If you are gonna say Dwight doesn't want to be the man based on him wanting to play with another superstar then you have to say the same thing about Kobe and Lebron.
Its funny seeing Magic Johnson get frustrated with Simmons, even when Simmoms is making good points about his Lakers. Magic tries to come off like he knows it all, but he sounds dumb.
It's a bigger upgrade than people seem to understand. If Dwight gets some of the looks Asik gets they'd be free 2 pts, while Asik fumbles around with the ball, and then try reverse layups. Defensively they are close, but Dwight is still a little better and when fully healthy he is a top 10 player in the NBA. You combine that with the fact we can pretty easily flip Asik after the year he had for another solid PF (Josh smith, Millsap, Jefferson, etc), that would completely change the complexion of this team. You can't be overly pro-patience in the NBA today, the problem with that is Parsons will get PAID in a couple years, so will Lin, and so will Asik, then our cap situation is no longer good, and we have only 1 superstar and a bunch of role players, which RARELY wins a title.
It's not even the idea of his team per se, it's that he knows he can't beat miami or okc alone. If the lakers keep kobe, which it looks like they will, they need to amnesty/trade pau, means dwight will literally be playing with 40 yo nash (he spends as much time injured as playing and he's not even close to the same) and d leaguers. If he came to Houston, our 4th player is better than their 2nd best in that environment.
Absolutely. It's about winning. He doesn't want it to be "his team" because a team with Dwight as its clear best player isn't going to be enough to beat Miami/OKC. He needs a 1A/1B scenario. That's why I'm baffled by the idea from a select few fans/writers that he only cares about attention and spotlight. That's the exact opposite of everything he's said and done. Like LeBron, this guy wants to win and be in big games come May and June. That's the priority.
everyone did say that about lebron....and it's a fair call about kobe too. But the issue isn't really about "the man" per se, the most dominant player floats to the top, it's about what else you have around you.
Daryl Morey RT on twitter: @dmorey Among 5 teams with ample cap space for this coming summer, the Houston Rockets is the only present playoff team. Promising future ---- He's going for Dwight 100000%. That last game is very important.
Dwight Howard expected back with Lakers in free agency Spoiler EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Even before Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant went down in a heap Friday night, his season ending with the Achilles tendon pop heard 'round the basketball world, there was an expectation within the organization that Dwight Howard would eventually take over this team. While the center who will be a free agent this summer has continued his noncommittal stance about whether he will sign with the Lakers or head elsewhere, two people close to him said they fully expect him to return. The people spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity out of respect for Howard's decision to wait until the summer to make his final choice. In that silver lining sense for the Lakers and their distraught fans, their playoff push that has come down to the final days of the regular season may simply a preview of the years ahead. "It's almost like you're envisioning yourself three years from now, four years from now, what is that (like)? " Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni told USA TODAY Sports on Sunday regarding Howard now playing without Bryant. "Well the future is now. I think he's up to the challenge." But Howard is notorious for his indecisive ways, meaning there's always a chance his outlook could change by the time July rolls around. The Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets and even the Phoenix Suns — who could make room for a maximum contract salary with a few minor roster moves — are hoping that's the case. And should Howard get lost in the Lakers' Bryant-less offense in these final two games and they fall short in the playoff push, it's safe to say that could cause him some concern in terms of how he sees Laker Land. The financial factor certainly comes into play, as Howard's maximum extension with the Lakers would be for five years and $117.9 million while all other teams only could give him a four-year, $87.8 million contract. The smart money, it seems, is on him staying. No one, especially not Howard, could have imagined this Lakers season being so challenging after he pushed his way out of Orlando last summer. This was the sort of stage he had longed for, a huge market where his dreams of winning a championship and becoming an icon could both be realized. Yet those first few months, from his road back from April back surgery to the early chemistry issues between him and Bryant and a record that dipped to 17-25 on Jan. 23, seemed to hurt the Lakers' chances of holding on to the big man, whom they want as their next centerpiece. Since then there has been plenty of evidence that Howard and the Lakers can be a potent pairing for the long term. ... Even in this worst-case scenario sort of season, with the Lakers a fringe playoff team in a season full of struggles, there's such a storied history of winning here that there's still talk of a title at this late juncture. In addition to all the off-court opportunities that come so easily in Los Angeles, that is — in a strange sense — exactly what Howard had hoped for. And even with Bryant out, Howard isn't about to change his stance that the Lakers can still win it all. "We have a goal we want to accomplish, and we can't lose sight of our vision because a lot of guys have been down," Howard said. "It's been like that all year. Our vision is the same. We're going to continue to put forth the effort every day in practice and in the game, and also believe. We believe that we can do something special and make history, and we're not going to go into any game having any doubts because we're missing guys." Howard, who spent parts of this season frustrated with his lack of consistent involvement in the offense that Bryant always dominated, refuted the idea that his absence means he will now take over. "People assume that, because Kobe is out, that we all have to try to go for 30 points every night," Howard said. "That's not the case (just) because he's out. We have to play great team basketball, get everybody involved. Stats — it looks good on paper. It looks good for the highlights. But we win the game on the other end, playing defense and just going out there and going hard. "It's not about the points that we put up, so I'm not looking to go out every night and get 60 (points). That looks good. That would be great for myself, but the main concern is just winning a championship and doing it together. I just want to win. It's that simple. I want us to win the championship and have a big turnaround from where we started this season. That's the only thing that matters to me." ... D'Antoni has a hard time looking past the next few days because of the task at hand, but said he's confident Howard will ultimately see the many benefits of staying put come free agency time. "You wonder a little bit (about his decision), but our whole focus and job now is to make the best of the situation right now, and then he'll make that decision and he'll make the best one for him," D'Antoni said. "But again, in my (mind) it doesn't get any better than this...You know what? You go through some stuff, but it has worked out. I'm happy with the team, where they are mentally. I'm happy with the situation and I feel pretty good about our possibilities."
I know for a fact Daryl Morey will 1000% go pursuing Dwight, no matter how you guys think of him as a player. He has a good argument. They are the only team with cap space in the playoff hunt RIGHT NOW.
If I'm Howard's agent, I bring him here under the same terms that Royce White got. Harden & D12 get their own and get Parsons & JLin7 their own. Screw the ipad. #RVpimpin2013
My problem with Dwight Howard is that he thinks he's a number 1 or number 2 scoring option and he's just not.
No offense to Amick, but for him to present that as any sort of "scoop" is fairly silly. It's the last week of the season and the Lakers' playoff lives are on the line. Dwight is now the unquestioned leader. For the people in his circle to say anything else would be a huge distraction, enormously stupid and damaging to his reputation. Even Dwight isn't dumb enough to leak one of his "I don't know" quotes. Dwight's going to have plenty of time in May, June and July to weigh his options and decide his future. If his mind isn't 100% on winning these next two games and getting the Lakers to the playoffs, there's something wrong with him. If his "circle" is still saying this come May and June, that's one thing, but it's a non-story that this is their position now.
Dwight at this point is just trying to keep the la fans and media on side. There's still probably a 70% chance he returns, but its just so vague. POf note, how the **** is making a statement but remaining anonymous out of respect for Howard. Seriously, if true, these sycophantic r****ds live in some bizarro world.
