This is an unfair thread. We gave Dwight a huge pitch to come here. He's been a happy camper and not openly complained about the lack of touches or involvement he's getting when we launch fadeaway 3 one after another. The dude is willing to sacrifice his game if its for the better of the team and it clearly hasn't been. The things you do on the defensive end don't always show up on the box score.
HUH?, he is not willing to settle for what he does best, clean up the points at the rim, PnR and rebound. He wants touches in the post when he SUCKS at that. If Dwight would play to his strengths - a Tyson Chandler style of role he would be fine, but he sulks when he is not getting his touches and stops trying on defense. The guy is a certified prima donna without the game - he COULD be great, but he has CHOSEN not to be throughout his latter career. Time to go. DD
He's not elite on the defensive end, either. Train has left the station on trading him, though. Willing to bet Morey had a suitable trade offer, and Les vetoed it for basketball reasons. I was never a fan before he came, but when he's available on the open market to use your cap money on, get him as an asset. Would have traded him last summer though, from on those DNPs last year. His post-season was not as impressive as many want to remember, imso. Playoff Dwight is such a crock, and we let that falsehood ruin our chance to use the asset. But Les has final say on anything Howard or Harden.
Sigh, I fear you are right, I am not a fan of the front office, ie Morey etc....but I do acknowledge that his hands are probably tied by Le$ Alexander, really wish he would sell the team. DD
Actually it is quite easy to find out whether Howard is still an elite player. Can anyone find a player in recent NBA history who had similar stats as Howard or close to his stats, i.e. 60% fg, 12 rebs, 16ppg, and was not considered as an elite player? case closed.
Tiring. Dwight is going to be on this team. You don't fire Dan Fegan when your goal is to make the most money possible. We're going to re-sign him to 4 years starting at $20m, declining each season, partial guarantee or team option in the final year. Average will be around $17m. When the cap is projected to be $85m, you take a top 5-10 player (at his position) at that price. His defensive impact would be greater under a different coach, as it was under McHale, and SVG before that. His offensive game is perfect - gets like two shots in the post, gets the rest of his points from putbacks and rebounds. We could mix in a few PnR opportunities for him. He hasn't complained. He is right to demand the ball in the post when he has his man sealed off - in fact, if we gave it to him when he's in good position rather than arbitrarily force fed him at the beginning of games, we'd probably benefit from that. I keep saying, if we didn't have Howard we'd be saying we need a guy who can grab a lot of rebounds, change some shots at the rim, play really good defense and score from garbage points. FINE he's not an elite player anymore. Why does everything have to be so bipolar here? He's not elite. He's still very very good, and is still an asset on the court for this team. Howard hasn't stopped Harden from going to the line 10 times a game, he doesn't clog anything. Really good player, going to keep him for a good price. If we sign someone this summer and Dwight walks, you'll be whining again because we need a 3rd guy. Dwight, Ariza and Beverley are the perfect group of players to put around two stars that can score. They are not what's wrong with this team.
Morey's offense just doesn't work with Dwight. He needs spread shooters and that max money Dwight makes can get use THREE good players capable of fitting this system.
Doesn't stop Harden from driving. Harden gets to the line just as much as ever. No evidence of that at all. Doesn't even pass the smell/eye test.
I don't mind bringing him back but we need another Center who can hit FTs. We're leaving too many points off the scoreboard because of Dwert.
I would have traded him much sooner. The only benefit to signing him would have been trading him later. He's always been a headache of a player - his rebounding - seeing him get boxed out and outmaneuvered by first Jordan and then any GS warrior made me think we should have traded him that summer. But it's understandable that people were excited about the team and prospects for this year. But yeah - I say let Dwight opt out and walk.
Don't worry... Dwight will have another 36/26 game like he did in january and DD will be ready to trade harden and build around Dwight - like he was in january....
