With LA. You have an uncertain present and an uncertain future. Kobe just blew out his achilles. He will not be the same. Nash is no longer a star pg, and Gasol has clearly declined. If this is about "WINNING", then Houston is his team.
He's saying that Dwight still has meetings with other teams and in order to be professional about this he's going to hear them out at least. Even if Houston is in the lead he's going to hear it out. Sort of like how Chris Bosh got his free iPad from Morey and ran off to Miami. Now he likely knew about the Miami thing way before and the Houston meeting was just a formality.
So, Howard has gotten crushed in the press in the past for being indecisive and frivolous when it comes to making up his mind. Now he wants to look studied, careful, cautious. And, why take the heat before you can sign? Or at least before you take all the meetings? If Howard basically blew off the other meetings, LA would turn on him even harder than they are now. This is a PR decision, for sure, but it also may be he's not sure yet. He's probably not sure yet, completely. Aleron -- Yeah, that almost certainly was about Smith. Honestly, the message there could have been "I know you guys may move Asik to get Smith, but how about you move Lin and Asik so you can sign Smith for more money?" As I said last night, I think Smith, Howard and Iggy may have been talking to one another before the meetings started in LA. Looking out for each other, maybe. Aruba -- I'm with you. I think Morey has some plans already about how to bring on Smith. I hope we dont have to get rid of both Asik and Lin, but if that is what it takes to get Howard, then you do it.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>My take: <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23D12&src=hash">#D12</a>'s peeps besides themselves w/excitement about Houston, picking up that of their Main Man… BTW: ESPN's Broussard 1st w/this one</p>— Mark Heisler (@MarkHeisler) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkHeisler/statuses/351700178014699522">July 1, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Dwight is getting healthier but you probably do want to limit his minutes to some extent I felt he was over used in Orlando and especially in LA when hurt. Now there are two ways to limit Dwight's minutes 1 - Have another capable big man like Asik where the team doesn't drop off dramatically when he is not in the game (namely defensively) 2 - Put games away early so Dwight, along with other main guys dont need to play many 4th quarters. While #2 is the most ideal option for the team in terms of success its also the most unpredictable. which makes #1 the more reliable option. The problem with that is that Asik is too good to be coming off the bench and too good to revert back to the role he played in Chicago. His contract - one of the best in the league - makes him very attractive to other GMs. If Dwight is serious about getting another all-star then a trade with Asik must be completed. Now the another pressing issue in this is Greg Smith - he MUST develop defensively this offseason. He isnt going to have the impact Dwight or Asik will have but cannot be a complete 180 of them like he was this past season. He basically needs to be able to make sure whatever lead that Dwight and the starters build isnt completely wiped out. A 10 point lead become 6-7 isnt a big deal - when Greg is on the floor - -a lead being wiped out of course is. Can Greg Smith do that? Right now its a resounding NO - but he has had his moments and is still young. Oddly enough a lot of the Rockets success going forward will depend on it if they sign Dwight. But If they do sign Dwight - Morey's philosophy will change - the Rockets will be in 'win now' mode - they will be going after more vets than young guys (not to say they still wont stash/stockpile) but their patience/tolerance to see guys develop will be very short
You're sarcasm meter is clearly broken & you must not have followed cf.net when LeBron went to Miami.
Link The Warriors are definitely interested in landing Dwight Howard if at all possible. It’s a long shot, to be sure. Golden State officials - Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob, general manager Bob Myers along with head coach Mark Jackson – are meeting with Howard in Los Angeles today in efforts to convince him the Warriors present his best chance of winning. Point guard Stephen Curry won’t be at the meeting, but he has reached out to Howard, using his star power to try to lure the game’s best center. According to sources, the Warriors are willing to offer Andrew Bogut and Klay Thompson or Harrison Barnes. The Warriors can also add in the expiring contracts of Richard Jefferson or Andris Biedrins to sweeten the deal with more cap relief for the Lakers. Golden State, which can only sign Howard via sign-and-trade, believes that is the best offer Los Angeles will receive.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>The Warriors DEFINITELY want Dwight Howard. Today they find out if the feeling is mutual | <a href="http://t.co/iorBBsDk7S">http://t.co/iorBBsDk7S</a></p>— Marcus Thompson (@gswscribe) <a href="https://twitter.com/gswscribe/statuses/351751405616381953">July 1, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
One would hope that Dwight would be able to get his buddy, Smith, to take less than the full max in order to create a "Super Team" in the Western Conference. After all, that's what the cats in Miami did. A couple of million a season could make a huge difference in the ability of the Rockets to maintain quality depth on the roster. Seems like it would to me, at any rate. Smith could make up the difference by playing in Texas without the state income tax, and the media/commercial opportunities would be endless, wouldn't they? Keeping Jeremy wouldn't hurt that at all, IMO, although sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do, even if you don't want to, in order to have team success. All of this is about becoming a contending team, whatever Morey/Alexander end up doing. Nothing less.
I think the current feeling around the NBA is that to compete with the Heat, you have to use their model of 3 stars + veterans on minimum contracts. Is this the best way IMO, no, but thats the current NBA I suppose. Bulls, Spurs, and Lakers have tried the combo and it has benefitted all those teams with championships. When our Rockets had 3 stars we had a pretty good team for 3~4 years, we absolutely had the chance to make the Finals. It didn't work out, but thats not to say it doesn't work. It does.
I don't know who Nate Jones is, but what he's saying about the Dwight situation respective of LA is ridiculous. Kobe said it's "his" team. You think he's giving that up, no matter what he says? Did you hear Kobe say he's playing 3-4 more years? The Lakers are not contenders going into next year. Will that be different in 2014-15? Who knows? Different owners. Aging team. Crosstown rival who is better. If Dwight stays with the Lakers, he is taking a huge risk. If he comes to Houston, he is taking much less of a risk. Can't be any clearer.
Yannis Koutroupis: According to a source, the Rockets told Howard he'd have input on personnel, but were vague about what their next moves would be. Twitter @YannisHW Read more at http://hoopshype.com/rumors.htm#4dL8dMkyj3fJj0oh.99
Writing is on the wall. The people you hear in the press trying to slow Houston's momentum -- like Ken Berger -- are people who want Dwight to stay in LA. I'm not saying this is done yet, but you have to be blind not to see where the momentum is. Or have a particular agenda.
I amend my post above: Dwight's such a drama llama I don't care all that much if land him or not. We get him? Great. We don't? Fine. We break the team up to get him and another superfriend? It'll be an epic fail.
"beside themselves with excitement" = Pretty damn excited about Houston I don't know what he meant with the Chris Broussard stuff. Maybe he was the one who reported it was "unlikely" he would resign with LAL. Not sure.
Warriors without Klay or Barnes? That roster can't touch ours. They are likely to lose Landry and Jack too. GS is a jumpshooting team, and will be nothing more than a tough out in the 2nd round until they get some penetration.
exactly kobe isn't going anywhere as long as the lakers will pay him. he's going to exhaust his soul in order to either surpass 6 rings or win the all time scoring title. that's why kobe wants dwight around. to catch his rebounds and stand next to him whilst Kobe is awarded Finals MVP
