RealGM

Here we go again? According to ESPNLosAngeles, Dwight Howard will speak with other teams beyond just the Lakers before making a decision about his future this summer: “Sunday could be the last game Dwight Howard plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. The question is: Should it be? The Lakers have already made their intentions clear. They want Howard back. ‘Dwight is our future,’ Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said back in February to debunk all the trade rumors that were swirling. ‘It’s hard to get talent in this league, and to have a talent like Dwight Howard, we have no intention of trading Dwight Howard,’ Kupchak continued. ‘He belongs to have his name on the wall [as a retired uniform] and a statue in front of Staples [Center] at some point in time.’ … According to several sources familiar with Howard’s thinking, Howard will likely explore free agency before reaching his final decision. In today’s media landscape, that means there will be a circus in July while Howard hears pitches from the likes of the Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers. Even if it is merely Howard doing his due diligence before making a major life decision, the frenzy it is sure to create will give Howard a taste of the backlash he could face if he ultimately decides to uproot from L.A. just one year removed from the ‘Dwightmare’ that surrounded his exit from Orlando.”

inquisitive wrote:This game 4 with the Spurs was just awesome!! Howard gets ejected and it appears he is saying something bad to Kupchak as he leaves to the Laker's locker room.....frustration meter has spiked an all time high tonite!! Love it!! ...Rockets are waiting!

ReturnofMVP3 wrote:Can Asik play PF? Actually with Dwight I don't know if he can play with another big, he couldn't with Pau

TMACFORMVP wrote:Asik shoots 50% on jumpers from 16-23 feet for the season. If we ignore that it's only on 8 shot attempts overall and pretend he can do that on >350 shot attempts for a season, we'd basically have a better rebounding KG at PF next to Dwight! But realistically speaking, if Dwight were to come here, we'd likely move Asik. However...I don't see Dwight leaving LA.

MaxRider wrote:i don't see him leaving either
people keep saying state income tax can save them tons of money
but why we haven't see many free agents sign with Houston/Dallas/San Antonio/Miami/Orlando?
well you can take San Antonio and Miami off the list
they are winning now everyone want to go there
T-Mac pick Houston has more to do with playing with Yao than no state income tax

moofs wrote:

MaxRider wrote:i don't see him leaving either
people keep saying state income tax can save them tons of money
but why we haven't see many free agents sign with Houston/Dallas/San Antonio/Miami/Orlando?
well you can take San Antonio and Miami off the list
they are winning now everyone want to go there
T-Mac pick Houston has more to do with playing with Yao than no state income tax

I suppose a lot of these guys prefer to hit the location instead of maximizing earnings.

Fair enough, when you're making 15m net.
"What's 1.5m less, when I'd be living in L.A.?"

Just 7 million more in 5 years.

MaxRider wrote:to maximize his contract he have to sign with Lakers, 7.5% raise intead of 4.5%
pretty sure he can get way more endorsement money from LA than Houston

Zubby wrote:Well California just increased the state income tax to 13.3% from 10%? so that a big deal.

Players always go to either their hometown team or where they have a better chance to win.
Who was the last player to just sign in one of these "big markets" when they were bad?
Amare maybe is the only one, and thats probably cause no one else wanted him & NY was desperate.