http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/930 ... ght-howard

Laying the case for Howard being a big time bust over next contract.

_________________

I agree with those who say Howard is not on the level of proven centers like Olajuwon, Shaq, Robinson, and so on, you but you just know someone is going to pay him top dollar despite all the red flags that everyone has pointed out. Assuming his performance this year was an aberration due to the surgery, 20-12-2 is still probably worth the trouble if he's paired with a superstar.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

There is a not a good history of big men with major injuries. I'll be surprised if he is averaging what he did this year four years from now. I think he will keep declining.

_________________

I've been saying this for a while. I would never pay Howard double what Lopez makes. Personally I would avoid him . If I were the Lakers I would only offer him 4 years and hope he signs somewhere else.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

The injury part is true, although I think this was Howard's first major injury. If I'm not mistaken, he's been a durable player until this season. He's also only 27, so I'd be very tempted.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

He doesn't run the floor well, his effort is spotty, his maturity level is low, he is inconsistent, he is not a guy who can take over offensively (anymore), he has no range, his best feature - athleticism - is on the decline, he is coming off injuries, and he is a tremendous liability at the FT line. I just don't see max deal for this guy. I'm not saying it would be Joe Johnson bad, but still bad.

_________________

I hear you, but has his effort always been spotty? He is a three time defensive player of the year guy who led the league in rebounding for five years, and in blocks for two years. I agree with everything everyone has said about his immaturity, but I can see how GMs would be tempted to throw the max at a 27 year old, former multiple defensive player of the year winner. I don't know if this is likely, but perhaps teams can indemnify themselves against against the potential losses associated with Howard by including a team option in the third year or something.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

I would rather have Joe Johnson and his terrible deal. This will be similar to Ben Wallace and Amare. He'll also continue to be a cancer.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

This.

_________________

Yes, he's done some things, no doubt. I've just never gotten the impression Dwight Howard cared much about basketball. At one point, he wanted to go to L.A. because his ultimate goal was to be an actor. I guess that's his right, but I don't like players like him. I think basically 99% of his past success was based on sheer ability and athleticism. I mean, think about the athletic ability of this dude - it may be unparalleled (you could debate with guys like Hakeem, but Hakeem wasn't as big and didn't have the vertical of Howard). His post game has never gotten much better, his passing has never gotten better, etc... Now that his athleticism will decline, he has nothing to fall back on, and I don't ever see him developing what he needs to stay even close to his prior levels.

_________________

That's a good point about his lack of desire to work on his game/reliance on athletic ability, and the eventual diminished athleticism he'll face as he gets older. I seem to have lost all that in my focus on his stats, and the pressing need for the Bulls to acquire a second star (I know the likelihood of the Bulls getting involved in the Howard chase is low, but the meatball inside me was still holding out hope).

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

He ain't worth it.

He's only going to get worse and more exposed for his lack of a complete game. If he hasn't worked on improving/diversifying his game up until now...I don't think he is going to start anytime soon.

He's fools gold.

The NBA is really very weird to me.

_________________
Elections have consequences.

When will you all just admit I was right about Howard. I just saw it 2 years earlier than you. I would avoid him unless he was willing to accept $10M a year.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

You were right Nas. I was never a big fan of Howard's to begin with, but I didn't realize until last year that he was this much of a bum.

_________________
Kid Cairo's Boers & Bernstein YouTube Channel

Kid Cairo: 2013 March Madness Tournament Winner!

"Cowabunga? Cowa fucking piece of dog shit! This game is diarrhea coming out of my dick!"

Yeah, I still don't agree with your assessment from back then. Dwight has been a bum for the better part of two years now, but from 2009-2011 he was AWESOME. That Orlando team sucked. He was single handedly worth close to 30 wins.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

FF you know it's a lot easier when the expectations are low. The decline had already begun when I climbed out on that limb alone. I would be shocked if it didn't continue. He doesn't have the type of game that ages well. He's been all talent and no skill his entire career and nothing about his makeup says that will change.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Houston or Golden State.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

I'd pick Houston. I believe they have the best player on their team of any of the teams you mentioned.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I would pick Houston as well.

However, Howard seems like a big enough idiot to not pick Houston because of Harden being there. He is probably deluded enough to believe that he should be the #1 guy on a team.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Anyone who is going into the Predict What Dwight Will Do business is going to go broke fast. The guy is a child in almost every sense of the word.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Could not agree more. That is why he will likely choose Atlanta. I still say he will come back to LA for the money because he knows he will suck enough not to get another big contract.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

.

_________________

Doesn't he have a dozen kids born out of wedlock? If true, that's a shit load of child support.

He's gonna need the dough.

Since he can't win a championship he is trying to win at something. Shawn Kemp and Jason Caffey are getting nervous. He will probably pass them in the next 3 years.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

I'm not a cap expert... I know the bulls are already in the luxury tax so they don't have much flexibility.... but couldn't they technically amnesty boozer and sign howard and be no worse off cap wise?

I think that would make the bulls the top defensive team in the league with Noah and Howard on the floor together, not sure offensively how that would work since neither are a threat to make a jumper.

When Howard is healthy in 6 months n on the rockets, this thread will be like "is tiger back" thread. Still the best center in the NBA for 6 plus years.

_________________

That isn't saying all the much.

oh please for the love of god , no....top 5 worst thread on the board...

Agreed,that thread is brutal.

But Howard is and gas been the best center in the world for many years now. He got hurt n his game dropped off, hell return to his norm. Is he a flake? Yeah, immature goof but still a great player.

_________________