Howard Did Not Want To Play With D'antoni Or Kobe

[True Lakers Fan]

According to Jim Buss Howard The Coward did not want to play with Kobe for 2-3 more years and Jim Buss decided that he would stand behind Kobe considering Kobe's history with the franchise. In addition Dwight Coward did not want to play for D'antoni as head coach. Great Article on Real GM

Buss Dwight Didnt Want To Play With Kobe For 2 3 More Years - RealGM Wiretap

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

According to Jim Buss Howard The Coward did not want to play with Kobe for 2-3 more years and Jim Buss decided that he would stand behind Kobe considering Kobe's history with the franchise. In addition Dwight Coward did not want to play for D'antoni as head coach. Great Article on Real GM

Buss Dwight Didnt Want To Play With Kobe For 2 3 More Years - RealGM Wiretap

Helen Keller could see that.
How does that make him a coward though?
Free agency is all about making the best decision for yourself at that time.
Cowards are the ones who sign contracts and then decide in the middle of them that they don't want to honor them.

To go further though, the question should be asked, did Kobe want to play with him?
There was no reason for Kobe to make any announcement prior to Howard deciding.


Anyway, I guess a few people here ( mostly TF 12) need to retract several things they said about Kobe not being a huge part of the reason that Howard left.

 

[Flauge]

According to cbs Howard wanted the coach fired and kobe amnestied or muzzled.


Report: Howard demanded Bryant be amnestied or 'muzzled' - CBSSports.com

Firing the coach may have been okay. But starting a blood feud with Kobe in LA is not winnable for anyone. Shaq even lost that fight. Kobe is the franchise and will be until Kobe decides to hang em up. Howard had to have known asking for Kobe to amnestied was a bridge to far for the Lakers.

 

[bksballer89]

According to Jim Buss Howard The Coward did not want to play with Kobe for 2-3 more years and Jim Buss decided that he would stand behind Kobe considering Kobe's history with the franchise. In addition Dwight Coward did not want to play for D'antoni as head coach. Great Article on Real GM

Buss Dwight Didnt Want To Play With Kobe For 2 3 More Years - RealGM Wiretap

I would rather play with Harden instead of an old Kobe Bryant....No disrespect

 

[Shanemansj13]

Who would?

D'Antoni sucks as a coach and Kobe is a ballhog...nuff said

 

[bksballer89]

Pretty much

 

[BOTSLAYER]

How did this get a thread?

Pretty sure everybody knew this and those who didn't will not read

 

[Sman2011]

How did this get a thread?

Pretty sure everybody knew this and those who didn't will not read

Hey Taco, it got a thread because someone started it, asswipe.

 

[wlk3]

Helen Keller could see that.
How does that make him a coward though?
Free agency is all about making the best decision for yourself at that time.
Cowards are the ones who sign contracts and then decide in the middle of them that they don't want to honor them.

To go further though, the question should be asked, did Kobe want to play with him?
There was no reason for Kobe to make any announcement prior to Howard deciding.


Anyway, I guess a few people here ( mostly TF 12) need to retract several things they said about Kobe not being a huge part of the reason that Howard left.

You mean like what Howard did in Orlando...?

Anyway, in all honesty if his demand was to drop Kobe then by all means the Lakers did the right thing... I get Miami Heat fans aren't familiar with team loyalty... Let's be honest, how many if you have trashed and bitched about trading and/or cutting DWade and Haslem, both of whom played huge rolls at points in the last title run... And let's not forget the fan exiting at the end of game 6... You have a player like Kobe you do right by him or what credibility do you have...? He sold out the arena when the Lakers weren't playoff bound... He spearheaded or co-spearheaded arguably 4 of the last 5 championship runs... If he says he's coming back from a huge injury and has proven to be all-nba in his last game you don't question him, unless it's "are you sure you want to came back...?" If he wants to do the amnesty or be traded like KG in Minny, or KG & Pierce in Boston, or Derek Harper in Dallas, things like that then you respect their wishes... But if Dwight Howard of all players says "me or Kobe" you tell him like they did... "Kobe is here, how about you...?" If he leaves, fuck him... No hard feelings but you get no love either... Simple as that...

 

[bksballer89]

I usually don't disagree with Dwight regarding his situation with the Lakers but I'm sorry he is a dumbass for asking the Lakers to amnesty Kobe and fire Dantoni in their meeting with him

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Wow, talk about milking the leverage of free agency for everything it's got. It didn't sound like a meeting for a player's services, it sounded like Dwight was trying to become the new owner of the Lakers. Guess he thought Jerry Buss dying was his chance to call the shots.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I would rather play with Harden instead of an old Kobe Bryant....No disrespect

For me playing with Kobe wouldn't be the problem because Kobe has five championship titles and knows how to win. Harden is young, is a good player, but has never won a championships title, so pick your poisen - A player who has never been to the finals but is young and energetic or an older player with five titles, but older with less energy.

Wait a minute though - Kobe played heavy minutes and produced 27 ppg, 5.6 rpg and 6 apg and had a 46% fg ratio and Harden developed 25.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg and 5.8 apg and had a 43.8% fg - So why would you rather play with someone who is producing less then Kobe?

Age and fatigue are the only factors there and many would argue that Howard was looking three or four years from now and that's fine, but that's not the mentality that got the Heat their first title with Shaq Oneal. Most fans in here would say go for the one that guarantees you a title in 2014 and worry about 2015 later, so your argument kind of fails.

So no that's not the problem - the only problem is that Kobe is going to get 30 million a year in his last season which really sucks the life out of the salary cap. Quite frankly I like the idea of Howard and Harden as a duo, but Houston runs the same system as the Lakers and they have less money to work with then the Lakers who can afford to go twice over the salary cap and spend the money in luxary taxes. I seriously doubt Houston can afford to do that and I really doubt that they would be able and the owner has already said they are ready to play and are good enough with the team they have and yet I haven't seen one person in here that actually believes the Rockets can win a championship next year, so why then go to a team where you know you can't win a championship. If you ask me Howard had an ego problem, but I do think watching Houston is going to be fun and a lot like the McGrady and Yao Ming Era

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I usually don't disagree with Dwight regarding his situation with the Lakers but I'm sorry he is a dumbass for asking the Lakers to amnesty Kobe and fire Dantoni in their meeting with him

I thought from the beginning that the Lakers only chance of having a legitimate team next year would be to amnesty Kobe and fire D'antoni - but the Lakers already made a committment on D'antoni - it would be a public relations nightmare to do either of those moves. Not only that - Mitch Kupchak referred to how Magic Johnson got the coach fired and stated point blank that they did not want to repeat that mistake and let players be calling the shots like that - Especially with a player like Dwight who has never won a championship yet

It's going to be really interesting to see what happens with Dwight in a few years. I don't think he can win anyway with Miami standing in the way and by the time Houston gets good enough to knock Miami off there will be others ready, so I think it's a long shot for Houston anyway.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

According to cbs Howard wanted the coach fired and kobe amnestied or muzzled.


Report: Howard demanded Bryant be amnestied or 'muzzled' - CBSSports.com

Firing the coach may have been okay. But starting a blood feud with Kobe in LA is not winnable for anyone. Shaq even lost that fight. Kobe is the franchise and will be until Kobe decides to hang em up. Howard had to have known asking for Kobe to amnestied was a bridge to far for the Lakers.

The only way Kobe is gone is if he pulled a Shaq Oneal with demands - even with a torn achilles, the Lakers are betting their future on him which is understandable

 

[True Lakers Fan]

How did this get a thread?

Pretty sure everybody knew this and those who didn't will not read

But you read it - Does that mean you don't exist?

That would sure be nice

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

KOBE - 2004

I will not resign with the Lakers unless you ship Shaq and Phil out.
I am unhappy with both and want to be the man.
Neither Shaq nor Phil is bending to my needs.

DWIGHT 2013

I will not resign with the Lakers unless you ship Kobe and D'Antoni out.
I am unhappy with both and want to be the man.
Neither Kobe nor Mike is bending to my needs.

interesting spin in 2013 on the exact same thing as 2005.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

I usually don't disagree with Dwight regarding his situation with the Lakers but I'm sorry he is a dumbass for asking the Lakers to amnesty Kobe and fire Dantoni in their meeting with him

Why would they even leak this now? Especially when their response was:


"hey, you're going to have to gut this out another year,"


That is hardly a ringing endorsement for D'Antoni or showing a commitment to Kobe beyond this year.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

]You mean like what Howard did in Orlando...?

Exactly. I all along have said that Howard, Carmelo, Paul and whoever else forced their way out existing contracts were the problem.
That opinion was usually met with resistance. Usually by Laker fans who were much more worried about James' TV show.

Anyway, in all honesty if his demand was to drop Kobe then by all means the Lakers did the right thing... I get Miami Heat fans aren't familiar with team loyalty...

What are you talking about? Heat fans are loyal, but we are also realistic. In this day and age of the salary cap/luxury tax implications, you cant grossly overpay a player for years, just because of what they did for you in the past.

Why did the Lakers tell Howard that he would have to" gut it out for another year"?

I'm no expert on salary cap rules, but the way I understand it, as of now, the Lakers have a 120% salary cap hold on Kobe's potential cap space for next summer.
If that is accurate, then you watch how fast Kobe will be forced make a decision about what a fair salary should be for him moving forward if he wants to remain in L.A..

Let's be honest, how many if you have trashed and bitched about trading and/or cutting DWade and Haslem, both of whom played huge rolls at points in the last title run...

Wade and James are connected at the hip. End of that story.
As far as Haslem, he isn't the player he used to be, but he is a fixture here and represents everything that Riley stands for. It isn't like teams are dying to trade for him. I'm pretty sure he will play out this contract and then perhaps start signing for the league minimum.
He can be the next Juwan Howard.




[/QUOTE... But if Dwight Howard of all players says "me or Kobe" you tell him like they did... "Kobe is here, how about you...?" If he leaves, fuck him... No hard feelings but you get no love either... Simple as that...[/QUOTE]


I think what they implied to him was long term, we want to have you. Short term we have to let Kobe get paid for this final year of his contract for all the reasons you named.
IF the Howard situation would have happened THIS year vs last and Kobe's contract was over, I'm pretty sure that the Lakers would have told Howard that they wouldn't have resigned Kobe if that was the reason he was using to stay or leave.

 

[BOTSLAYER]

I usually don't disagree with Dwight regarding his situation with the Lakers but I'm sorry he is a dumbass for asking the Lakers to amnesty Kobe and fire Dantoni in their meeting with him

If you don't ask it won't happen. Clearly he wanted to win basketball games and find out how invested the Lakers were in him. Every one says Dwight wasn't a Laker but were the Lakers really about Dwight?

For me playing with Kobe wouldn't be the problem because Kobe has five championship titles and knows how to win.

Stopped right there...so past titles means future titles? And "knowing how to win" is a laughable concept thrown out by media morons to sell bullshit. You think players work their ass off to get to Dwight or Kobe's level but do not know how to win? LMAO

But you read it - Does that mean you don't exist?

This does not make sense...but the time stamp says you thought it did

 

[Jims_Doors]

Exactly. I all along have said that Howard, Carmelo, Paul and whoever else forced their way out existing contracts were the problem.

Carmelo never "forced his way."

He was in the last year of his contract and told Denver he was not going to sign an extension before he became a free agent next summer. If he did sign one, it was going to be a sign and trade with him being traded to the Knicks.