-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
2013 NBA Playoffs |OT| Lakers started from the bottom, and they still there
- Thread starter reilo
- Start date
ThisWreckage
Banned
Why on Earth would the Lakers give Dwight Howard a huge contract when he's proven he isn't a franchise player? A franchise player is the type of player where the ball goes in crunch time. He can't totally dominate defenders and he can't shoot free throws. So a lot of times in the fourth quarter he's just lurking around and occasionally playing good defense. There's no guarantee that Kobe will come back a fraction as good as he was so where does the ball go in crunch time?
darkside31337
Tomodachi wa Mahou
He was a franchise player for 7 years with Orlando. But I don't think he ever realized how good he had it with Stan.
Yep. Gotta wonder if Dwight regrets getting Stan axed at this point. Dwight is without a doubt an excellent defender, but that doesn't mean shit when the coach and the guys around him don't give a fuck. The look on his face every time he covers, and nobody picks up his guy is hilarious.
If Dwight ended up with the rockets.. I think I'd have mixed feels
The rockets were handcuffed for years with those tmac and yao contracts and if you think about it morey has done a really good job of not overpaying players. Or if he has he has gotten out of it via trades.
With Dwights health issues and his attitude the last couple of years..iffy on that contract and dollar amount. We've done a good job after yao and tracy of not getting into contract hell.
The rockets were handcuffed for years with those tmac and yao contracts and if you think about it morey has done a really good job of not overpaying players. Or if he has he has gotten out of it via trades.
With Dwights health issues and his attitude the last couple of years..iffy on that contract and dollar amount. We've done a good job after yao and tracy of not getting into contract hell.
Blackace
if you see me in a fight with a bear, don't help me fool, help the bear!
Harden and Parson would be a good fit with him
His the only guy on the lakers that plays defense. You have no idea what you're talking about.
I agree. See the edit in my op though.
1. he's a center, he's not going to be getting the ball in crunch time
2. he played hurt all year (and played 76 games btw) and when healthy he's the most important defender in the league
3. you don't just give away a superstar, especially when no one knows what Kobe is going to do
if anything the Lakers should be upset about the Nash trade, they gave away FOUR picks!
ThisWreckage
Banned
He's older, he suffered a major back injury, and he still hasn't developed an offensive game. I'm not sure if his back will ever be 100%. Someone will give him max money and I do not think he is worth it. I'm also not sure he was ever a franchise player. Orlando would have never won a chip with him as the centerpiece.
Blackace
if you see me in a fight with a bear, don't help me fool, help the bear!
1 is plain wrong
CreepingFear
Member
Dwight for Boozer. Do it Mitch and Gar/Pax! Bulls can put Noah at PF. Then, surround D Rose and Dwight with three point shooters. Bring in Reddick and bring back Korver.
No shit this would never happen. I do think both Rose and Dwight are more effective with shooters.
No shit this would never happen. I do think both Rose and Dwight are more effective with shooters.
ThisWreckage
Banned
It absolutely is. At this point, Dwight Howard is a hyper athletic Ben Wallace. I have no idea how this guy has been the league for this long and still looks soclumsy on the offensive side of the ball.
ThisWreckage
Banned
I think there's a pretty good chance he's gone. I'd say 60/40. I think one of the main reasons he'll stay is money.
CherryWoodFuton
Member
That would be possible if your front office werent such cheap asses
he can't shoot free throws. Why does he need to even be the 'clutch' guy if he's the most important defender?
Zeus Molecules
illegal immigrants are stealing our air
I glad somebody else noticed that. In all honesty I feel for him.
Bynum man Bynum. Hell If Amare's contract was insured he would of been shipped out last season. GM's see size and skill in a player and the become suckers for love.
ThisWreckage
Banned
Neither could Shaq. The Lakers would routinely throw the ball into him when the game got tight. A lot of times he would make the basket, brick the free throw, and shrug his shoulders. This is the difference between Shaq and Dwight: Shaq hits free throws when they count and Dwight Howard hits free throws when no ones counting.
CreepingFear
Member
He really is fucking stupid if he doesn't re-sign with the Lakers for max deal. Kobe is on his way out, Lakers are one of the greatest organizations in sports, and the weather is so gorgeous(speaking as someone who is fed up with Chicago weather)
Shaq is also one of the greatest players ever so...
I'm just saying, you can't let Dwight go unless you think you're going to get another superstar of his caliber
Marc Gasol is a better offensive player than Dwight. Marc scores within the flow of his team's offense and contributes more than points. Dwight is fucking jank who isn't good at making reads in regards to passing.
Red Blaster
Member
marc's usg% is lower and looks to pass a lot
Hakeem would be available 24/7 to take care of this tho in the H
I'm more concerned that we will end up with josh Smith anyway. And I get a meh feel from that too.
I would like Millsap tho
Because as the #1 center in the league for so many years he's being measured against the great centers of the past, not Hibbert or Noah.
Future PhaZe
Member
With the way the NBA salary system is today you almost have to pay All-Stars near max contracts. So it isn't as much about being the #1 franchise savior as just being a really good player, which Dwight clearly is.
And I think you have to give Dwight the benefit of the doubt about his ability to return to form. He was an iron man his entire career and even injured this year put up good numbers in a terrible system/situation. With health, rest and a good team there's no reason he can't/shouldn't dominate.
And Dwight was capable of chipping as the #1 guy at his best a couple of years back. They beat a very good LeBron Cavs team back in the day and the Lakers/Magic series probably should have been tighter than it was.
It would be beyond dumb for the Rockets not to gamble on him and for the Lakers not to try to extend him.
That's what I'm saying, the guy that considerably better than him in O not taking over and shit that people saying to Dwight, thus he isn't "worth it". Its just damn exaggerating.
The strange thing with Dwight is that he played guard a lot when he was young. He must have been a crap guard or for some weird reason nothing translated. With David Robinson you can see it in his game. Same with Anthony Davis who was a 3 star guard in HS before he became what he currently is. Both guys can hit jumpers, do some damage in the face up, pass the ball, and hit free throws. Dwight has none of this. And he played guard like Robinson and Davis.
ThisWreckage
Banned
I don't even think he's as good as Brook Lopez offensively.
Dwight wasn't a horrible FT shooter back then. Mediocre, yes, but not horrible and hack-a-Dwight wasn't viable.
Future PhaZe
Member
You can't use this year as evidence of future play when every single season besides his injured seasons he's shot .60% from the stripe.
Dwight probably shouldn't have even played at all this year.
A Howard/Asik combo would be amazing for our defense. Right now now when Asik is out our d goes to shit. Have him come off the bench as another anchor in the middle would do wonders.
With the amount of PnR the rockets use, Howard would fit right in. Hell they throw all types of passes to Asik who had zero offensive game before this season. Dwight may not be a beast offensively but compared to Asik it would be a huge step up.
Tragicomedy
Member
#1 - see Shaq, Hakeem, Robinson, and lolEwing in their primes
#2 - he's good, but is he a more important defender than Marc Gasol, Tony Allen, Iggy, Larry Sanders, Chewbacca, etc?
Future PhaZe
Member
Healthy Dwight (basically none of the dwight you've seen this year) shits on all those guys.
I don't know why people keep talking about what Dwight is doing this last season. He shouldn't have even been playing at all. And it's clear the FO/Coaching staff has been heavily supporting pushing guys back early from injuries and either not stopping or encouraging players to play injured.
The Lakers FO/Coaching staff literally could have or still could be responsible for ending the careers of Nash/Kobe/Dwight due to incompetence.
It's pretty shocking.
Future PhaZe
Member
It's like people forget the Lakers are responsible for Kobes torn achilles + multiple 40 minute games, Steve Nash looking dead on the court at 39 in a series they clearly can't win and shaming Dwight into playing basketball when he literally couldn't feel his feet.
ItWasMeantToBe19
Banned
If Dwight's effort level stays mediocre (like it has been for the last two years), he is behind Gasol, Asik, Duncan, and other guys in defensive impact though he's still very good.
Dwight was all-time great defensively when healthy and engaged and it's not like the last two years have been good situations though.
Even last year, the Magic were good defensively despite starting Ryan Anderson, Hedo Turkoglu, and Jason Richardson which is pretty unbelievable.
Dwight was all-time great defensively when healthy and engaged and it's not like the last two years have been good situations though.
Even last year, the Magic were good defensively despite starting Ryan Anderson, Hedo Turkoglu, and Jason Richardson which is pretty unbelievable.
Future PhaZe
Member
But it's not like there aren't reasons he wasn't playing to his abilities the last two seasons though lol.
The downward trend is clearly due to injury.
Red Blaster
Member
dwight just looks he doesn't care anymore, largely because playing next to a player as selfish as kobe is so draining
that said I wouldn't be surprised if he looks awesome once he goes to the rockets
that said I wouldn't be surprised if he looks awesome once he goes to the rockets
ItWasMeantToBe19
Banned
He still was a bit down in 2012 and lacking fucks before the injury.
He still should be gone after hard for the possibility that he can return to his old form and even if he doesn't, he's still really good.
Tragicomedy
Member
I don't buy the conspiracy of the Lakers forcing anyone on the court. If a player is geniunely injured, they don't have to play. We saw that with Howard earlier this year, when he set out with various shoulder or back problems. Nash sat out the better part of a month.
Kobe drove himself into the ground, plain and simple. I don't fault him for that as he envisions himself as some sort of modern day gladiator/hero, but he pushed himself too hard. With that roster, Mike D. ends up deferring to his experienced stars to say whether they can go or not. That's why you have Epidural Nash logging all those minutes in a playoff series the team has zero hopes of winning.
If anything, it was peer pressure from guys like Kobe that got Howard out there on the court, not the organization's leadership. Tough guy syndrome destroyed Kobe's heel, not the coach.
Kobe drove himself into the ground, plain and simple. I don't fault him for that as he envisions himself as some sort of modern day gladiator/hero, but he pushed himself too hard. With that roster, Mike D. ends up deferring to his experienced stars to say whether they can go or not. That's why you have Epidural Nash logging all those minutes in a playoff series the team has zero hopes of winning.
If anything, it was peer pressure from guys like Kobe that got Howard out there on the court, not the organization's leadership. Tough guy syndrome destroyed Kobe's heel, not the coach.
Future PhaZe
Member
Huh? They let both Kobe and Nash make comments publicly to the media shaming Dwight for not playing.
And it's the coaches responsibility to take a guy out if he's hurt. Mike D clearly didn't have the stones to tell Kobe to shut the fuck up and sit his ass down. And the shit going on with Nash yesterday was shameful at best.
It's basically Shanahan/RGIII 2.0, but at least Mike had the balls to tell Griff to sit his ass down, he just cared more about winning. Mike D is just gutless when it comes to kobe.
mastershake
Member
Smokes...
you gonna goto any of the home games? A buddy and I are trying to snag some tickets for saturday
you gonna goto any of the home games? A buddy and I are trying to snag some tickets for saturday
I'm not using just this year. His FT% dropped like a rock since last season.
Yeah me and the fiancé going to game 3. You shouldve said something to me earlier! I could've got you and ya boy tickets in the lower bowl via my job. Not for free but at a lot cheaper than what they're going for.
He did injure his back last year though.