Evening News: Lakers hang banner for Dwight; Eric Gordon available; Cavs offer top pick to New Orleans

Hello and welcome to the Evening News.

As we get set for the NBA draft, we’ll keep you updated every evening.

What’s happening today?

Lakers hang banner outside Staples Center for Dwight

In what appears to be a somewhat desperate attempt to entice Dwight Howard into re-signing, the Lakers have put up a gigantic banner outside the Staples Center telling Howard to stay.

Lakers hang huge banner pleading @DwightHoward to stay. Good move? What will he think? pic.twitter.com/YQy6SVde6y

— janis carr (@janiscarr) June 26, 2013

The banner has been perceived as manipulative by some and desperate by others. While the Lakers have maintained public confidence that they will be able to re-sign Howard, reports around the NBA persist that Houston has emerged as the front runner for Howard in free agency.

Howard has been exchanging text messages with several Rockets players and is highly intrigued by the opportunity to play for Kevin McHale.

Pelicans make Eric Gordon available

According to Andrew Perna of Realgm.com, the New Orleans Pelicans are making Eric Gordon “very available” in trade talks. 

Gordon and the Pelicans have had an up and down relationship since he was acquired from the Clippers in the Chris Paul trade of 2011.

Gordon signed a four-year, $58 million contract with the Phoenix Suns as a restricted free agent last season. Despite making it clear that he wanted to leave New Orleans, the then-Hornets matched the offer and brought back their disgruntled star.

He played only half of the Hornets’ games last season after sustaining a series of injuries.

When I asked New Orleans coach Monty Williams how Gordon’s rehab was going last November, Williams candidly told me that he had no idea because Gordon was in Los Angeles rehabbing privately away from the team.

Unfortunately for the Pelicans, several teams that may have had interest in Gordon last summer are now under new analytics-savvy regimes. While Gordon shoots the ball well, he is undersized defensively and his 1.8 rebounds per game ranked him among the worst rebounders in the league last season.

Cavaliers offer top pick to Pelicans

On an unrelated Pelicans note, Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld.com reports that the Cleveland Cavaliers have offered the top pick in the draft to New Orleans in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, No. 6 overall pick, and the Pelicans’ 2014 first round pick. 

Although New Orleans has yet to confirm or deny interest in the trade, it appears as though Cleveland is valuing the top pick a little too high. New Orleans’ front office believes it is still a season or two away from contending and certainly would not want to prematurely give up their chances at striking gold with Andrew Wiggins in next year’s draft.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that Cleveland still does not have a top target in place. As they continue to shop the pick, trade windows are closing by the hour.  Expect them to eventually settle on either Alex Len or Nerlens Noel at number one.