Dwight Howard to the Lakers in 2012 "picking up steam" ( Mitch Lawrence article)

[Scalablob990]

The problem with all of this is when Kobe retires...who's their go to guy and closer? The Lakers were able to swing and get two top 15 NBA players in Shaq and Kobe, but Dwight isn't even top 50, or even scratches it. The Lakers should look at who's going to replace KOBE because it's hard to find players like that. Not that we won't have the same problems when Pierce retires..... Dwight is a fake and watching him in the 09 finals it was easy to see he doesn't have the heart Pierce or Kobe have.

[PosImpos]

The problem with all of this is when Kobe retires...who's their go to guy and closer? The Lakers were able to swing and get two top 15 NBA players in Shaq and Kobe, but Dwight isn't even top 50, or even scratches it. The Lakers should look at who's going to replace KOBE because it's hard to find players like that. Not that we won't have the same problems when Pierce retires..... Dwight is a fake and watching him in the 09 finals it was easy to see he doesn't have the heart Pierce or Kobe have.

Are you seriously saying Dwight Howard isn't one of the 50 best players in the NBA right now?

I'll agree that he isn't 50 best all time (and Shaq and Kobe are both in the top 15 of that list), but I certainly disagree that Dwight isn't in the top 10 of those playing right now.

[heitingas]

I think Dwight won't sign an extension with Orlando,they might trade him but definitely not for crap like Bynum, they'll shoot higher than that.
I think he Nets will try to attract him if Dwight becomes a FA, they won't have enough assets to get him via trade especially if they get Melo, but Melo and NYC might be enough for Dwight to sign with them, he stays in the East,competes against the Knicks and rebuilding Boston, unless we were able to get him to come play alongside Rondo.

[Sizzlack]

The problem with all of this is when Kobe retires...who's their go to guy and closer? The Lakers were able to swing and get two top 15 NBA players in Shaq and Kobe, but Dwight isn't even top 50, or even scratches it. The Lakers should look at who's going to replace KOBE because it's hard to find players like that. Not that we won't have the same problems when Pierce retires..... Dwight is a fake and watching him in the 09 finals it was easy to see he doesn't have the heart Pierce or Kobe have.

Are you seriously saying Dwight Howard isn't one of the 50 best players in the NBA right now?

I'll agree that he isn't 50 best all time (and Shaq and Kobe are both in the top 15 of that list), but I certainly disagree that Dwight isn't in the top 10 of those playing right now.

Ya, Dwight is clearly the best Center in basketball right now, there's really no doubt about it in my mind. Really, who's better? Marc Gasol? Come on...

However, him going to LA doesn't make a ton of sense to me, unless when Jackson leaves this year, they drastically change their offensive scheme. I do not see Dwight surviving in a triangle offense, he doesn't have nearly the required passing ability for it. And the alternative is their new coach brings in a new offensive style, then Kobe and Gasol are adjusting to a new offense outside of what they've been playing for the past 4 years. A dangerous game to play, that could potentially waste a year of a already rapidly closing window (aka Kobe's inevitable decline/health problems, not to mention Gasol on the downslope as well.)

Then what? When Kobe's gone, he's stuck on a rebuilding LA team? Seems a waste of his prime years.

[BballTim]

The problem with all of this is when Kobe retires...who's their go to guy and closer? The Lakers were able to swing and get two top 15 NBA players in Shaq and Kobe, but Dwight isn't even top 50, or even scratches it. The Lakers should look at who's going to replace KOBE because it's hard to find players like that. Not that we won't have the same problems when Pierce retires..... Dwight is a fake and watching him in the 09 finals it was easy to see he doesn't have the heart Pierce or Kobe have.

Are you seriously saying Dwight Howard isn't one of the 50 best players in the NBA right now?

I'll agree that he isn't 50 best all time (and Shaq and Kobe are both in the top 15 of that list), but I certainly disagree that Dwight isn't in the top 10 of those playing right now.

  Good player? Yes. Go to guy or closer? No.

[Edgar]

rather have griffin
but i cant complain with dwight

[Scalablob990]

The problem with all of this is when Kobe retires...who's their go to guy and closer? The Lakers were able to swing and get two top 15 NBA players in Shaq and Kobe, but Dwight isn't even top 50, or even scratches it. The Lakers should look at who's going to replace KOBE because it's hard to find players like that. Not that we won't have the same problems when Pierce retires..... Dwight is a fake and watching him in the 09 finals it was easy to see he doesn't have the heart Pierce or Kobe have.

Are you seriously saying Dwight Howard isn't one of the 50 best players in the NBA right now?

I'll agree that he isn't 50 best all time (and Shaq and Kobe are both in the top 15 of that list), but I certainly disagree that Dwight isn't in the top 10 of those playing right now.

Sorry Pos, I should have been a bit more clear (my grammar & punct has never been the best). I think Dwight isn't top 50 of "All Time" or even close to it. He's playing in an era where their is a shortage of legitimate 'centers' which imo is a reason why he looks so good. If we were to list 'big men' ( current PF's & center's) i'd probably rank him #3 or #4 behind Gasol Duncan and KG. Dwight has many flaws in his game that get exposed when he actually goes against good defensive teams.

Again, that 09 finals appearance where he basically quit in games 4 and 5 still doesn't give him a great impression for superstar status.

[Fafnir]

The problem with all of this is when Kobe retires...who's their go to guy and closer? The Lakers were able to swing and get two top 15 NBA players in Shaq and Kobe, but Dwight isn't even top 50, or even scratches it. The Lakers should look at who's going to replace KOBE because it's hard to find players like that. Not that we won't have the same problems when Pierce retires..... Dwight is a fake and watching him in the 09 finals it was easy to see he doesn't have the heart Pierce or Kobe have.

Are you seriously saying Dwight Howard isn't one of the 50 best players in the NBA right now?

I'll agree that he isn't 50 best all time (and Shaq and Kobe are both in the top 15 of that list), but I certainly disagree that Dwight isn't in the top 10 of those playing right now.

Sorry Pos, I should have been a bit more clear (my grammar & punct has never been the best). I think Dwight isn't top 50 of "All Time" or even close to it. He's playing in an era where their is a shortage of legitimate 'centers' which imo is a reason why he looks so good. If we were to list 'big men' ( current PF's & center's) i'd probably rank him #3 or #4 behind Gasol Duncan and KG. Dwight has many flaws in his game that get exposed when he actually goes against good defensive teams.

Again, that 09 finals appearance where he basically quit in games 4 and 5 still doesn't give him a great impression for superstar status.

16 points 21 rebounds and 9 blocks is quitting? That was his game 4 line. His game 5 line was more modest 11 and 10, but Orlando was getting blown out from the get go, and he only took 9 shots.

Dwight has flaws in his game, but good defensive teams don't really expose them as much as they expose his team mates. When teams don't have to double him early and can play physical with him the burden to creat offense shifts to his team mates. They've failed him in this regard in the past.

Dwight isn't a go to offensive player, his true value is his defense and ability to go to the rim hard and fast.

[Edgar]

Dwight isn't a go to offensive player, his true value is his defense and ability to go to the rim hard and fast.

Absolutely agree
I have been thinking this lately. He doesnt have any front to the basket game and without a nice pg or a point foward hes screwed.
I love him as a piece but not as center of a franchise, now in Orlando theyre playing great cause the talent list they have is pretty pretty pretty nice. they can probably have those big games with 3 of the 5 guys, and without Dwight and all of the other, playing a defensive center.

[pearljammer10]

The problem with all of this is when Kobe retires...who's their go to guy and closer? The Lakers were able to swing and get two top 15 NBA players in Shaq and Kobe, but Dwight isn't even top 50, or even scratches it. The Lakers should look at who's going to replace KOBE because it's hard to find players like that. Not that we won't have the same problems when Pierce retires..... Dwight is a fake and watching him in the 09 finals it was easy to see he doesn't have the heart Pierce or Kobe have.

Are you seriously saying Dwight Howard isn't one of the 50 best players in the NBA right now?

I'll agree that he isn't 50 best all time (and Shaq and Kobe are both in the top 15 of that list), but I certainly disagree that Dwight isn't in the top 10 of those playing right now.

I would not hesitate to say Dwight Howard is easily a top 10 player in this league currently.

[Scalablob990]

Game 4 was the only game they even won and he hardly played a great game regardless of what his stats were. He thought waltzing into the finals against the lakers (who they swept during the season) that the magic were going to blow them out. They were like what, 4 points away from being swept in the finals? He's the captain of the team and 'labeled' the best center in the league, yet he came up smaller then reggie miller did in the finals against the lakers.

Stats and what they did during the game in order to win are two different things, Derek Fisher is the best example of this. he'll have 3 points and you'll think he contributed nothing, while that 3 pointer was the shot that won the game...

[Snakehead]

The problem with all of this is when Kobe retires...who's their go to guy and closer? The Lakers were able to swing and get two top 15 NBA players in Shaq and Kobe, but Dwight isn't even top 50, or even scratches it. The Lakers should look at who's going to replace KOBE because it's hard to find players like that. Not that we won't have the same problems when Pierce retires..... Dwight is a fake and watching him in the 09 finals it was easy to see he doesn't have the heart Pierce or Kobe have.

Are you seriously saying Dwight Howard isn't one of the 50 best players in the NBA right now?

I'll agree that he isn't 50 best all time (and Shaq and Kobe are both in the top 15 of that list), but I certainly disagree that Dwight isn't in the top 10 of those playing right now.

I would not hesitate to say Dwight Howard is easily a top 10 player in this league currently.

That's an absolute no brainer.  Although he will never be an offensive player he will be one of the best post defenders and rebounders ever.  Already is.  And if he gets with a better PG he could put up some really good offensive numbers too because he can certainly finish, if not create his own baskets.

Even with a limited offensive game Dwight is a top ten player.  And I'm not a fan of the guy in a lot of ways, but that's clearly the case.

[Fafnir]

Game 4 was the only game they even won and he hardly played a great game regardless of what his stats were. He thought waltzing into the finals against the lakers (who they swept during the season) that the magic were going to blow them out. They were like what, 4 points away from being swept in the finals? He's the captain of the team and 'labeled' the best center in the league, yet he came up smaller then reggie miller did in the finals against the lakers.

Stats and what they did during the game in order to win are two different things, Derek Fisher is the best example of this. he'll have 3 points and you'll think he contributed nothing, while that 3 pointer was the shot that won the game...

They lost game 4 in OT, they won game 3. In that game 4 they had the ball up 3 with about a minute to go, and lost.
Howard played very well in the Finals, they lost two extremely close games in OT. The reason they got that close was because of Howard.

The idea that a C can put up several big rebounding games (including one 21 rebound game), play very good defense and also score very efficiently, and come up small is strange to me. He missed some key free throws that's the only thing I'd say bad about his Finals. But that's part of the package with Howard, and a lot of centers. Bill Russell was terrible at the line too.

[Roy H.]

"Picking up steam"?  The Lakers aren't going to have cap room until around 2014, so Howard better hope that the Magic have a Bynum fixation, because a trade is the only way he's going to LA any time soon (presuming he doesn't take the MLE.)

[Fafnir]

"Picking up steam"?  The Lakers aren't going to have cap room until around 2014, so Howard better hope that the Magic have a Bynum fixation, because a trade is the only way he's going to LA any time soon (presuming he doesn't take the MLE.)

Unless Howard says I'm going to the Clippers if you don't sign and trade me for Bynum it won't happen.