

No chance -- both are locks to stay with the Lakers and Clippers respectively. 

[Birdman]

I wouldnt say locks..unless DH goes to the Clips..wow that be something!!

[ScottHow]

If Paul is smart he will stay with the Clippers. Who knows what Howard wants? He doesn't know who he wasnt to play for week to week, game to game.

[GreenFaith1819]

Has Dwight committed to the Lakers? I don't think he has...

I thought that, despite the lip service he's given the media, he has made no long-term commitment contract-wise to LA?

If my guess is correct, then I'd suppose it is very possible for DH to end up in DAL...as for CP3, I thought he was signed for another 2-3 yrs with the Clips?

[Who]

I wouldnt say locks..unless DH goes to the Clips..wow that be something!!

They are both locks. Nobody else can make them a better offer in terms of money and chance to win a title.

Chris Paul has one of the best big men in the league alongside him in Blake Griffin. A couple of up and comers like D.Jordan and several steady veterans. He has a squad that is very close to being a Championship caliber group. Dwight Howard has three All-Star caliber teammates in Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Steve Nash. He also plays for a Lakers franchise that has been extraordinarily successful.

The new sign and trade rules come into place next summer. So the most any other team can offer them is 4 years with smaller annual raises. They'd both be leaving a huge amount of guaranteed money on the table to move teams.

There is just no way either guy is leaving a sporting situation as good as they have in LA with the Clippers and Lakers respectively + leaving all that money behind in the process. It's not happening.

If they were in bad teams, it'd be possible. But that is not the situation.

Dwight Howard and Chris Paul are both locks to stay in LA with the Lakers and Clippers respectively.

[TripleOT]

I don't think the new signing rules will affect either player.  If they're determined to move,  they'll threaten to sign elsewhere with no compensation and then their current team will max them out and do a S and T.  Either that or they'll decide to take shorter money to go where they want.  Both guy has banked big money already (D Ho $100m, CP3 $80m, not counting endorsement dollars).

If Cuban can jettison Shawn Marion for expiring contracts, Dallas will be in position to sign both of them.  A team of Howard, Dirk and CP3 would be a big time contender.  ATL has room to sign both, and also has a big time asset in Horford if the Hawks wanted to pair their on UFA, Josh Smith, with the FA duo. 

Both player is in a very good position to determine his future. Staying put is a great option as is both of those FA scenarios.   

[Kane3387]

Don't see Paul leaving, but Howard might leave LA. I think it's legitimate he could.

He is incredibly sensitive it seems and last night no Laker had his back about the foul on Fraried.

Howard:

"It was a hard foul," Howard said. "That's all I know. I've been fouled harder than that before and nobody's ever gotten kicked out of the game for it, but I get penalized for fouling people hard. It's basketball."

Kobe disagrees:

"I think it is the right call. I don't think it was extensive enough to warrante a one-game suspension, but I believe it was a flagrant."

D'Antoni:

When asked what the Lakers lost without Howard in the game, D’Antoni said, "Not a whole lot."

Can anyone else see Howard acting like a baby and sticking it to them by walking out the door?

[hpantazo]

Don't see Paul leaving, but Howard might leave LA. I think it's legitimate he could.

He is incredibly sensitive it seems and last night no Laker had his back about the foul on Fraried.

Howard:

"It was a hard foul," Howard said. "That's all I know. I've been fouled harder than that before and nobody's ever gotten kicked out of the game for it, but I get penalized for fouling people hard. It's basketball."

Kobe disagrees:

"I think it is the right call. I don't think it was extensive enough to warrante a one-game suspension, but I believe it was a flagrant."

D'Antoni:

When asked what the Lakers lost without Howard in the game, D’Antoni said, "Not a whole lot."

Can anyone else see Howard acting like a baby and sticking it to them by walking out the door?

It also says a lot imo that his coach basically took a dump on him saying that they didn't really miss much when they lost Howard for the game. Pau Gasol on the other hand looks great now with Nash back. Howard is just not a smart basketball player. Now that he lost some of his athleticism and mobility from back surgery, he is not nearly as effective because he doesn't have actual skills to rely on. Hopefully his loss of mobility and athleticism is only short term.

[Kane3387]

Hopefully his loss of mobility and athleticism is only short term.

Hope it's long term. Never really liked him and most of all he is a Laker.

[pearljammer10]

I wouldnt say locks..unless DH goes to the Clips..wow that be something!!

I would say Paul is a lock to stick around LA. Sir Whines a lot Howard wouldnt surprise me if he made a move elsewhere.

[LarBrd33]

I created a thread about this a couple months ago:  http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=60442.0

Bunch of responses in there.  They apparently had thought about doing it at one point... and I was wondering if there was a glimmer of hope that Dwight would bail on the Lakers.

Chris Paul leaving the Clippers is starting to seem very unlikely, though.  He's the best point guard in the league, his team is streaking and looks like they could be legit contenders for a title.

FWIW, I also think the Lakers will eventually get it together and coast to the Finals.

It's not totally impossible that they'd join Dallas.  Both are unrestricted free agents and that would be a great destination if they still want to play together.

[CelticsFan9]

Paul is an absolute lock to stay in LA.  He's got a great supporting cast, it's a great city, and he's going to have a legitimate shot to win every year for the next five years.

Howard is so-so.  If LA wins it all, he stays.  If they lose in the Finals, he will probably test free agent waters and either sign elsewhere or come back.  If they get eliminated in the first or second round, I say he leaves, either for Atlanta or Dallas.

[Lightskinsmurf]

Nobody is a LOCK to stay anywhere lets calm that noise down. I hate when people act like they know everything lol. I will say its pretty likely paul stays with the clippers. Hes in a good situation. Howard on the other hand i mean if the lakers continue to lose and his coach and players continue to throw dirt on him.........i can definitely see him leaving like the big baby he is.

[hpantazo]

Nobody is a LOCK to stay anywhere lets calm that noise down. I hate when people act like they know everything lol. I will say its pretty likely paul stays with the clippers. Hes in a good situation. Howard on the other hand i mean if the lakers continue to lose and his coach and players continue to throw dirt on him.........i can definitely see him leaving like the big baby he is.

I agree. In the NBA today, there are only really 2 players who are an absolute lock to stay on their team: KG and Timmy D. That's it.