Dwight Howard is a crybaby.
There is no other way to describe his toddler-like demeanor in the last year. He flip-flopped more times than your local politician before deciding to play out his contract for the Orlando Magic in March. People believed that Dwight's attitude about things finally changed for the better, and he decided to do the honorable thing for the only organization he played for. Wrong.
At 12:01 on Sunday morning when free agency began, Howard, for the seven millionth time, requested to be traded to Brooklyn Nets. He also said the Magic blackmailed him (Howard denies this claim by ESPN), and that he felt very disrespected from the Magic organization. LeBron James should send daily fruit baskets to Howard's house because by summer's end, Howard will be the least-liked player in the NBA.
How can anyone support a guy who hates the team that drafted him so much? The whole loyalty aspect players are supposed to abide by is way overblown, but still, there are far better ways to handle this situation. Howard looks like a child who isn't getting his way. The child really wants this expensive toy (Brooklyn), but the family has no idea how to afford it. The child keeps crying constantly in hopes that he will get his way. What a pathetic excuse for a professional athlete.
Last night, Howard told Yahoo! Sports that he will only be signing with one team (obviously Brooklyn), and will not re-sign with any other team. Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets are both said to be after Howard, and he has already stated those are places he does not want to be. Mitch Kupchak and Daryl Morey, both teams respective General Manager, should tell Howard to eff off and move on with their summer.
The thought that Howard would not want to play in Houston or Los Angeles is preposterous. In Houston, Howard could learn from Kevin McHale and Hakeem Olajuwon, two of the best post players ever in the NBA. But Howard would probably prefer to do things his way, the guy is a clown. In Los Angeles, he doesn't want to be the second fiddle to Kobe Bryant. Guess what Dwight? Kobe is gone in two years, and then it's your team again. But you probably don't want to cry in front of Kobe because he will wear you down to the bone. Why any player or coach would want to work with Howard at this point? It can only be explained by one thing.
He is really damn good at basketball. Like one of the best players of our generation. Even if he has become a WWE-style villain, Howard will make any team he goes to an instant playoff team. Last year, Howard did so much with so little in Orlando. He had games pulling down 20 rebounds, and scoring 20 points while bitching about how much he hates it in the Magical Kingdom. If he can go 20-20 while pouting, what can he do when actually happy? This is also why until the Olympics, Howard's next destination will dominate the NBA headlines.
Good thing, the Milwaukee Bucks are nowhere in the same universe as the other teams chasing Howard. I do not think I could cheer for someone after putting together such a tiresome, asinine, adolescent display like we have witnessed from Howard in the past year.
Charlie.
The biggest problem I see with all of this is that the Nets don't really have anything to offer for Howard. If I were the Magic, I would see if the Rockets are desperate enough to get Dwight, that they would offer a baseball like deal for a rental. The Magic should be more interested in acquiring cheap young players rather than draft picks, because as you mentioned, any team Dwight goes to, is going to make the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Magic don't have any other good assets to try to work a three-team deal.
ReplyDeleteLet Dwight play the year out, risk injury without a long term contract, and make him take less money to play for the Nets in the offseason, the Magic are far gone past the point of ever needing to do Dwight any favors.
Everything Howard has done in the last year is far worse than Lebron. If you remove the celebration party for the new big three when they signed, Lebron handled everything like a consummate professional compared to Howard.
Agreed, Otis Smith deserves a ton of blame for where the Magic are right now. The point about letting Dwight play out the contract, they still need a head coach. Who could possibly want this toxic job? Is someone that thirsty for an opportunity? Probably, but it's not the best candidate.
ReplyDeleteDead right about LeBron, I was more saying the national hate for LeBron should completely and entirely go to Dwight. The guy sucks as a person.
Charlie.