Confirmed: Howard leaving LA (fired pro-Laker manager) after Suns loss

[Ratzz]

it was his manager that led him to the Lakers in the first place.
if he was happy, he would retain the person who led him to his
present position, it one would expect that same person to create more happiness.
Writing on wall appears to indicate he wants to start clean somewhere else.

http://www.ocregister.com/sports/howard-500308-lakers-orlando.html

http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2013/03/dwight-howard-fired-his-business-manager-and-cousin/

this happened after the fiasco loss to the Suns.

apparently his manager cousin of his wants all that Laker money..
not to mention all the booty you can have.. in LA.. (i expect)

he can't very well have a biased manager that is looking out for his own interests,
rather than his client's. He's not the one who has to play with Princess.

but this is BIG change, it is the only manager he has ever had. and his manager lives where he does.
big change means more is on the horizon.

if it happened as reported , i think he understood last night that no championship is coming soon to this team,
and he wants to win.

[Ratzz]

Kupchak should have been smart enough to recognize what was happening, as much as he
may have wanted to believe otherwise.

he should have traded him, i said it, many others did as well... now they will have nothing for him..
except for yet another lost 1st Round draft pick.

though nothing beats four picks for Steve Nash.

that team is going to be cooked for quite a long time it seems.

[Spoon19xx]

Dwight wanted a team where he was not the main option lol he is all the Lakers got

[Ratzz]

Dwight wanted a team where he was not the main option lol he is all the Lakers got

lol.. Kupchak should have forbidden Dwight to speak with Kobe..
before the trade Princess told him "look. if you come, you are no.3, behind me and Pau"

the relationship was doomed right there.

i will say this. At least Princess told it like it is..

[Ratzz]

given that it happened right after a bad game without Princess..

my guess is that Princess insulted him somehow..

"man, you guys are useless without me"

why take care of business, at night after a road game..?

[DallasMaverick41]

Your like a little prepubescent teen girl, stop hating on the Lakers and get a life.

Every thread you make is about how badly you hate the Lakers, nobody cares.

He won't leave LA after this season, but keep stroking your e-peen and believing he will.

[abzflabz]

Win or lose the nba aint shit without the lakers.

[Ratzz]

Win or lose the nba aint shit without the lakers.

interesting.. perhaps every good story requires a villain

[pulledclear]

Here come the Clippers!!!!! Howard aint leaving LA he will actually play in the same building just not for the Lakers.

[Ratzz]

Here come the Clippers!!!!! Howard aint leaving LA he will actually play in the same building just not for the Lakers.

that would be awesome. what a mix that would be, that is a monster team in which case

[heathbledger]

Confirmed? Please. This means nothing. You really think Dwight made the decision after the game that he's done with this team? I think this was a long time coming with his manager. Did you miss the other twenty something games they looked like garbage? He got absolutely schooled by Haddadi and O'neal last night so he needs to put the blame mostly on himself.

That being said, I hope he does leave. I'm a Lakers fan and I can't stand Howard.

[Brebos]

ratz...you stupid

[Ratzz]

Confirmed? Please. This means nothing. You really think Dwight made the decision after the game that he's done with this team? I think this was a long time coming with his manager. Did you miss the other twenty something games they looked like garbage? He got absolutely schooled by Haddadi and O'neal last night so he needs to put the blame mostly on himself.

That being said, I hope he does leave. I'm a Lakers fan and I can't stand Howard.

if he was happy in LA... with the Lakers.. why would he fire the guy who led him there?
Howard is the most dominant center in the league, but he needs to like his surroundings first.
because he's an emotional person like that. If he is emotionally unhappy, it turns off his game, because he
wants to be happy first.

Some guys have their marriage before their jobs (Dwight)
and some guys have their jobs before their marriage (Kobe)
Some people don't care about relations, getting on with co-workers. but he does.

that's why he fired his manager. because that manager won't listen, and is pressing him stay
instead of looking hard and setting up something good elsewhere. His manager is interested in a big payday
from the Lakers because it will be the biggest. Howard would prefer to play elsewhere for a bit less money.

[FindTheLock]

howard just looks for opportunities to blame someone else. he is a cry baby that wants his ego stroked while he laughs off a 20 point deficit in a game.

[FindTheLock]

the sad thing is I agree with you about howard being the best center right now, but that says more about the lack of quality centers in the NBA than it does about howard's talent.

[Ratzz]

howard just looks for opportunities to blame someone else. he is a cry baby that wants his ego stroked while he laughs off a 20 point deficit in a game.

perhaps.. i guess it looks like the Los Angeles Lakers will not be burdened with that behavior for very much longer

[FindTheLock]

he did the exact same shit with the magic. When he left the magic I knew the magic were going to suck, but as a fan of the team I was happy to see him go. He has no heart and he only plays hard when he feels like it.

[heathbledger]

if he was happy in LA... with the Lakers.. why would he fire the guy who led him there?
Howard is the most dominant center in the league, but he needs to like his surroundings first.
because he's an emotional person like that. If he is emotionally unhappy, it turns off his game, because he
wants to be happy first.

Some guys have their marriage before their jobs (Dwight)
and some guys have their jobs before their marriage (Kobe)
Some people don't care about relations, getting on with co-workers. but he does.

that's why he fired his manager. because that manager won't listen, and is pressing him stay
instead of looking hard and setting up something good elsewhere. His manager is interested in a big payday
from the Lakers because it will be the biggest. Howard would prefer to play elsewhere for a bit less money.

Nothing you wrote confirms him leaving. It's just hearsay and conjecture. He's been unhappy all season.
He was miserable in Orlando, by your logic he should have fired his manager then when he didn't get him out of there sooner.

Also, his manager didn't bring him to LA, he was traded to a team that wasn't the top of his list (Brooklyn). Dwight came here with no reassurances that he would sign a contract, which was the case for almost every other team in the league.

Again, I hope he bolts but this manager stuff is erroneous. It will be very hard to leave 30 million on the table and head to a city that will have way less endorsement opportunities. He knows he will be the leader of this team in two years in one of the biggest marquee teams in the league.

[FindTheLock]

howard is a richer version of ben wallace. He is a great asset to a team, but he can't carry a team on his own. He requires a lot of help from quality team mates and good outside shooters.

[Ratzz]

It will be very hard to leave 30 million on the table and head to a city that will have way less endorsement opportunities. He knows he will be the leader of this team in two years in one of the biggest marquee teams in the league.

not conjecture.

hard for you perhaps.. hard for a money oriented player.. but not somebody with his psychological makeup.
then not so hard.

he did not want to come to the Lakers at all after speaking with kobe directly.
he knows how much loot there is in LA.. he always did. Everybody does.
Not everybody is money first. Sessions accepted less money to play in Charlotte,
he wanted no part of that vibe.

Howard made it known from the get-go he would not sign an extension, and still has not.
that's not "glad to be here, guys, i wanna stay"

that dude is gone, and the Lakers will be screwed without him. He was the piece that would attract more
talent, now that they have traded away half of all their picks for the next decade.

That team is screwed long-term. Badly.

[heathbledger]

not conjecture.

hard for you perhaps.. hard for a money oriented player.. but not somebody with his psychological makeup.
then not so hard.

he did not want to come to the Lakers at all after speaking with kobe directly.
he knows how much loot there is in LA.. he always did. Everybody does.
Not everybody is money first. Sessions accepted less money to play in Charlotte,
he wanted no part of that vibe.

Howard made it known from the get-go he would not sign an extension, and still has not.
that's not "glad to be here, guys, i wanna stay"

that dude is gone, and the Lakers will be screwed without him. He was the piece that would attract more
talent, now that they have traded away half of all their picks for the next decade.

That team is screwed long-term. Badly.

Wow, again completely skirting the issue that you brought up. I'm aware of everything you say and its true, my point is that firing his manager has literally nothing to do with his decision. I hope he leaves. I really do. I've been saying it all season that he will most likely be gone, my point (which you continue to disregard) is that management will have nothing to do with him leaving, much like their lack of their involvement with his arrival. Management did nothing in Orlando except exacerbate the issue through mud slinging and other B.S. that made Dwight look like an absolute idiot.

[Ratzz]

do these sound like the words of someone who is happy where he is..
or does this sound more like the Winds of Change

"I know what I want to accomplish," Howard said. "I've always written down my goals and everything I want, and I want to make sure I get 'em. Everything I've lost, everything that's gone away, I'm going to get it back."

(by leaving, starting anew)

[abzflabz]

he should sign for the vet min with Miami next season, that should guarantee his happiness. Interesting that his manager was his first cousin, not a good idea to mix business and family.

[Ratzz]

he should sign for the vet min with Miami next season, that should guarantee his happiness. Interesting that his manager was his first cousin, not a good idea to mix business and family.

lol... i think Clippers are a better fit.. him with Blake Griffin, is a rough combo... hard to get a rebound there.
both are very tall and carry a lot of muscle

[heathbledger]

do these sound like the words of someone who is happy where he is..
or does this sound more like the Winds of Change

"I know what I want to accomplish," Howard said. "I've always written down my goals and everything I want, and I want to make sure I get 'em. Everything I've lost, everything that's gone away, I'm going to get it back."

(by leaving, starting anew)

Now you are just talking to yourself. No one is disagreeing with you, he has publicly stated he has been unhappy all year. Howard to the clips? Not happening. Dallas/Houston/Atlanta if he leaves.

[Ratzz]

Now you are just talking to yourself. No one is disagreeing with you, he has publicly stated he has been unhappy all year. Howard to the clips? Not happening. Dallas/Houston/Atlanta if he leaves.

oh, i think you are right..(about destinations) those all look pretty likely and plausible.

i just thought the Clips would be a wild ensemble if it happened

[Ratzz]

Now you are just talking to yourself. No one is disagreeing with you, he has publicly stated he has been unhappy all year. Howard to the clips? Not happening. Dallas/Houston/Atlanta if he leaves.

i would not be surprised if Cuban broke the bank for Howard.. he needs somebody big to go with last 2-3 good years of Nowitzki, good call

[Robber]

This is like saying
Confirmed: heat win title this season

Just a stupid prediction


So this thread is BULL@&$)

[Ratzz]

This is like saying
Confirmed: heat win title this season

no, no my good friend.. they are very different.

for Miami to win the title this year, the games must be played.
but between Howard and the Lakers (kobe, really), it already has.

…because it is not "will Howard resign with the Lakers?";
it is "will Howard resign with Kobe?".

He will not.

[Ratzz]

Just a stupid prediction
So this thread is BULL@&$)

as well, Kobe has stated he plans to play at least two more years beyong this season.

Not a chance in hell, that Dwight sticks around for that nonsense.

[jsmithj88]

there are people out there that think howard resigning is a done deal
thats a very dumb assessment
if howard in fact wanted to resign why hasnt he said so??
y would he want nonstop questions about his free agency for 2 years straight?
last year he ruled out the lakers as a possible destination, so that tells u he didnt want to go to LA to begin with
all of this screams that howard wants to be a free agent

another factor is the cap situation, which they are about 34953953467868678 dollars million over
lakers cannot sign any impact free agents, they dont have any trade assets, they dont have any draft picks
this team is gonna be the same for the next 2-3 years

people who think howard leaving is a good thing are crazzzzzzy
i hope u realize the lakers are still over the cap even if howard leaves ..............

[Ratzz]

there are people out there that think howard resigning is a done deal
thats a very dumb assessment
if howard in fact wanted to resign why hasnt he said so??
y would he want nonstop questions about his free agency for 2 years straight?
last year he ruled out the lakers as a possible destination, so that tells u he didnt want to go to LA to begin with
all of this screams that howard wants to be a free agent

another factor is the cap situation, which they are about 34953953467868678 dollars million over
lakers cannot sign any impact free agents, they dont have any trade assets, they dont have any draft picks
this team is gonna be the same for the next 2-3 years

people who think howard leaving is a good thing are crazzzzzzy
i hope u realize the lakers are still over the cap even if howard leaves ..............

good post. i think this is spot on JS, he won't be coming back, he has no desire to, him firing his pro-Laker agent is evidence of that, (even if everything you stated was not enough) i think it was.. not signing an extension in a place you really want to stay is all a person needs to know.

The new cap rules are going to hurt the Lakers, but several other teams as well, Miami, and the Knicks in the East.
LA should manage that. The sticker if if you are continually over the cap, every year gets stiffer. That where it really hurts the lakers. They have been for well over a decade.

Kobe coming back in 2014-15 will only hurt them further financially. If he was not able to deliver a ring in
2012-'13, how could he have been able to do it in 2013-'14, or 2014-'15?

Ye, what really hurts the Lakers most is their lack of trade assets. They blew so many Draft picks in the last two years, it is a wonder that there is not a limit on how far a team can mortgage itself in the future.

Kupchak went Gollum chasing Kobe's 6th Ring with every last asset. It appears that is a failed effort.
The only way to win a Championship is to be great, and the Lakers are not close to that.
As evidenced by games vs. Hornets, Raptors, Suns.

Sessions was a 1st Round pick (left Free Agency)
Nash was two 1st Round picks, two 2nd Round picks (all unprotected)
Howard was a 1st Round pick, (leaving Free Agency)

Total: is four (4) 1st Round Picks and two (2) 2nd Round Picks.

that's half a decade of good draft picks.
The 6th Ring party was most expensive..

[pulledclear]

he should sign for the vet min with Miami next season, that should guarantee his happiness. Interesting that his manager was his first cousin, not a good idea to mix business and family.

If you think Miami would sign that lazy _ _ _ _ _r, you must be high.

[jsmithj88]

I don't think he can sign an extension with the added bonus year and money until the year is over. So he wasn't going to sign it now, wouldn't make sense. But he could have made a commitment to the lakers so the press would back off, but he hasn't. That pretty much tells u he's not as commited to resigning as lakers fans claim. If Howard leaves then the lakers are screwed.

[Ratzz]

I don't think he can sign an extension with the added bonus year and money until the year is over. So he wasn't going to sign it now, wouldn't make sense. But he could have made a commitment to the lakers so the press would back off, but he hasn't. That pretty much tells u he's not as commited to resigning as lakers fans claim. If Howard leaves then the lakers are screwed.

this is right on, JS (imo) good post.
he would've signed something... his plan from the outset was Free Agency..
i think that Dallas, Houston or Atlanta will throw bug dollars at him, maybe Cuban..
his attendance is down, and they need another big name there

Laker fans will convince themselves that he is staying
but he won't stick around if Kobe is (after next year)
and Kobe is definitely sticking around after this contract..

no way gives up easy on his Jordan chase. Only a severe injury, or Lakers refusing to
resign him would cause him to leave.

Kobe will play next two years at least.