Dwight Howard's distaste for the offense and approach of coach Mike D'Antoni is widely cited as the biggest trigger in his decision to leave the Los Angeles Lakers. But another key factor that led the All-Star center to the Houston Rockets was the Lakers' refusal to establish a clear timetable for moving on from the Kobe Bryant era, according to sources with knowledge of Howard's thinking. Sources told ESPN.com that Howard and his representatives -- in a handful of meetings with Lakers officials before he became a free agent July 1 -- strongly suggested the center would have a difficult time re-signing with the team if Bryant stayed with the franchise beyond the 2013-14 season, the final year of his contract. The Lakers, almost from the moment Howard arrived in August 2012, had gone to great lengths to assure the 27-year-old that they saw him as the future face of the franchise and that the torch would be passed from Bryant to him in short order. But with Bryant saying publicly just a week before free agency that he was thinking of playing at least two or three more seasons, it was hard for Howard to envision when he would assume that role, sources said. "How can it be Kobe's team and Dwight's team?" one source said. "It was about the passing of the torch." Source: ESPN LA
seems like dwight has been around forever and is only 27 eh, i thought he'd want to go there to build a star studded team and compete with the heat, but if he just wanted to be the only face then he will continue his championship drought
he really isn't "the guy" in houston either, harden already took that last year and dwight being there doesn't exactly trump him lol
agreed. if there is any truth to this story, it means that he cares more about being 'the' guy in the spotlight somewhere instead of winning championships, which is a problem. as far as harden, he definitely carries some weight with his teammates but does not have the perceived 'superstar' value in the media that dwight howard has. dwight will get a lot more attention than harden in houston and dwight would NOT have gotten more attention than Kobe in L.A. maybe this story is true and dwight is just an attention-tramp?
i think kobe will be really lucky to be back and play half as much as he has his whole career.next summer,the lakers will go after james or anthony,and they will get one of them.
I find it amusing when there is a debate on whos team is it. Isn't basketball a "TEAM" game? I could be wrong but I thought it was.
LOL...My point was made in my last post if you read very carefully which my guess is you did not. Yeah, every team has a "LEADER" but all i'am saying is the debates of whos team it is since basketball is supposed to be a team game is ridiculus.
LOL....The point is the "leader" is "who's team it is." That's what we mean when we call it their team. I guess logic isn't your friend.
I understand the topic just fine. You're obviously the only one here not understanding what i'm trying to say but it's ok because you're not the first one and i'm sure you won't be the last one either.
