Shaq: Dwight couldn't handle LA

[BOTSLAYER]

It doesn't matter where the Lakers are right now. The scrutiny does not change!! Dwight might have gotten off the hook next year (at least when Kobe came back), but after next season, when the Lakers truly became "Dwights' team" the scrutiny and pressure would have gone waaaay up!!

If you think for 5 seconds that his scrutiny on a shitty Lakers team with either coming back from injury Kobe or with out is going to be less than what he receives in houston until/if he wins a ring then you should drink less.

 

[trojanfan12]

I know they don't but they will suck this year and then blow it all up the year after, building a team takes 3 years if you are lucky, tbh dwight doesn't have that kind of time. It takes 2-4 years to put a team together that can contend, another year to get the team playing well together. By that time Dwight will be Kobe's age.



If Dwight stayed in LA it would have been for money in which case he has a horrible accountant. Houston or GS were the only places for him to go if he wants a rang. Both Dallas and LA are very far behind LA.

LA can quickly catch up due to them being able to sign anyone they want in one year, but management chose to keep a poor coach match up for Dwight while having their best player coming back from career endingish injury.

Really?!? It takes 3 years to build a team? 2-4 years to contend?!? The 2008-2010 Lakers, the 2008-2010 Celtics and the 2011- present Heat.......all respectfully disagree!!

Do you Heat fans just throw shit against the wall hoping something will stick?

 

[trojanfan12]

If you think for 5 seconds that his scrutiny on a shitty Lakers team with either coming back from injury Kobe or with out is going to be less than what he receives in houston until/if he wins a ring then you should drink less.

Clearly, you've never been to SoCal and haven't followed Laker basketball!! Most of the scrutiny would fall on Kobe next season because he is the acknowledged leader. All Dwight would have to do, is play hard and put up good numbers and Laker fans (for the most part) would give him a pass. However, beginning in 2014, when it became his team, he would be getting the scrutiny and pressure!!

And if Kobe came didn't come back or was only a shell of himself, Dwight would get a pass because of that injury!!

 

[bksballer89]

shaq is a clown

 

[RobToxin]

Stephen A is nobody I would consider credible nor is the ESPN network. Their entire gig is to create hype and drama for the sports that they cover which in turn intrigues people to watch their networks and drives the price of advertising on their networks.


And therefore, what? You don't like Smith or ESPN, therefore Shaq must be wrong? Is that the logic here? I don't know how to argue the message, so I will argue the messenger, hoping no one will notice

My point wasn't that the almighty Steven A. Smith said it. It was that Shaq's opinion of Howard not being able to handle the bright lights is a common opinion among sports analyst and journalist. But somehow, Houstonian see that as an attack on their low-lights, slow paced, town.

What Houstonians see as a cheap shot are his exact words:
"little town like Houston. That's right, little town. I said it"

He went out of his way to take that shot at Houston. He couldn't stop at saying Dwight can't handle the pressure of LA (which I agree with).

He had to take that shot at Houston.

Spin it like you want. Those were his exact words.

 

[Kold]

I know they don't but they will suck this year and then blow it all up the year after, building a team takes 3 years if you are lucky, tbh dwight doesn't have that kind of time. It takes 2-4 years to put a team together that can contend, another year to get the team playing well together. By that time Dwight will be Kobe's age.

I think, at best it takes a superstar team 2 years to get a chip. Just looking at recent examples, Boston won it in year 1, the Lakers made it to the Finals in year 1, then won in year 2, same for Miami. I think it takes Houston more than 2 years(as they're not that type of team quite yet) if they do pull it off, but that's just my opinion

 

[TexasMan]

What Houstonians see as a cheap shot are his exact words:
"little town like Houston. That's right, little town. I said it"

He went out of his way to take that shot at Houston. He couldn't stop at saying Dwight can't handle the pressure of LA (which I agree with).

He had to take that shot at Houston.

Spin it like you want. Those were his exact words.

 

[trojanfan12]

What Houstonians see as a cheap shot are his exact words:
"little town like Houston. That's right, little town. I said it"

He went out of his way to take that shot at Houston. He couldn't stop at saying Dwight can't handle the pressure of LA (which I agree with).

He had to take that shot at Houston.

Spin it like you want. Those were his exact words.

I think that was Shaq being Shaq and playing it up for t.v., but it was definitely an unnecessary shot at Houston!!

 

[Davwy]

this seems like a sensitivity driven response.

24 hours ago you guys didnt want him, now ya'll pissed he didnt stay? come on man

you guys would have been better with out him but next year you have that blank canvas to destroy free agency with, honestly I would hop Kobe misses the whole season and Pau demands a trade so you move up the lottery tree to add to that free agency attack. Nash retiring would help too.

I don't think the word is "pissed." The Lakers would have been better with him since is the best center in the league, though, probably not the caliber of HOF centers laker fans have seen in the past. (And the same will hold for Rocket fans who watched the Dream and Malone). But he is better than the rest right now.

But Laker fans always saw the road map the Lakers had planned out over the last few years. First it was to get Chris Paul and the Howard as the long term after Kobe. Paul is the one with the killer instinct and leadership, so Howard lack of leadership would have fit nice with him. Once Stern squashed that, eyes turned to getting Howard and a free agent in 2014 or two max type players in 2014. All the contracts were constructed to have everyone fall off the books in 2014. Nash probably didn't want to take less than a 3 year deal, considering it would have been hard to get another deal inn 2014. And it's always good to have a veteran voice in the locker room, anyway.

If you listen to local sports radio in los angeles (you can listen to local sports radio in other cities with the ESPN Radio APP or through ESPN Radio website. It's cool to hear how the other cities and callers see things. Though most towns sports radio talk football most of the time regardless of the season except NewYork, with the Yankees being the Yankess, and Los Angeles, where the Lakers dominate the talk, and no football teams), you will hear that a lot of fans are kind of blase about the entire thing.

Most of the fans seem to have confidence in the organization they they can rebuild as they usually do. And sense the goal seems to always be championship and not just an exciting that can make the playoffs, the fans understand the lakers not doing any sign and trade deal just so they can get something for Howard, which would bring salary and moving the Lakers away from their plan.

I was talking to someone yesterday about exactly what you just mention--Kobe doing a Derrick Rose, and trade Gasol during the season for an expiring contract and draft picks and go after Wiggins. I don't see it in Pau personality of demanding a trade if he is starting a center, but the team is losing. He may expect one. And if a 2014 or 15 free agent shows interest in playing for the lakers early, they could possibly do a trade with one of those teams. And depending on the market after next season, and the acquisitions, the Lakers could still resign Pau at a lower salary (lower than the 19 mil) to play center, if he fits into the plan.

 

[BOTSLAYER]

Really?!? It takes 3 years to build a team? 2-4 years to contend?!? The 2008-2010 Lakers, the 2008-2010 Celtics and the 2011- present Heat.......all respectfully disagree!!

Do you Heat fans just throw shit against the wall hoping something will stick?

Picking 2 special circumstances to prove your point hardly proves your point. However only 1 of those won it in their 1st year meaning that my 2-4 window is still dead on. I will also add that the team that won it in year one was the team that only won 1.

Clearly, you've never been to SoCal and haven't followed Laker basketball!! Most of the scrutiny would fall on Kobe next season because he is the acknowledged leader. All Dwight would have to do, is play hard and put up good numbers and Laker fans (for the most part) would give him a pass. However, beginning in 2014, when it became his team, he would be getting the scrutiny and pressure!!

this is true I follow national sports media, local media habits are not a reliable source. That is like me saying my Detroit Lions are always in the news when I listen to Detroit radio.

And if Kobe came didn't come back or was only a shell of himself, Dwight would get a pass because of that injury!!

Dwight wants a ring and that would be a year wasted.

shaq is a clown

usually funny and non spiteful though.

What Houstonians see as a cheap shot are his exact words:
"little town like Houston. That's right, little town. I said it"

He went out of his way to take that shot at Houston. He couldn't stop at saying Dwight can't handle the pressure of LA (which I agree with).

He had to take that shot at Houston.

Spin it like you want. Those were his exact words.

you misquoted me or did something and it looks like I am saying a ton of shit I did not.

I think, at best it takes a superstar team 2 years to get a chip. Just looking at recent examples, Boston won it in year 1, the Lakers made it to the Finals in year 1, then won in year 2, same for Miami. I think it takes Houston more than 2 years(as they're not that type of team quite yet) if they do pull it off, but that's just my opinion

In this case you have to agree that it will take LA longer to catch up to Houston.





The whole point of this thread is saying that Dwight either is or is not afraid of the scrutiny but most of the laker fans are saying that it wouldn't be on him until they rebuilt the team. End of discussion.

Then we take it further and Dwight is doing what we want evry super star to do, chase rings!!! He is doing that.


Tell me, do you really think Dwight has more choice in the personnel nest year when he hopes the Lakers build around him when they can't even get a coach for him? He has no idea what players will be on the team outside injury comeback Kobe and 80 year old Nash and you guys want him to stay for the bright lights? Come the fuck on.

Come on, this thread is really silly, I am out.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

SHAQ is 100% correct.

Forget about demographics and reading almanac statistics.

Houston is a small player on the NBA stage. I am a Texan and fiercely defend Houston, but it is silly to think Houston (whether it has 6 million or 16 million) is a big NBA stage.

It simply is not.

I love Texas. But, Houston is not LA (in basketball).

It is not even close.

Dwight will feel 1/0000000000000000th the pressure in Texas.

Texas is a football state. The Spurs, Mavs, and Rockets won 7 titles in the last 17 years and it still will never be as big a deal as the Horn, Aggies, Cowboys, and Texans. It is not even remotely as popular.

Take away the Laker haterade....

The spotlight shines brightest on the LAKERS.

Even in a bad season they got 10 times the press coverage the Miami Heat did.

With my Spurs, it was more like 100,000 times the press coverage.

No other team is even close to the LAKER spotlight.

Houston might as well be a small cow town when it comes to the spotlight.

 

[RobToxin]

SHAQ is 100% correct.

Forget about demographics and reading almanac statistics.

Houston is a small player on the NBA stage. I am a Texan and fiercely defend Houston, but it is silly to think Houston (whether it has 6 million or 16 million) is a big NBA stage.

It simply is not.

I love Texas. But, Houston is not LA (in basketball).

It is not even close.

Dwight will feel 1/0000000000000000th the pressure in Texas.

Texas is a football state. The Spurs, Mavs, and Rockets won 7 titles in the last 17 years and it still will never be as big a deal as the Horn, Aggies, Cowboys, and Texans. It is not even remotely as popular.

Take away the Laker haterade....

The spotlight shines brightest on the LAKERS.

Even in a bad season they got 10 times the press coverage the Miami Heat did.

With my Spurs, it was more like 100,000 times the press coverage.

No other team is even close to the LAKER spotlight.

Houston might as well be a small cow town when it comes to the spotlight.

And forget about the NBA competing with high school football in Texas.

 

[Davwy]

What Houstonians see as a cheap shot are his exact words:
"little town like Houston. That's right, little town. I said it"

He went out of his way to take that shot at Houston. He couldn't stop at saying Dwight can't handle the pressure of LA (which I agree with).

He had to take that shot at Houston.

Spin it like you want. Those were his exact words.

Compared to Los Angeles, it's a little town. Sorry, Houston. I know that hurts.

 

[jayviabay]

And forget about the NBA competing with high school football in Texas.

LOL, I guess they never seen friday night lights? everyone should know Texas is serious about their football.

 

[trojanfan12]

Picking 2 special circumstances to prove your point hardly proves your point. However only 1 of those won it in their 1st year meaning that my 2-4 window is still dead on. I will also add that the team that won it in year one was the team that only won 1.

Actually, it proves that it can and has been done!! Also, you said 2-4 years to contend!! The Celtics, Lakers and Heat all played in the finals in their first season after major changes to their core group. I'd say that making the finals counts as being a contender!!

 

[trojanfan12]

And if Kobe came didn't come back or was only a shell of himself, Dwight would get a pass because of that injury!!

Dwight wants a ring and that would be a year wasted.

And since I think we can all agree that Houston is unlikely to win the championship this year, what's the difference?

 

[Kold]

In this case you have to agree that it will take LA longer to catch up to Houston.
IF the Lakers strike gold in 2014, it won't. If they have to wait until the 2015 free agents then it may take longer.

The whole point of this thread is saying that Dwight either is or is not afraid of the scrutiny but most of the laker fans are saying that it wouldn't be on him until they rebuilt the team. End of discussion.

As I said, he can't and wouldn't be able to handle the insane win the chip or else scrutiny until he says I don't give a crap what the fans/media say.

Then we take it further and Dwight is doing what we want evry super star to do, chase rings!!! He is doing that.

Tell me, do you really think Dwight has more choice in the personnel nest year when he hopes the Lakers build around him when they can't even get a coach for him? He has no idea what players will be on the team outside injury comeback Kobe and 80 year old Nash and you guys want him to stay for the bright lights? Come the fuck on.

Come on, this thread is really silly, I am out.

He can do what he pleases, I understand why he chose the option to leave and that's fine with me.

 

[Kold]

Horns brought up a good point about Texas being a football state first. I can't speak for Texas but in Louisiana, the Hornets could sign Lebron James and Kevin Durant....and it would STILL be all about the Saints locally. Basketball will never rule the south in general.....and on a sidenote, look high school football is taken VERY seriously in Texas as well. If I had to rank at this moment, I'd rank it right with the NBA as far as Texas goes.

 

[ChrisperJ10]

SHAQ is 100% correct.

Forget about demographics and reading almanac statistics.

Houston is a small player on the NBA stage. I am a Texan and fiercely defend Houston, but it is silly to think Houston (whether it has 6 million or 16 million) is a big NBA stage.

It simply is not.

I love Texas. But, Houston is not LA (in basketball).

It is not even close.

Dwight will feel 1/0000000000000000th the pressure in Texas.

Texas is a football state. The Spurs, Mavs, and Rockets won 7 titles in the last 17 years and it still will never be as big a deal as the Horn, Aggies, Cowboys, and Texans. It is not even remotely as popular.

Take away the Laker haterade....

The spotlight shines brightest on the LAKERS.

Even in a bad season they got 10 times the press coverage the Miami Heat did.

With my Spurs, it was more like 100,000 times the press coverage.

No other team is even close to the LAKER spotlight.

Houston might as well be a small cow town when it comes to the spotlight.

Pretty much sums it up. Was about to post something similar, but like always, a Spurs fan has to rob a Suns fan of everything. Nicely done....and I hate you.

 

[Black Adam]

LOL, I guess they never seen friday night lights? everyone should know Texas is serious about their football.

PLEASE believe that...