The Dwight Howard Thread

[DonkeyJote]

Quote: Originally Posted by buickbeast

I hope they trade Howard during the off season. He's a great player, but he just doesn't seem to be driven/motivated enough to win a championship. As a lifelong Magic fan, I'd much rather have D12 get traded for Rondo or josh Smith and Joe Johnson from ATL and keep SVG, that guy doesn't get enough credit.

Rondo? Seriously? You want to keep Van Gundy, a guy who believes in true inside-out play using the 3 a lot, for a PG that averages 12.4 ppg, makes a 3 about once every 10 games, and has a .240 career 3-pt %. Not to mention that the kid goes and pouts whenever things don't go his way.

Dwight Howard is a superstar player. Dude averages 20 pts, 14 boards a game and is the best defensive player in basketball. Why is everyone acting like Van Gundy is this great kind of coach because he's been able to make the playoffs with this guy? Are we forgetting that the year the Magic went to the Finals, Van Gundy is the guy that made the boneheaded decision to not only play a less than 100% Jameer Nelson, but to start him and play him heavy minutes?

I don't blame Dwight at all for wanting changes. This team is going backwards. Aside from Howard, they don't play any defense at all, and their offense consists of throwing up quick 3's constantly. It's not the same team that went to the finals, when Hedo could still handle the ball very well, and Rashard was a matchup nightmare. Management has made a lot of poor decisions. Van Gundy has made poor decisions. As soon as things turn against him a little bit, Van Gundy starts lashing out a bit - he did in Miami too. I certainly wish Dwight would stop lying through his teeth. But make no mistake about it, I realize he's the key to this team. The only way I think the Magic should trade him is if they can get a superstar in return (like Carmelo). I think whether Dwight stays or goes though, Van Gundy will be gone soon - even if they decide to trade Dwight in the offseason, I think Stan won't be the coach of this team when the start of the 2013-14 season comes around.

[SteelersFreak]

Quote: Originally Posted by Nathan_OS

So whos gonna be there Big Man? Ryan Anderson?

You don't have to have a dominant big man to win a championship.

[ex carrabba fan]

Quote: Originally Posted by SteelersFreak

You don't have to have a dominant big man to win a championship.

True, but it's rare for a team to win a title without one though

[Nathan_OS]

Its O.K to have a decent big man.

But Ryan Anderson is basically a 2. They have no one on that team whos a center, well other than Dwight

[Dice]

More Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic drama. Apparently, Dwight was very close to becoming a Laker after the Magic threaten to trade him to LA if he didn't sign the waiver. This situation is not gonna get any better and I'm probably sure more stuff is gonna come out.

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/nets/...m_content=Nets

Quote:

When Nets brass called it a day March 14, the eve of the NBA trading deadline, they did so believing they had a deal with the Magic for Dwight Howard in place. Yes, Howard almost became a Net. But he also was on the verge of becoming a Laker if the Magic hierarchy had gone through with its threat of playing hardball with the indecisive superstar center. According to league sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Orlando brass got fed up with Howard’s yes-no-maybe posturing and threatened to trade him to the Lakers, not his desired location, if he did not sign an agreement to waive the opt-out clause for the final season of his contract. Howard eventually signed the papers, but only after he was told “he would be a Laker by the end of the day,” according to one source. While both sides proclaimed loyalty as a factor in Howard’s decision to stay in Orlando, the contentious nature of the process gives the Nets ample hope they still may open in Brooklyn next season with Howard on their side. “[The Magic] do not want to go through it all again,” said one source who claimed Orlando wants a commitment from Howard on an extension before training camp to avoid his bolting as a free agent in 2013. “[The Magic] are determined to avoid another year of that.” By opting in for the final year at $18,091,770, Howard is bound to Orlando only through next season. Now come renewed reports Howard wants Stan Van Gundy out as coach for there to be any chance he will remain in Orlando, and Van Gundy said Thursday Howard wants him fired. Howard, whose camp had permission to talk to the Nets, Mavericks and Lakers, really only had one destination. “He was adamant: New Jersey, New Jersey, New Jersey,” a source claimed. Which would explain the confidence about landing Howard among the Nets, who play the Wizards in Newark Friday night [7:30, YES, WFAN (660 AM)] following a 2-2 West Coast trip. When their bid to get Howard dissolved in the final hours of the NBA trade deadline, they moved to contingency plans, including trading for Gerald Wallace. Other plans include pursuing Boston’s Kevin Garnett in free agency. But the Nets thought Plan A — which at the end was Howard for Brook Lopez, MarShon Brooks, Mehmet Okur and two first-round picks — would occur. Howard — who has sent confounding mixed signals all season, first saying he would not opt-in, then saying he would — brought the confusion to another level before the deadline. He told teammates he was “all-in” for this season, then said next season, too. Great, thought Magic brass. Let’s get it in writing. But Howard, via a conference call, told Magic executives he would not sign an opt-in pact. The Magic and Nets seemed poised to deal. After the game, Howard did another about face. Yes, he would sign, he told the Real GM website. The Magic, though, had heard enough. They told him if he did not sign the agreement by noon, he would be traded to the Lakers. Before the deadline, Howard also went with two teammates, to, of all places, a Waffle House. He sat seeking advice and called his parents and friends. Orlando played its trump card. Sources for months maintained Howard wanted no part of the Lakers, that he did not want to follow the legacy of Shaquille O’Neal. Orlando leaders had one other reason for the threat: They favored the Lakers’ package of Andrew Bynum, Devin Ebanks and Steve Blake over the Nets’ offer. Howard, of course, signed and everyone spoke of loyalty, which would have been better served had he signed long term. So the Magic have the game’s most dominant center locked up — until the nonsense starts again.

[Jasong7777]

Glad that didn't happen.

[Drewski]

Hey we woulda kept Pau impressive

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[ProfessaPackMan]

He really wanted to play in NJ though LOL.

[Drewski]

Why not just get traded to LA and walk in FA keeping NJs pieces in tact?

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[ProfessaPackMan]

Remember, we're talking about Duhwight Howard and that would require him to use logic and common sense. And that's something he hasn't shown he could use recently.