With this Dwightmare, was LeBrons decision really all that bad?

The decision was on july 9. Today is the 5th.

 

So this brings up an interesting topic.

If you're a superstar free agent who's really not interested in returning to your old team and you're being wooed by several others, what's the appropriate way to notify the teams, fans, media, etc. of your final decision?

 

This was the 2nd part of the DHoward's free agency. I'm a big fan of Dwight but if you include the whole Dwightmare last year then it's as bad as Lebron's if not worse.

If you're talking about team impact, then Dwight meant as much to Orlando as LBJ meant to Cleveland, he was supposed to be Luke Skywalker who would bring balance to the force after Shaq pretty much screwed the franchise and went to LA. Instead of making a decision then, he decided to go to somewhere pretty much impossible (Brooklyn), and when the backlash came instead of accepting it head on like LBJ he chickened and signed for one more year, giving the team yet more false hope. Of course you could definitely argue that LBJ was more irritating because he rubbed it in everyone's faces with the ESPN show, but as I and multiple people pointed it raised a lot of money for charity. What's a few butthurt fans feelings compared to real world relief? This is just basketball at the end of the day, giving money to the Boys and Girls Club is waaaay more important than some people getting irritated watching LBJ prance around on tv.

I know everyone's excited to get Dwight and I am too but let's not whitewash everything Dwight did prior to coming to the team.

"Dwight signed with us therefore D12>the Decision." -> lol classic Clutchfans mentality.

 

You can't count last year. He was not even a free agent and he never wanted to go to the Lakers. If the Nets weren't stupid then they would have him.

 

Speaking mainly about Dwight's decision to come here, this was way better than Lebron and "The Decision". He was committed to coming to us, and had the courtesy to inform the Lakers as such. This only "became" a Dwightmare because of hacks like ESPN and Chris Broussard.

 

What are you talking about? He was a free agent then he opted in 1 year, which is why he was traded in the offseason to the Lakers. And FYI He was ok with getting traded to the Lakers, Lakers wouldn't be part of the deal if Dwight didn't say he was interested in staying long term.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/...-howard-traded-to-lakers782671/#ixzz2YET7x0ne

Obviously though, that was last year, this year Dwight handled his FA the best way he could IMHO.


http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/08/10/ap-source-dwight-howard-traded-to-lakers782671/

 

Easy, call and notify them on the phone. Then immediately announce it publicly by Twitter or press release.

 

It's different. Lebron left the Cleveland where he as loved. Dwight left the Lakers where a decent amount did not like him in LA. I honestly don't think he'll have problems overall, but, oh, he'll be hearing it at Staples Center this year.

 

Phone call would be simpler. You think telling the home team in person that you're not returning is an unnecessary gesture? This is how Woj described what Howard's decision process was:

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA 59m
Dwight Howard took his meetings, left for two-plus days to think, made a decision, flew to LA, told Lakers face-to-face and called Houston.


Seems reasonable, except that someone, either truthfully or not, is claiming that he was flip-flopping even as he was flying to LA and sending out mixed signals to teams. I hope these were just some petty LA "sources" trying to make him look bad, but who really knows.

 

If going high into the mountains to be away from all civilization, and personally face-to-face informing front office of a decision, while keeping things tight-lipped the whole time, announcing 5 days before official signing period instead of dragging it out,

if that can't stop rampant media speculations, sensationalist headlines and wild opinion swings, there probably isnt much any athlete can do in announcing decisions that seem a "best" way.

That said, personal phone calls, and getting it done ASAP is the best approach (no TV shows for it, no elongated process). A courtesy face-to-face can seem unnecessary, though it might depend. There's been accounts mentioned of how players and team personnel get upset when they "heard it on the news like everyone ELSE" instead of getting formally told. But maybe just a personal phone call would work.

Like another poster mentioned, the face-to-face is maybe so he can give it FINALITY and closure with the people that matter before it blows up. And while on his WAY OUT, he THEN goes public with it to ease the changeover

 

Not an apples to apples comparison. This is an apples to oranges. In fact, the comparison is so bad that it's not even comparing fruit. It's more like Apples to.....Tuna Fish...

 

He was okay with playing 1 season in LA. Big difference. He didn't want to join a Rockets team led by no one but himself (chances are we were gonna trade Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin to get Howard) and then leave us with nothing. James Harden changed everything. The Magic were going to trade Howard to the Rockets before Howard opted in giving them more time to shop him.

He is being mocked because he left the Lakers, the golden team of the NBA, in the twitter age where sports journalism is done by random kids, barbers, and real estate agents.

 

You mean the nationally televised ass-wiping Lebron did with the Cavs fans or the infamous not 1, not 2, etc party before they even played a single game?

Look, Dwightmare was nothing compared to "The Decision" and "the big 3 welcome party".

 

lebron raises a lot of money for children with his decision, dwight did not so lebron's was better.

 

at least lebron's decision $$ went to charitys

 

its dwightmare vs the decision why are you including the big 3 welcome party that has nothing to do with making a decision

 

Dwight did nothing wrong. He met with the teams, gave a day he would have an answer, called the teams and let them know he wasn't going to sign with them, met the Lakers face-to-face and told them no and then agreed with the Rockets.

All the speculation that Dwight kept changing his mind is from his reputation alone. It was all rumors. Nothing ever came out of Dwight's camp that he was leaning one one and then another. How could he have handled it any better?

 

Lebron responded to hate with MVP season and championships.

Dwight got hate last year, and responded with a mediocre season for a supposed top 5 player.

He'll get more hate this upcoming season. Let's see how he responds.

 

I'm not just hopping on because he's a rocket, but he really did sacrifice a big portion of his game in L.A. When playing next to Kobe you can't really ask for more. He did what was asked of him. And please don't understate the b****-fest following lebron during his decision. He didn't exactly respond with MVPs etc immediately either.