A monster four-team trade that would send Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers and would send Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Andre Iguodala to new teams is close to completion, and an agreement on a trade could be reached by Friday, ESPN.com reported Thursday.
According to the report, the result of the proposed, complicated four-team trade would be the following:
Howard and Denver Nuggets forward Al Harrington would go to the Lakers.
Lakers forward Gasol and Nuggets guard Arron Afflalo would go to the Magic.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Iguodala would go to Denver.
Lakers center Bynum would go to Philadelphia.
However, the trade proposal is still being manipulated, so the players and their destination could change if a deal is completed.
Gasol, in particular, is a player that may or may not be involved in the trade.
The proposed transaction would also give the Magic some draft picks and some salary relief.
The Magic have been working on a trade involving Howard for some time, since Howard has emphasized that he wanted to be traded. And if this trade scenario goes down, it will have a major impact on the NBA.
Three of the players mentioned in the proposed trade – Iguodala, Bynum and Howard – were named to the All-Star game this past season, and Gasol is a four-time All-Star.
Howard averaged 20.6 points and 14.5 rebounds before back surgery ended his season. Gasol averaged 17.4 points and 10. 4 rebounds for the Lakers, while Bynum was at 19.1 points and 12.1 rebounds. Iguodala averaged 12.4 points and 5.2 rebounds.
Bynum is entering the final year of his contract, and it’s unclear whether the 76ers would be able to sign him to an extension of the trade is completed.