most picks are heavily protected these days (*cough*stupidlakers*cough*). I think if I'm moving howard and not getting a good player back, I'd demand a 1st, too. if anything, it speaks to the market that no one's offering it. they should, btw. just like teams should have offered the lakers a 1st for pau a couple years back. late firsts just aren't worth that much. ask boston. they tried to move several of them for the #10 pick last year and were rebuffed.
Boston is one of the teams NOT giving up that late first round pick for him. And I'm not really willing to give up a late first for a guy I don't trust/believe in who is also expiring and could leave in the summer.
I'm dubious of that report. boston just has no real proven nba players to offer anyone, nor do they have any young guys who look poised to break out. the only thing they've got is Brooklyn's draft pick this year--which looks like it will be a top 6 lock. so maybe that's the pick they won't give up? I'd buy that. but I'm sure they'd sell every other pick in the chest to get their hands on a real star. and if howard wasn't going to be a FA, they might give BKN's pick, too. the only problem with howard is his pricetag/FA status. he's still a top-shelf nba player. it's just that everyone thinks they can do better with 25-30 million. it's an interesting question. with the cap exploding, bird rights mean very little the next two years. but I don't think anything outside of BKN's pick would be off limits in a howard trade if I were boston. maybe isiah Thomas, too?
He refused to learn from Kareem and has no go to post move. There is no way he lasts like Pau or Duncan.
*Looks at OP's screen name* *Looks at thread title* . . . . . Dear Dwight, Do not post pictures with cursing without a spoiler warning tag -Barnstable Edit: ALMOST Nailed it! My bad.
...it is not about refining skills anymore at this stage of Howard's career. It is just playing to his strengths which is rebounding and rim-protecting. He will be given some opportunities for scoring but not the delusional number he believes he is entitled to. Those four key figures I mentioned could make Howard see reality to his actual usefulness. They can convince him that his window is close to shutting as far as championship aspirations.
the one thing that they still can't get him to do is run the pick and roll at a high frequency. that's what he did in Orlando to get his scoring up, but he didn't want to do it in la, and he hasn't been doing a ton if it in Houston--which, btw, is exactly what they should do with harden and howard on almost every trip down. the word in Houston is that he's been a good soldier, though. if he's moved, maybe they change their tune and turn on him, but for now, they claim he says and does the right things (no stat sheet pointing and whining about FGAs). side note: had he been like that in la, he'd still be there. and I'm guessing they wouldn't be shopping him around the league like a crappy old bicycle.
In regards to Kareem and Howard working together, the word from Howard (I know, I know, but I actually believe him in this instance) is that the Lakers brass didn't want Kareem around HQ and told Howard not to work with him.
I wouldn't want one of the most skilled bigs ever and one of the most decent human beings involved in basketball ruining my players either.
...the Abdul-Jabbar storyline with Howard is the oddest thing. I would believe his complaints about being treated as a second class employee during the last championship run had some repercussions.
And he wanted the Lakers to amnesty Kobe while he was here. He clearly doesn't like being the side b**** on any team. Should have stayed in Orlando... Enough with the advice, I'll let this ship keep sinking further.
Howard is a malcontent, and will always be one. Riley won't give him max after next season with the way Howard's game is headed. He still a great player but next year, 23.2 mil for a 14/12/1.5 guy is pricey. Even with all the money floating around the league. Man he's got a guard that good only 26 years old averaging LeBron type stats (minus FG%) and is complaining. It ain't like Dwight is killing it in the scoring column yet he wants the dude traded, what a self-serving whiny b****. Now Harden I can understand him looking to get something back for Dwight. He's been a let down and is only likely to go downhill from here on. And lets not forget SVG said Howard wanted him fired. To the press. The happy thing is the team with the most money (us) won't give him the time of day now.
I heard from Chris Mannix on Tuesday when he was on the Dan Patrick Show say Morey's asking price for Dwight is Dwight circa 2008. Is he blind???
Ahahahaha Ahahahahaha, Kobe gets all the hate in the world, but is there really a bigger a**hole in the NBA that will smile to your face then stab you in the back than Dwight Howard? I'm glad the media caught on to his fake act years ago and had made fun of him for it ever since. It's cool though, he's a champion in his own mind.
Am I on the only one who can't see JSMs Twitter pics? I keep getting a "Loading tweet..." hyperlink that won't load even if I click it.
