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3-way trade with Houston to get Dwight

- Rockets send to Orlando the #5 and #8 picks they're supposed to trade for (apparently they hope to get those using some combination of Lowry, their #14 and #16 picks, and maybe other players)

- Nets sign-and-trade Lopez and their (Rockets) pick back to Houston. The Nets also throw in a couple of picks to Orlando

- Orlando sends us Dwight

There could be some minor throw-ins like adding Marshon or even Farmar or Morrow to one or the other team, maybe absorb another contract, but above are the main components of the trade.

(This trade scenario was discussed a bit in the Houston-trying-to-trade-up-for-D12 article, somewhere in the several hundred comments there, but this hopes to discuss further how that could be turned around in the Nets' favor.)

Why would Orlando do it?

They get two lotto picks in #5 and #8 to rebuild. They also get a couple more future picks from us. Ideally, they absorb no or little salary (which could be possible given some cap space flexibility for Brooklyn and Houston).

This assumes they don't want Lopez for some reason. Could be the injury or the rebounding (or lack thereof) or maybe because Lopez would inevitably draw constant comparisons with the superstar center they would've lost.

Why would Houston deal with the Nets?

Houston can of course risk trading for Dwight themsleves but if he bolts, they would've lost all those assets for a one-year rental of a player who has in the first place repeatedly been reported to have made his preference to be traded to a different team.

Houston had once tried to trade for Gasol. Brook's a similar player. And Gasol's 32, Lopez 24 (sometimes one forgets how young Brook still is).

If they can't get Howard themselves, Houston probably prefers to keep him out of the West. Like most other teams but probably even moreso for those in the West, they'd hate to see Howard traded to the Lakers. If the Nets get Howard, it would also keep DWill out of Dallas, one of the Rockets' intra-state rivals.

Weighing the risk between using up their assets to trade for a one-year rental in Howard and locking up a 20ppg scoring center in Lopez for four years via trade, you have to wonder if Brook isn't actually the Rockets' main target in all this.

Why would Lopez agree to a sign-and-trade?

Houston is a good situation for Lopez. Houston wants to be good now and McHale wants to build a team around a center. If Houston can keep much of their core and play like they did before their late season collapse, adding Lopez is probably what they need to get to the playoffs.

Looking at possible multi-team deals to get Howard to Brooklyn, a possible 3-way trade involving Houston seems like an intriguing scenario.

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