The counter balance to our horrid rebuild woes

[sChOlaRlY_Magi]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/245794/Dwight-Howard-Frustrated-With-Role-At-End-Of-First-Season-With-Hawks


I figured we should have some positive, or at least funny news to offset the suck around here the last few seasons, I'm sure we've seen all of the other similar outburst by the manchild over the years, but it's great to see, as bad as our rebuild has gone, that we don't have to deal with this guy!

As a Magic fan, and full on knowing how wretched we have been over the last 5 years, seeing these routine outbursts of his on 4 very different teams over the last 5 years, makes me glad that he is no longer the Magic's headcase/headache!

He's never been the brightest guy, and was surrounded by the wrong crew of sycophants, that have never allowed him to grow as either a person or a player. It would be hilarious, if it wasn't so sad.

You can call me a hater, and that's fine; but I still am happy we got rid of him when we did now. I kind of wish we could've kept VC and Meer, even if they led us nowhere over the rebuild. Just much better character guys than him. Which is ironic with VC, but he seemed to grow as he aged, which Dwight obviously has not.

Thoughts?

[EAS Law]

It's pretty incredible that Howard has managed to continue blaming everything and everyone for his shortcomings.

I think JJ mentioned something about Dwight being incapable of taking responsibility for anything negative a while back.

I doubt anyone expected him to be very successful in Atlanta, which is interesting because apparently, Dwight believed he'd be able to reclaim '09 status.

I wonder sometimes if Howard is really in denial regarding who he actually is at this point.

[bigpimpatl]

He made it clear he was upset and didn’t deny that his dramatically reduced role was not in the blueprint presented to him before he signed as a free agent

If he was sold something and signed because of it, he has a legitimate gripe. He wants to play, like any confidant athlete. Really, Hardaway Jr. and Bazemore were terrible the whole series. Taurean Prince was starting the series for goodness sake, so yea I think Dwight has a legit gripe if he's suddenly being benched.

[drsd]

“I want to play. I want to be out on the floor. I want to make a difference. I want to make an impact, and I can’t do that on the bench.”

If Howard was even a 65% FT shooter, he would close out games. It is his own fault he cannot perform the most basic basketball skill: shooting a free throw.


..

[Xatticus]

It's pretty incredible that Howard has managed to continue blaming everything and everyone for his shortcomings.

I think JJ mentioned something about Dwight being incapable of taking responsibility for anything negative a while back.

I doubt anyone expected him to be very successful in Atlanta, which is interesting because apparently, Dwight believed he'd be able to reclaim '09 status.

I wonder sometimes if Howard is really in denial regarding who he actually is at this point.

He always has. He never actually embraced the role that made him a special player. He was a better version of DeAndre Jordan that thought he was Olajuwon.

[Xatticus]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/245794/Dwight-Howard-Frustrated-With-Role-At-End-Of-First-Season-With-Hawks


I figured we should have some positive, or at least funny news to offset the suck around here the last few seasons, I'm sure we've seen all of the other similar outburst by the manchild over the years, but it's great to see, as bad as our rebuild has gone, that we don't have to deal with this guy!

As a Magic fan, and full on knowing how wretched we have been over the last 5 years, seeing these routine outbursts of his on 4 very different teams over the last 5 years, makes me glad that he is no longer the Magic's headcase/headache!

He's never been the brightest guy, and was surrounded by the wrong crew of sycophants, that have never allowed him to grow as either a person or a player. It would be hilarious, if it wasn't so sad.

You can call me a hater, and that's fine; but I still am happy we got rid of him when we did now. I kind of wish we could've kept VC and Meer, even if they led us nowhere over the rebuild. Just much better character guys than him. Which is ironic with VC, but he seemed to grow as he aged, which Dwight obviously has not.

Thoughts?

Carter took a lot of crap that I didn't think he deserved. I can't speak to the rumors about him throwing games or telling the opposition which plays they were going to run, but when I watched him live, he seemed very professional and accommodating to the fans that showed up to watch him play. That's actually a rare quality in a league filled with prima donnas.

[RickB-Orlando]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/245794/Dwight-Howard-Frustrated-With-Role-At-End-Of-First-Season-With-Hawks


I figured we should have some positive, or at least funny news to offset the suck around here the last few seasons, I'm sure we've seen all of the other similar outburst by the manchild over the years, but it's great to see, as bad as our rebuild has gone, that we don't have to deal with this guy!

As a Magic fan, and full on knowing how wretched we have been over the last 5 years, seeing these routine outbursts of his on 4 very different teams over the last 5 years, makes me glad that he is no longer the Magic's headcase/headache!

He's never been the brightest guy, and was surrounded by the wrong crew of sycophants, that have never allowed him to grow as either a person or a player. It would be hilarious, if it wasn't so sad.

You can call me a hater, and that's fine; but I still am happy we got rid of him when we did now. I kind of wish we could've kept VC and Meer, even if they led us nowhere over the rebuild. Just much better character guys than him. Which is ironic with VC, but he seemed to grow as he aged, which Dwight obviously has not.

Thoughts?

Carter took a lot of crap that I didn't think he deserved. I can't speak to the rumors about him throwing games or telling the opposition which plays they were going to run, but when I watched him live, he seemed very professional and accommodating to the fans that showed up to watch him play. That's actually a rare quality in a league filled with prima donnas.

I think players that want to hang on into their mid or late thirties have to grow and mellow if they want to keep playing. When you're 26 and setting the game on fire, some players can get away with playing the prima donna role. As you approach your late 20's to early 30's, you have to start to become much more team focused and build that good teammate reputation.

Once past your prime, you either have made the transition and can make it as a reserved on championship contenders (see Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter, etch) or you're much less likely to get that sunset contract.

I can't imagine Howard being signed late in his career as a locker room guy. Once he can't put up significant numbers, he'll be done. His reputation precedes him now, and he clearly hasn't been able to change that.

[BadMofoPimp]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/245794/Dwight-Howard-Frustrated-With-Role-At-End-Of-First-Season-With-Hawks


I figured we should have some positive, or at least funny news to offset the suck around here the last few seasons, I'm sure we've seen all of the other similar outburst by the manchild over the years, but it's great to see, as bad as our rebuild has gone, that we don't have to deal with this guy!

As a Magic fan, and full on knowing how wretched we have been over the last 5 years, seeing these routine outbursts of his on 4 very different teams over the last 5 years, makes me glad that he is no longer the Magic's headcase/headache!

He's never been the brightest guy, and was surrounded by the wrong crew of sycophants, that have never allowed him to grow as either a person or a player. It would be hilarious, if it wasn't so sad.

You can call me a hater, and that's fine; but I still am happy we got rid of him when we did now. I kind of wish we could've kept VC and Meer, even if they led us nowhere over the rebuild. Just much better character guys than him. Which is ironic with VC, but he seemed to grow as he aged, which Dwight obviously has not.

Thoughts?

Carter took a lot of crap that I didn't think he deserved. I can't speak to the rumors about him throwing games or telling the opposition which plays they were going to run, but when I watched him live, he seemed very professional and accommodating to the fans that showed up to watch him play. That's actually a rare quality in a league filled with prima donnas.

I think players that want to hang on into their mid or late thirties have to grow and mellow if they want to keep playing. When you're 26 and setting the game on fire, some players can get away with playing the prima donna role. As you approach your late 20's to early 30's, you have to start to become much more team focused and build that good teammate reputation.

Once past your prime, you either have made the transition and can make it as a reserved on championship contenders (see Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter, etch) or you're much less likely to get that sunset contract.

I can't imagine Howard being signed late in his career as a locker room guy. Once he can't put up significant numbers, he'll be done. His reputation precedes him now, and he clearly hasn't been able to change that.

How will Howard support all his kids and baby mommas in his post basketball career. That is what I am looking forward to reading about.

[npiper17]

It's quite astonishing what a fall from grace he has had from 2009/10.

MVP candidate, adidas shoe deal, beloved by Magic fans and liked (on the whole) by wider NBA fans. I remember seeing a few Magic games on the road in 2010 when during the pregame the Magic would do that circus act thing that ended with Dwight lifting Jason Williams in the air so he could dunk. The home fans loved that and Dwight was behind it.

His career has taken a similar turn to Derrick Rose.

[sChOlaRlY_Magi]

It really is unbelievable how bad he has become, and it's because he's never pushed himself to be better. I've heard numerous stories about how he is mentally inferior, and it shows with the free throws. iirc coming out of high school free throws weren't a problem, hell, he was a PG before his body exploded into the 6'11 range! He's got no one to blame but himself for everything at this point, even the benching late in games. I saw something about him having a sub .50 free throw record the year prior, maybe two. If you are that bad at free throws, I'm going to put anyone, even a reserve that doesn't have the potential to score as much because 2 made free throws are ALWAYS better than one, or none made... It's sad though, if he would've stuck with Gundy Ball he'd probably have gotten much closer to a 2nd title run, and maybe even been in the running for HOF status. Instead he has taken coaching from no one, not eve Kareem or Olajawon when it was offered, because he was such a Prima Donna. smdh

[in-limbo]

Probably would have been better if we just kept Dwight. Sad state of affairs around here. He is a jackass but our rebuild has been a waste of time.

[j-ragg]

Probably would have been better if we just kept Dwight.

Uh... the Magic would've been happy to keep him. But he's Dwight and changes his mind on things more than a woman on her period.

Orlando tried to do many dumb thing to appease him, including firing the best coach in franchise history.