I'm not his biggest fan but he did just come off back surgery and he's playing in an entirely different situation, and thus far w/o Nash feeding him the ball. I don't think he'll leave LA, but you know the first GM on his doorstep next July 1st if this is the case will be Morey. Probably on his knees with a feather in one hand to tickle Dwight's....never mind, bad visual.
Being on the Lakers actually is the best chance you get at winning a championship. Why? Because the great players always want to play there and the team is willing to pay major tax. Leaving in FA and going to the Rockets wouldn't be a move to win a championship. Perhaps it would be a move to create his own legacy - but it really will just be a move that exists in our imagination (and in NBA 2k13 - I somehow am always able to sign I'm in FA there...).
Who would want kobe? And would they dare trade him? Although it woild be interesting.if.they traded say kobe/d.morris for ojmayo/marion/collison... Dwight/kobe! !!
I'm not getting my hopes up again after this summer debacle, one thankfully salvaged by the James Harden trade. But I just might get suckered in again if the Lakers truly fail, like losing in the 1st round or something. But that coupled with the Rockets making the playoffs, and doing damage like taking the Thunder/Spurs to game 7, would be our only shot at getting him.
I completely agree. Furthermore, would you want a "star player" if he is not completely loyal to his team and only thinks on behalf of his own interests? DHo has hit his peak a while ago and he has shown no motivations to improve his game. He is still the same player he was two years ago and struggles at the free throw line. Basically he's a poor man's Shaq. Asik, at his age, still has a lot of upside and has shown that his game is still evolving given more playing time with the Rockets. I'd say he will probably continue to improve for the next two years before he hit his peak. With the money that we're paying him, I'd take him over DHo any day.
No, not all athletes want a championship as much as money. I don't think Dwight Howard cares about a championship as much as he do with fame and money. That's just my opinion. Guys like Lebron and Bosh are more serious about winning. But with Dwight, he doesn't take it as serious. Who knows, maybe he wants out of LA after this year because he's tired of having to play serious all the time with Kobe so he wants to go to a different team so he can clown around like he does in Orlando.
The thing I love about Asik is that even though he's not gifted and talented like Dwight but he works hard on his game to improve as much as he can. Dwight Howard has not improve his game at all. He thinks that he is good enough and doesn't need to improve. Dwight has a decent FT shooting form but he just doesn't want to work on it. Asik was also terrible at the line but he worked hard on it over the summer and improve big time over the summer. If Asik can do it, Dwight can easily do it but he doesn't want to. With Dwight, he doesn't have that same drive like Lebron, Kobe, or Durant. Those guys worked on their games every summer to improve different aspects of their game. Like Lebron, he has improve each and every year which is scary given the fact how good he's already is. Dwight has a lot of weaknesses to his game. He is just more gifted athletically than other players. Dwight has peaked in his game a few years ago. But he has not improve at all. His rebounds are impressive averaging around 13-14 rpg because of his size and athletic ability. His highest scoring average was back in 10-11 with 22.9 PPG. I thought his PPG average would improve but it slowly decline a bit. A lot of experts have stated that Dwight is one of the most gifted athlete ever but he just doesn't have that same drive and motor like some of the all time greats. With his talents, athletic ability and size, he could easily average around 25-26 PPG.
I say walk away from Dwight. He is not a first option on a championship team but commands a max contract. Kobe is a max player. Lebron is a max player. Dwight is not. He's a $15-$16m a year player, but if he jumps ship on the lakers in the first year, then does it to us, he will be a max contract publicly demanding a trade and we will have to give him away for scrubs. When you weigh these new scrubs we will have against what we'd have to give up this year to get him, we'd be two steps behind where we are today.
Howard is a top-5, if healthy. He may not be an offensive juggernaut, but he's no slouch either and defensively he's one of the best, if not the best player in the league, so without question he's worth the max.
He took a team to the finals. He is a top 5 player of course he is worth a max contract. Don't let hate blind you.
It will be hard for Kobe to win a championship with this team. Pau has lost interest in the game, declining big time and at an all time low in confidence. Steve Nash isn't the same player anymore due to age. Dwight Howard cares more about drama, media attention and fame than winning a championship. MDA hiring over Phil was a wrong decision for this franchise. MDA style of play isn't championship worthy. Even though offense helps you win regular season games, defense helps you win championships.
