Yes, another Dwight Howard thread. Searching for Dwight Howard The uncertain destiny of the self-proclaimed Superman can be broken down into 10 simple realities Reality No. 1: Dwight Howard deserves a max contract, just not a mega-max contract Reality No. 2: Despite everything you just read, the Lakers could give Dwight the mega-max without blinking. Reality No. 3: Dwight Howard peaked already Reality No. 4: Dwight's offensive game hasn't improved Reality No. 5: The odds are SIGNIFICANTLY high that Dwight will keep declining Reality No. 6: Dwight Howard can't handle it Reality No. 7: Laker fans would flip out if Dwight Howard left Reality No. 8: Dwight Howard just isn't that entertaining Reality No. 9: Only one franchise makes sense for Dwight Reality No. 10: Despite everything you just read, the Rockets, Mavericks, Hawks, Warriors and Lakers would almost definitely still pay Dwight Howard $118 million over five years
Damn you beat me to it. I was going to post this. Basically states that Dwight made have already peaked and there's a number of players that have the same output as him despite not being paid as much.
huh? dwight howard even tho he was injured this season he still played good. his fg% is 57.8% rofl, and u say his offensive game hasn't improved? wat do u want him to do shoot long 2s and 3s? loooool
This was posted in the GARM: http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=239055 Not sure it matters, it was an interesting read. I'm not 100% it's correct considering: 1) Medical technology has advanced. 2) Dwight might have 9 years in the league, but he is 3 years younger than when Hakeem and most of those other centers peaked, due to skipping college. 3) Dwight's 2nd half of the season when he was getting healthier were really solid numbers, something like 19/13/3, so maybe he really was playing around 50-75% all year.
I'm going to guess you're relatively young and don't remember how the great centers used to play. Dwight Howard has no post moves. He can't hit a mid-range jumper. He hasn't developed any offensive moves since entering the league. That's all true. And I still want the Rockets to sign him.
He doesn't need any post moves or jumpers on the Rockets... all he has to do is catch 90% of the passes that Asik used to fumble and then dunk it.
We know who didn't click the link. Yes, he did. Reality No. 9: Only one franchise makes sense for Dwight And it's not the Lakers. What do we know about Dwight over everything else? He loves the superstar spoils (celebrity, adoration, attention, money) while loathing the rigors that come with it (the pressure of carrying a team, the leadership aspects, and especially, the media pressure). Don't forget his history: high school ball at a private school in Atlanta, followed by eight seasons in Orlando (one of the league's most mellow markets). Until his bizarre 2012 trade deadline fiasco happened, he'd never dealt with any real national backlash. His Lakers season overwhelmed him: A never-ending media crush coupled with the reasonable expectations of a rabid fan base with high standards. In April, Howard confessed to someone close to the team, "I didn't realize playing in L.A. was gonna be so tough." Whaaaaaaaaaat??? You really had no idea, Dwight? After the season ended, Howard kept a low profile — only tweeting a couple of times (including two or three kooky ones), then reportedly complaining about Mike D'Antoni's coaching style to Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak (which Kupchak later denied). If the Lakers not-so-mysteriously change coaches right before Howard re-signs, the blood would be on Howard's hands yet again — unfair in this case, only because D'Antoni did such an atrocious job running that team. But still. It's almost like the basketball gods are conspiring to push Howard out of L.A. Then again, would that be a bad thing? We have overwhelming evidence that Howard can't handle carrying a big-market franchise, that he's better off in a more laid-back situation — ideally as the running mate for someone who could shoulder the superstar burdens for him. That's why the Rockets make so much sense. That's an underrated destination city for NBA players: no state income tax, great barbecue, fun nightlife,10 low cost of living, a diverse population, and best of all (for Dwight, anyway), decidedly less pressure. Football rules the roost in Texas. The Houston media wouldn't pick Dwight apart. Rockets fans would be happy to have him. He'd even have Hakeem down the street as a potential Basketball Yoda. And they could re-create a superior version of Dwight's 2009 Magic team with Howard, James Harden and a bunch of slash-and-kick shooters. Jumping to Houston makes sense for Howard on just about every level … well, except for one. His critics would eviscerate him for running from Orlando and Los Angeles. And they wouldn't necessarily be wrong. We already know that Dwight is oversensitive. Some believe Dwight reversed course and agreed to that one-year Orlando extension because he couldn't stop reading his Twitter replies right before the 2012 trade deadline; as the theory goes, he kept reading fans calling him a quitter and a loser, then melted down. So even if he believed Houston (or Dallas, or Atlanta, or wherever) was a better situation and wanted to play there, could he handle the inevitable "YOU QUIT ON THE LAKERS!" critics? Could he summon the intestinal fortitude to leave? It's unclear … just like everything else with Dwight Howard.
Well what scares me with DH is his back injuries. People always seem overly enthusiastic regarding players with health issues, I remember a lot of posters here were cursing DM for not getting Amare without a physical and were talking about how Deron Williams was just mailing it in Utah. Well now Amare has become all but useless and D-Will hasn't exactly turned it up from his last years in Utah, I don't think anyone can say he's worth a 5 year max contract anymore. I think DH is headed up the same path, guys with no skills decline so quickly once they get banged up.
This is a critical point. For those of us with back problems, it is one thing to navigate in normal life and even play some pick up basketball, but the NBA?! Howard has undergone "back surgery!" How will the repair hold up? Will he need more surgery? etc. etc. I say he is high risk. Maybe not as high risk as Bynum, but high risk nonetheless. I would hate to see the Rockets get into another TMac/Yao cycle.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/yousefbaig">yousefbaig</a> Imma make him eat his words</p>— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) <a href="https://twitter.com/DwightHoward/status/338801337573715969">May 26, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
