I actually don't mind Dwight trying to have fun and saying life goes on after he loses. Getting away from basketball is something I would do myself if I had lost in the playoffs. Sure I rather have someone taking it harder but he does care. He came back too early after his surgery and it showed, so I respect him for trying. I didn't like his attitude during the year though, but who knows how much **** he got for all the loses in LA. I like his attitude more now, that he's not trying to please people and he sounds positive. If we get him it might be good that we didn't get the Dwightmare version. I believe his time in LA showed that it's nice to have all the other stuff outside of basketball, but winning should come first. Now that he's realized that, he should go to the best player where that is possible. I'm a Rockets fan so yes I'm biased, but in my opinion Houston is the most attractive place right now. If every time had cap space, I would definitely say Golden State but that's not an option. He would not be stupid enough to sign with a team and force them to trade him to Brooklyn or GS for that matter. Let's hope he will be fully recovered and wherever he goes, he will have a better attitude and show that he's learned from all this nonsense.
The reporter asked him if he could visit Dwight in Houston and Dwight responded with, "Do you know something that I know?"...instead of "Do you know something that I dont know". Welcome Dwight!
Yeah that's the true reason Dwight was missing his freethrows. He was distracted by her sweater puppies!
So is grasp of the English language is on par with the average Clutchfans.net poster. He should fit right in.
I think that is Simers' stick. Guys like him and Jay Mariotti get so much run for feuding with players that it makes others (*cough* Blinebury/Justice/Lopez *cough*) try to do the same thing. Classic case of writers/reporters thinking we care more about them than the teams/players.
This is pretty much spot on! This is not about Dwight and D'Antoni; this is about Dwight and Kobe. When MDA made adjustments in midseason, they were in according to what Kobe wanted. His offense ran through Kobe; Kobe the scorer and the facilitator, and 'unofficial' assistant coach to D'Antoni. MDA would be fired by now if he didn't. Who made the decision on playing Kobe 48 min/game? Who on the team dared to quesion Kobe when he hogged the ball for every single possession for the last 5-min of a close game? Kobe has so much power over the organization, every single major decision had to be pre-approved by Kobe, or at least notify him before finalization. Gasol and MWP would've be gone long ago if it weren't for Kobe. Nash wouldn't be there if it were for Kobe. I bet anything Dwight hates Kobe's guts and gutless D'Antoni who wouldn't dare to stand up to him. I remember vividly Kobe made a statement when Dwight first joined the Lakers that it was his (Dwight's) team. Well...Kobe lied; it never was his team! Kobe's ego is just too big to allow Lakers to be anyone else's team for as long as he is still a Laker. Dwight realized this and it HAS to be the biggest factor in his decision. He can't come out and say, "I can't play with Kobe," but instead he hinted at not happy with D'Antoni's system. What's D'Antoni's system? It's Kobe's system! This is not about D'Antoni. If Kobe retires before July 1st, you can bet the house that Dwight will re-sign with Lakers. Once Kobe retires, it doesn't matter who is coaching; it's his team and HIS coach.
That's T.J. Simers' schtick -- he writes a daily column for the Times and is always a bit dickish. He also says what most sportswriters think but are afraid to say. I have no idea how he still gets people to agree to interviews, but he's a pretty funny read.
I don't know why some of you cling to this. Dwight had HIS team in Orlando. He could have HIS team in Dallas, Atlanta or wherever. He didn't and doesn't want that. I think Dwight is being honest. It's about winning. That's what dictates everything in today's NBA.
I am convinced at this point he has his mind made up and is coming to Houston. It just makes sense. Morey has put us on a road where all outcomes lead toward contention. Everything is set for our return to contender status.
I think for Dwight its a combination of different things. He want to win because he cares about his legacy. It's easier to build a legacy in LA simply because more people care about LA. But for Dwight it's also about having fun and being liked - and of course a but about the money... So he will have the most fun here and will be better liked here than in LA - he will also have the better chance to win. In LA he can better build his legacy and has more guaranteed money. If its only about winning, basically every media outlet agrees, that Houston is his best chance. And he will have more fun here... If he stays in LA it will be for the glitter and the money...
It was Dwight's Team and Coach in Orlando, a city he enjoyed living in and yet he left. Why? Because he wants to play with another superstar in a situation where he feels he has a chance to win. Dwight is not going back to LA because it's his team and coach, he can get that anywhere. Dwight is going to what he thinks is the best chance for him to win a championship.
If Orlando would have built a better team around him, he'd have no prob staying in Orlando. The guy just wants to win.
I agree, he would've stayed if he had a player like Harden next to him. But besides the winning, people loved him in Orlando and he had a lot of fun playing there. Those things are important to him as well. And he misses those things in LA...
Again, it's not about his team or not. Read about my thoughts on why it's not about D'Antoni but this is about Kobe! Kobe is the key in signing with Lakers or else where.