[CBS Sports] Howard no lock for Lakers; interested in Rockets

Technically, they can dump some salaries first (Paul not counting as a UFA), do a sign and trade for Dwight for Jordan+fillers, then re-sign Paul under bird rights to go over the cap....IF Sterling is possessed by the late J Buss and willing to pay a whole lot of luxury tax.

With that said, anyone who shoots less than 40% FT in a season or less than 50% career wise does not belong in NBA. He is the most overpaid center at $10M. I am sure Jim and Mitch aren't as dumb to do a SnT for DAJordan.

Hell, if I practice for a week or two, I can shoot better than 40% FT!

 

Back surgeries are quiet bad. They can have longterm effects on a individuals agility and movement for years so it's a gamble to give him the max, but when he is anywhere close to 90 to 100% he is an automatic 20 points 14 points 2 blocks a game player who can also alter shots and force team in to perimeter offense. Locks the key down and forces teams to beat us from the perimeter.

 

18 boards I meant

 

Yeah, I was about to say those were Dwight's numbers from this year playing with the injuries.

I think if Dwight were 100% he could be a 24 / 16 / 3 guy.

I don't think he can average 18 boards with Asik in the line-up

 

I meant 14

 

The fact that he can force teams by himself to change their whole game plan and force them into a more perimeter oriented game is worth it's weight in gold alone.

 

Didn't he get 13 this season playing with the back injury. You saying he'll get one extra rebound when playing 100%?

 

He averaged 12.4, he has never averaged 15 rebounds a season. 14 is a very generous guess. It's so easy to just look up stats on ESPN or NBA.COM

 

I know. Just playing. Can't you let me have some fun.

Dwight led the league in rebounding this season with an injured back.

 

Like I said, Lakers fans root for the name on the front of the jersey and not the back. If Dwight left town, many would not even notice. Honestly, most fair weather fans at the Staples Center are there to be seen or snap photos of actors and rappers. Lakers will have no problem finding superstar players that want to play on Lakers in 2014/15 season and will play with a hodge podge lineup for another 1 and done season next year...maybe add Elton Brand or someone similar. Probably will do better with Nash, Meeks, Earl Clark, Elton Brand, and Gasol starting 5 than last years injury ridden season.

I'm actually more worried about CP3 bolting than Dwight just because it's the Clippers and nothing is ever certain with the Clippers. As you said, nobody ever, on their own terms, leaves the Lakers so Dwight Howard would be the first. He is an original (not the brightest) so we will see. Maybe I'll finally have a chance to get in on Lakers season tickets. After the Magic Johnson years ended, there was a period where the Lakers were running with Nick Van Smack, Eddie Jones, Club Ced Ceballos, Elden Campbell and Vlade Divac. I actually liked those teams, but they were horrible (1 and done every year). Still, I was unable to get in on Lakers season tickets (non upper deck that is) because the waiting list was several years long. I think I'm going to need the Lakers to finish dead last for 5 consecutive seasons to have someone give up their spot. Many people at Time Warner corporate will be fired as well probably if that happened.

There isn't an NFL team in LA and nobody seems to care either.

 

This is a good point. Leaving Lakers to go to Clippers is certainly a terrible PR move. But it's Dwight so terrible PR moves are right down his alley.

 

What superstar players will bolt from their teams in 14/15 to go to the Lakers? (Assuming Dwight doesn't resign).

 

What about David West? Isn't he coming available. The two guys Clippers are supposedly looking for to fill their missing big need (After finding a sucker to take DeAndre) are David West and Al Jefferson.

DeAndre will definitely need to be traded in a package with Eric Bledsoe. Celtics are still possibility.

 

Love, Aldridge to name a few. The chance to be a franchise in La is once in a lifetime opportunity. The doors that will open after Basketball alone are immense.

 

Well, we can start with Lebron and then go down the line.

 

Jarrod Rudolph on DB Show talking Dwight Howard (may have posted before)..

http://www.sportstalkflorida.com/jarrod-rudolph-talks-dwight-howard-future-on-db-show/

1. He treasures his free agency and not hurry.
2. He learns his mistake from leaving Orlando and will be low key.
3. He wants to Win more than anything.
4. He isn't denying what was said in the meeting between Dwight/Mitch, even though Mitch has.
5. He is implying Mitch/LA are the leak, in hopes that pressure builds on Dwight to stay.

I'm not quite sure what incentive Mitch/LA would have to leak that meeting info, unless they want to put firing MDA on Dwight. Rudolph certainly knows what his favorite team is by how he speaks cautiously and everything points to Houston.

Houston 55%
LA 40%
Others 5%

 

West and Griffen? BOTH ARE PF's so who is going to play where?Al Jefferson cann play C so year, but not West.

 

I go to the games at Staples Center and see the players hanging with Denzel, Jay-Z/Beyonce, Rihanna, Snoop Dogg, Floyd Mayweather, etc... during warmups and after the game and they seem like they are a kid at a candy store. Plus, I think many of them think they are networking like they will get some recording deal too...or an acting gig. Howard on several interviews this season has been preaching how basketball is just part of his talents and he wants to pursue an entertainment career too. Not sure how he's going to swing that, but I guess if it makes him feel good. Anyway, playing on the Lakers is a total experience for some players that is worth a lot to their quality of life. Not to sound like a pompous LA A-hole, but there's nothing like living in LA or NYC if you have a ton of cash. Dwight is about to get paid and he seems like the sort of guy that wants to enjoy his spoils. Kobe is very different. He lives in Orange County and gets in his helecoptor to go home right after each game.

CP3 the same thing as Dwight. He bought Avril Lavigne's old house in Bel Aire almost right on day 1 when he got traded here and has been enjoying his celebrity lifestyle. He moved his whole family out here now too. And because Blake Griffin is buddies with Matt Kemp, they seem to all hang out a lot together. I truly believe he wanted NYC, but is getting used to LA. He just probably wishes he was driving around in the Bentley (Lakers) rather than the Acura TL (Clippers) though. Blake played juniors basketball with Parsons...just saying...haha.

Anyway, if Howard wants to leave his spot, then there will be many in line to jump all over it. Agents will be finding all sorts of creative ways to get their clients what they want.

 

Yeah, I don't get the whole David West to the Clippers thing either. Maybe they think he can play the 5. But I think West would fit the PF spot on Rockets and wouldn't cost a whole lot relatively.

 

If they aren't trading away the Kyrie Irving pick for basically nothing, taking Aminu over a Paul George that wanted to be a Clippers player, or signing Deandre Jordan to $10m contracts.

They're looking for injury prone pfs to please chris paul and replace a young all star pf.

That organisation makes no sense to anybody