Dwight Howard is a LAKER!!!!!

[primetime]

That's right folks, Dwight Howard, THE best center in the NBA has come to the Los Angeles Lakers in a 4 team trade. The Lakers got rid of Andrew Bynum and picked up a guy who will be a much better force.

It is going to be a short reign for King James and crew....

That's why I love the Lakers. Management refuses to sit idly by and let us fall apart. Like Kobe said, he would bet everything that management would do whatever it takes to build a championship contender. Steve Nash, now Dwight Howard? And we didn't lose Pau Gasol?

I smell a parade coming to downtown Los Angeles in the near future...

Rejoice everyone!!!!

 

[Tickle Fiend]

Dwight Howard isn't that much better than Bynum. Plus, OKC are the kings of that conference until further notice.

 

[Dave Pavet]

If Dwight Howard plays like he did last year, no way are the Lakers are going to be much better.

 

[primetime]

Dwight Howard isn't that much better than Bynum. Plus, OKC are the kings of that conference until further notice.

Dwight Howard is WAY better than Bynum. How? He is CONSISTENT. Howard has established himself as the best center of the league and he brings it. Andrew Bynum is still trying to figure out who he is. He's been in the league for 7 years and he is still "finding" his self? He let Javale McGee out play him in a 7 game series. Bynum has flashes of brilliance, then long stretches of being invisible. Howard is a multi defensive player of the year. Bynum is no where CLOSE to Howard.

The reign of the Heat is coming to a quick close. OKC has done nothing to prove they are the kings of the conference. They made the finals ONE time. Until Kobe Bryant retires, the Lakers will always be the team to beat in the Western Conference. Now you have a very hungry Steve Nash, Kobe's drive, Gasol's relief and Howard's chance to get a ring and be the "franchise guy" after Kobe leaves.

The only thing that can stop the Lakers? ....................









Mike Brown

 

[storm7400]

OKC still has Perkins, and Howard may be Superman but Perkins has always been his Kryptonite.

Not to mention Dwight is coming off back surgery, Nash is like 86 followed by 85 year old Kobe. Lets hold up on the Lakers winning the title talk for a few minutes shall we.....

 

[The Fallen Angel]

OKC still has Perkins, and Howard may be Superman but Perkins has always been his Kryptonite.

Not to mention Dwight is coming off back surgery, Nash is like 86 followed by 85 year old Kobe. Lets hold up on the Lakers winning the title talk for a few minutes shall we.....

exactly

I am not sure this move really makes the Lakers all that much better, as said above Howard isn't head and shoulders above Bynum, while he is better especially on the defensive end I don't think the move makes them an instant championship team. They will still have problems with OKC and I would be worried about Howard becoming a problem. He wants to be the man hence his huge desire to go to the bronx, Im not sure he will do well with sharing with Kobe Gasol and Nash, I could see him throwing his temper tantrums and ruining team chemistry

 

[jhop220]

The problem LA will have is that Dwight won't be working with the team this off season to gel together as a team. He is recovering from major backs surgery and may come back around Christmas.

Howard is the best defensive player in the league. He will not have to have an offensive presence on the team because of Kobe and Nash.

Does this make LA the best in the west? No.

They will THIRD best behind OKC and San Antonio. The Spurs are still going to give OKC a run next year and the Lakers are just not going to have enough this year. Maybe if all the pieces come back in 2013-14 then they will make a run. It took Miami a year before they won the title. It will take LA at least that long.

 

[primetime]

Here's the thing about Dwight Howard compared to Andrew Bynum. It can be summed up in one word. CONSISTENCY. You know night in, night out, Howard is going to play. Bynum has one good game, then followed by 10 mediocre ones. He is offensive minded so that took Gasol out of his normal game. Bynum needed to be a defensive stopper, but he played it sporadically.

The Lakers won their 2 recent titles essentially without Bynum. He is lazy. He doesn't play consistently. He is a walking injury waiting to happen. Right before the 2011 playoffs, he got hurt by walking up the basketball court. No one touched him. Bad knees. Bad attitude. As much as Howard tormented people with the "trade me, trade me not" attitude, it is nothing compared to Bynum's "I will shoot threes whenever I feel like it, I don't need to meet with management if I don't feel like it, and I can park in handicap spots when I am healthy if I feel like it" attitude. People said he has to mature and he has potential.

He has been in the league SEVEN years. Forget about his age. How many people do you know, high school entrants or college entrants into the NBA that takes SEVEN years to be a consistent player? He has peaked. Plus, do you think LA could really make this guy their franchise guy after Kobe leaves? Nope.

Kobe Bryant realizes he needs considerable help to win that 6th ring. Steve Nash is desperate to win a title. Howard and Gasol would mesh better than Gasol/Bynum because Howard plays defense better than offense. My only concern is Mike Brown. He doesn't know what he's doing....

OKC of course is the toughest obstacle. San Antonio will be good, but Dwight Howard helps eliminate the drive to the basket against the Lakers philosophy teams have. There is a true defensive stopper in the paint. OKC and Spurs have to make their outside shots. Finally, Westbrook has to defend a quick point guard as Fisher and other point guards were no offensive threats. Ron Artest can battle Durant. Perkins and Ibake have Gasol/Howard to deal with. Plus, the Lakers are an older team. Championships in the NBA are NOT won by youth. They are won by veteran teams. The Heat is a veteran team. Lebron is young, but their key guys making plays are older.

It is going to be fun. But should the Lakers fall and Brown gets fired, could we see the return of Phil Jackson?

 

[Tickle Fiend]

Miami and OKC are the two best teams in the league. I like Steve Nash and hoped to one day see him win a title. He's older and there's no guarantee he'll be around for all the games and he adds nothing on defense. Howard and Bynum are about even in terms of offensive production. Howard stands out because of his defense and rebounding. I'd like to see them against the better teams in the league before believing there any closer to winning a title.

 

[jhop220]

Ron Artest can battle Durant.

That is laughable. Durant will get by Artest.

It is going to be fun. But should the Lakers fall and Brown gets fired, could we see the return of Phil Jackson?

No. I think Jackson is done. Mike Brown's defensive philosophies will work in favor of Dwight.

The Heat is a veteran team.

The big 3 have been in the league a while but after them? Not so much.

There is a difference between veteran and ancient.

Nash is 38 years old. Been in the league forever. Kobe is 33 years old and has been in the league just as long as Nash. The window of opportunity of the Lakers is SMALL. They got maybe 2-3 seasons to get a championship...if that.

Kobe and Nash won't be around too much longer. I fear for Laker fans that the front office hasn't really even considered life after Kobe...it could be bad...real bad for LA's supposed #1 team.

 

[primetime]

That is laughable. Durant will get by Artest.




No. I think Jackson is done. Mike Brown's defensive philosophies will work in favor of Dwight.



The big 3 have been in the league a while but after them? Not so much.

There is a difference between veteran and ancient.

Nash is 38 years old. Been in the league forever. Kobe is 33 years old and has been in the league just as long as Nash. The window of opportunity of the Lakers is SMALL. They got maybe 2-3 seasons to get a championship...if that.

Kobe and Nash won't be around too much longer. I fear for Laker fans that the front office hasn't really even considered life after Kobe...it could be bad...real bad for LA's supposed #1 team.

Artest CAN battle Durant. I didn't say shut him down, but he can make life more difficult for Durant.

The level of play that Kobe and Nash demonstrate show they are not ancient. Ancient would be Shaq in his last season in Boston. Kobe is still one of the top scorers in the league and do you really think Nash will not be any kind of a factor?

Yes, the window of opportunity is small for the Lakers. They have put all their chips in. They want to win NOW while Kobe is still playing. But I do disagree with you. The Lakers management also set the Lakers up for the future by picking up Dwight Howard. In 2 years, Howard will own LA. Plus, with Kobe's salary disappearing, they will have a LOT of cap space. Who wouldn't want to play for the Lakers with Dwight Howard? The Lakers will be fine. Think about the history of the Lakers. They are ALWAYS relevant. They always make moves that keep the team in championship contention. Unlike other franchises which disappear, the Lakers have made Finals appearances in EVERY decade since the 1950s. Think it will stop now?

 

[10 armed tkler]

Primetime should be showing a bit more Faith in Mike Brown.

 

[jhop220]

Artest CAN battle Durant. I didn't say shut him down, but he can make life more difficult for Durant.

Okay...you put Artest on Durant. My money is saying Durant will cause him to foul out early in the 4th quarter and beat him consistently. Artest should guard Ibaka or Harden.

The level of play that Kobe and Nash demonstrate show they are not ancient. Ancient would be Shaq in his last season in Boston. Kobe is still one of the top scorers in the league and do you really think Nash will not be any kind of a factor?

Nash will be a factor...not saying he won't. I am saying that he isn't the same Steve Nash that the Suns enjoyed all those years. He has continuous back problems. It will bother him again this season. Kobe Bryant is Kobe Bryant and I won't take much away from him other than he isn't the same lights out player that he was years ago. Kobe has shown games where he plays like he has found the fountain of youth and others where you wonder if his body is betraying him. I don't Kobe playing beyond his current contract or Nash beyond 2 seasons. I see Nash retiring around the time he is 40.

Yes, the window of opportunity is small for the Lakers. They have put all their chips in. They want to win NOW while Kobe is still playing. But I do disagree with you. The Lakers management also set the Lakers up for the future by picking up Dwight Howard. In 2 years, Howard will own LA. Plus, with Kobe's salary disappearing, they will have a LOT of cap space. Who wouldn't want to play for the Lakers with Dwight Howard? The Lakers will be fine. Think about the history of the Lakers. They are ALWAYS relevant. They always make moves that keep the team in championship contention. Unlike other franchises which disappear, the Lakers have made Finals appearances in EVERY decade since the 1950s. Think it will stop now?

Howard owned Orlando. How did that turn out? Yeah, you don't want Howard to be your #1 guy. It won't work in your favor. You aren't only losing Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash a couple years. I'm sure guys like Ron Artest, and Pau Gasol will be gone too. I'm sure the Lakers will get a young star to come in, but do you really think anyone will live up to Kobe Bryant? I don't.

I don't think the Lakers will be out of the playoffs for ten years. The playoffs are pretty easy to back into in the NBA. Lakers will find a way to be there, but will they have any significant impact? No. After Kobe...I don't think they will see the NBA Finals for more than 5 years.

 

[Dakine]

As mush as I hate it, being a Boston fans since the Bird era, th Lakers cant lose. Steve Nash maybe be a little older but he is still fast and smarter. And for the first time having a team with 2 superstars to feed(Kobe and assuming Dwight if he is health , being faster pace than Bynum and O'neil. Which would work better with Nash leading the offense.) Lakers(starters) all healthy, I would put all my stock into.

 

[primetime]

Okay...you put Artest on Durant. My money is saying Durant will cause him to foul out early in the 4th quarter and beat him consistently. Artest should guard Ibaka or Harden.




Nash will be a factor...not saying he won't. I am saying that he isn't the same Steve Nash that the Suns enjoyed all those years. He has continuous back problems. It will bother him again this season. Kobe Bryant is Kobe Bryant and I won't take much away from him other than he isn't the same lights out player that he was years ago. Kobe has shown games where he plays like he has found the fountain of youth and others where you wonder if his body is betraying him. I don't Kobe playing beyond his current contract or Nash beyond 2 seasons. I see Nash retiring around the time he is 40.


Howard owned Orlando. How did that turn out? Yeah, you don't want Howard to be your #1 guy. It won't work in your favor. You aren't only losing Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash a couple years. I'm sure guys like Ron Artest, and Pau Gasol will be gone too. I'm sure the Lakers will get a young star to come in, but do you really think anyone will live up to Kobe Bryant? I don't.

I don't think the Lakers will be out of the playoffs for ten years. The playoffs are pretty easy to back into in the NBA. Lakers will find a way to be there, but will they have any significant impact? No. After Kobe...I don't think they will see the NBA Finals for more than 5 years.

Ron Artest will not stop Kevin Durant. That is a given. But Artest CAN force Durant into tougher shots. Durant will not have his way with him.

We all know Nash is not a young pup, but unlike the previous Laker teams recently, Westbrook actually has to guard someone. Derek Fisher and whoever else played PG for the Lakers could not make Westbrook play consistent defense because they were not consistent offensive threats. Nash, even though he is older, is still a consistent offensive threat that teams MUST pay attention too. That's why his pickup is so key. Now, teams just can't double/triple Kobe. Nash will create easy offense for the Lakers.

Believe me, we have always heard "doon and gloom" predictions from Laker haters. Bringing in Howard is the first step to the post-Kobe era. Think about it, what free agent wouldn't want to come to the premier NBA franchise to play with Dwight Howard in LOS ANGELES? The Lakers will never go away. Learn to live with it. The Thunder only have a few years before their "young guys" decide they want money instead of staying together.