Dwight Howard Flees For Houston…Why Lakers Fans Shouldn’t Care

When news FINALLY came out last week that Dwight Howard had decided to take his jovial talents to Houston, my first thought, in all honesty, was “Good Riddance”. As a lifelong Lakers fan, I’d soured long ago on his hook shots from half court in pregame warm ups, constantly smiling and joking after losses in the locker room, and ridiculous complaints about not getting touches in the post (Google last year’s leaders for post touches…I dare you). It was almost exhausting trying to keep track of his moods and watching the Lakers’ organization tiptoe around him because they obviously wanted him to re-sign in the offseason.

Well, it was all for naught, and it really is for the better, and I have 4 really, really good reasons why this is true:

1. He was never comfortable in LA, playing in Kobe’s shadow, not taking ownership of this team. He just didn’t like the constant spotlight and how inherently wishy-washy some Lakers’ fans and media are. 
2. Dwight did not like playing with Kobe. And he could not stand the thought of potentially playing 2-3 more years with the Mamba. It was just a match made in hell, the uber-compeitive Bryant and the I-Just-Want-People-To-Like-Me Howard.
3. From the Lakers’ standpoint, why on earth would you want to commit 5 years of max $$ to a guy who has never proven he could handle a major team in a big market and lead them to the promised land? To a guy who says winning championships is all it’s about, but doesn’t back it up with his actions? And don’t forget that Howard has had nagging back and shoulder issues the last two years. Just sayin’
4. With Dwight and Kobe under contract, the Lakers lose the opportunity to cash in on the depth of free agents available in 2014 AND lose out on an opportunity to “lose gracefully” this season since they do own their own 2014 1st round pick (Andrew Wiggins anyone?). Now that the Lakers have DHo’s money available, trading Steve Nash and/or Pau Gasol while amnestying Metta Ron World Artest Peace would put the Lakers guaranteed cap commitments for 2014-15 at $0. WIth Dwight and Kobe (even at a discount), half of their cap space is instantly gobbled up.

Now don’t get me wrong, I think DHo is a fantastic player. He’s a difference maker defensively and this past season wasn’t even close to being his fault. You add significant injuries to your core players, horrible coaching throughout the season (don’t get me started on Mike Antoni…I will NOT add a D to his name after spending a season watching this team not play defense), and no consistent production from the bench, and what you have is a middling team that struggles to make the playoffs. When Howard is healthy and engaged, there is no better enforcer in the middle. However, he was neither of those things this past year, and the “not being engaged” part is what bothers me the most.

When you’re a star playing for the Lakers, you don’t have the luxury of taking nights off. It just doesn’t fly, because the team and its fans won’t tolerate it. Kobe Bryant won’t tolerate it. And at some point, your talent level doesn’t even matter anymore (right Shaq?). And when I think of the possibility of DHo “leading” this team for the next 5 years, hoping to have the baton passed to him by Kobe, it made me sick to my stomach. He’s not a leader. Never has been, never will be. (Say what you will about Kobe’s leadership skills and tactics, but it’s clearly proven to be effective. It may not always make people happy, but with the right mix of players, it works out just fine) He chose to go to a city where the pressure won’t be so high, where he can share the weight of the world with another young superstar (James Harden), and surround himself with a community that will absolutely shower him with praise. I totally understand where he’s coming from, I just don’t necessarily agree with that line of thinking.

And at the end of the day, the most consistent franchise in NBA history can’t be led by a player who doesn’t value and cherish winning above all else. Losing a player to a conference rival in his prime (kind of) and getting nothing in return can be devastating. But what the Lakers gain with Howard’s departure may not be seen for a season or two, but it will prove to be the right move for both DHo and the Lakers.

 

Follow me on twitter @z_dahdul

Find all my Fantasy Sports related work at http://www.fflockerroom.com

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Man, Where Did April Go?

Hey Folks! It’s been quite a while since I’ve written on this site, with many things happening injury-wise all over the sports world. To be honest, the work I’ve been doing with the guys over at FFLockerRoom has been amazing, such a great experience and has given me the opportunity to write for a growing site that I feel is truly destined for stardom. That’s basically where you can find all of my injury-related articles from the last few months (NFL and MLB) that touch on everything going on in each respective sport.

I’ve also been doing a weekly podcast on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm PST, where we talk about all the happenings in the sports world, explaining what each injury means for your fantasy hopes while also giving fantasy sports advice on how to set your lineup. It’s a pretty cool platform and I enjoy taking what I right and verbalizing it…but you can be the judge about whether I’m any good at it or not. You can find my injury report and all of your podcasts HERE

I don’t mean to bombard you with plugs for my new site. I’m just very proud of the work we’re doing there and want the folks who read this blog to know that I haven’t just ditched this site for bigger things. But feel free to give me a follow on twitter @z_dahdul as that’s where I’ve continued to give analysis and information on breaking injury news as it happens.

Thanks for continuing to follow the site. I’ll be attempting to post on here a bit more often with a more wide-ranging selection of topics so that there’s no redundancy with what I’m doing at FFLockerRoom and you guys get good, original content more frequently.

My first topic: The scariness with which this Dodgers’ season is beginning to look like the 2012-13 Lakers’ season. Both started with Big expectations, Star quality, Massive spending, Early season injuries….

2012-13 Lakers: Mid season injuries, Bickering between the stars, the stars and the idiot coach, and one star in particular (Dwight) who bickered with everybody, Late season surge to make the playoffs, More injuries, Utter collapse

2013 Dodgers: We don’t know how this thing will end. With 5 out of the 8 pitchers already lost for various lengths of time (or via trade), Matt Kemp’s struggles (on my damn fantasy team as well), Hanley Ramirez’s wackiness and bum thumb, and the older age of the Doyers, it’s hard to say how things are going to progress.

All I know is that the Dodgers and Lakers have more similarities than I want to admit and I sure as hell hope the Dodgers fight more than this Lakers team did. I’ll be crossing my fingers

Week 14 Injury Report

Check out my full post here at FFLockerRoom.com: http://fflockerroom.com/2012/12/08/fantasy-football-week-14-injury-report/

I have a legit reason for my laziness this week: I’m in Vegas for weekend with the guys, so at the very least, you have to cut me a little bit of slack. Right? Please?

A couple of thoughts about Week 14 in addition to the FFLockerRoom post:

– I don’t know what to think about Hakeem Nicks. It seems like he’s had a bit of a setback with some soreness and swelling in his knee. I know he won’t be 100% for the rest of the season, but there is some doubt about his availability this week, which scares me a bit. For example, I’m presented with a bit of a conundrum: Do I start Nicks as my Flex with TY Hilton waiting to be played on my bench?? Do I go with the more sure thing (Hilton) or with the upside (Nicks)? Interesting situations, but honestly, I’m leaning towards Hilton right now.

– In my post, I forgot to include Donald Brown on the injury report. He’s not going to play tomorrow, which means Vick Ballard is the guy to get the majority of touches tomorrow. With the Colts likely playing with a lead, the running game could be critical against a Titans team that isn’t very good against the run or pass.

– I think Ben Roethlisberger will have a solid start tomorrow against the Chargers. He’ll show some rust and may have difficulty getting back into the swing of things early on, but with all of his receivers healthy and the Chargers playing how Norv Turner looks when he has to make a tough decision, I think Big Ben could go off.

– My sleeper this week: Alex Green. I think he gets into the end zone this week against the Lions. I know he’s a tough play since they’re playing Sunday night, but if you’re in a pinch and need the help, I think he’s a viable option.

Good luck to everyone on the eve of the Fantasy Playoffs!