if howard leaves next year who's the blame?

[Compton310]

Phil won 11 championships, not 12. If you count his playing days, he won 13.

gotcha haha..

[Compton310]

If Dwight leaves, what difference does it make who's 'fault' it is?
And if Dwight leaves, how committed to this team was he?
So if Dwight leaves.... Who cares?

Someone will be fired if Dwight leaves, most likely Mitch. The discussion is, will he truly be at fault if he ends up taking the blame? I and others have held onto the belief that it's Jim Buss' decisions that are killing this franchise, and even if Mitch gets fired it'll be Jim who's at fault. There are others who have always defended Jim through each questionable decision starting from the hiring of Mike Brown over Brian Shaw. If Howard leaves, this will give the "anti Jim" crowd a heavy edge in the debate.

If he leaves it shows he wasn't committed of course, but at that point what would that matter? If he leaves because he wasn't committed, is everything ok? I surely don't think so, and would still be upset with management regardless of Howard's commitment level.

As for your last question, everyone who actually cares about the Lakers for starters. We've gone all in on Howard being the future for this franchise, if he leaves we'll be looking at the last year of Kobe and Pau(if he's sitll on the roster) being a potentially wasted season and have no young star talent to build around. Sure we'll likely sign some players since "we're the Lakers", but I see no reason to have faith that we'll be anything other than rebuilding for the next few years without a star player like Howard to build around.

+1

[miggs]

ibtl

[Jetset]

There are others who have always defended Jim through each questionable decision starting from the hiring of Mike Brown over Brian Shaw. If Howard leaves, this will give the "anti Jim" crowd a heavy edge in the debate.

what part of jerry buss still has the final say in laker operations do you people not understand? is it that you truly don't understand, or is it that you don't want to understand because you don't want to believe the good doctor had any doing in this? you can have the brown point but only because there's no information disputing it. but what was said when d'antoni was hired? jerry buss wanted a showtime style back. why is it that jerry couldn't have gone with shaw or more importantly phil over d'antoni?

[LLcoleJ]

If Dwight leaves, what difference does it make who's 'fault' it is?
And if Dwight leaves, how committed to this team was he?
So if Dwight leaves.... Who cares?

Someone will be fired if Dwight leaves, most likely Mitch. The discussion is, will he truly be at fault if he ends up taking the blame? I and others have held onto the belief that it's Jim Buss' decisions that are killing this franchise, and even if Mitch gets fired it'll be Jim who's at fault. There are others who have always defended Jim through each questionable decision starting from the hiring of Mike Brown over Brian Shaw. If Howard leaves, this will give the "anti Jim" crowd a heavy edge in the debate.

If he leaves it shows he wasn't committed of course, but at that point what would that matter? If he leaves because he wasn't committed, is everything ok? I surely don't think so, and would still be upset with management regardless of Howard's commitment level.

As for your last question, everyone who actually cares about the Lakers for starters. We've gone all in on Howard being the future for this franchise, if he leaves we'll be looking at the last year of Kobe and Pau(if he's sitll on the roster) being a potentially wasted season and have no young star talent to build around. Sure we'll likely sign some players since "we're the Lakers", but I see no reason to have faith that we'll be anything other than rebuilding for the next few years without a star player like Howard to build around.

If anything, not picking Shaw was probably a smart decision. Unless of course the answer is an in experienced head coach with the weight of the world on his shoulders putting out some hybrid triangle, all the while being friends/buddies with Kobe. That's fool proof.

[Lost Angel]

we should have traded Pau last offseason. we could have got some good depth/role players, and the post would have rightly belonged to Dwight.

i think Kobe and Nash can play just fine together, they're just struggling to get our moody big men involved.

[TyCobb]

I think the bigger question is, who do we thank?

[Compton310]

If Dwight leaves, what difference does it make who's 'fault' it is?
And if Dwight leaves, how committed to this team was he?
So if Dwight leaves.... Who cares?

THISS!!! Man some of you forget what being a Laker fan is. If the guy leaves he wasnt meant to be the next big franchise guy here in the purp n gold. Do I want him to stay? Of course but if he still after all this time wants to play somewhere else so be it. We'll reload, we've been here before fellas .. After Magic retired and before Shaq and Kobe there was Terry Teagle, Sedale Threatt, Nick Van Exel, Vlade, Peeler, Eddie Jones, Doug Christe, and Elden Campbell. And to be honest in this new CBA with us already having the Cap space 2014 and also whatever's left over in 2015 we will be able to attract big name free agents. We're the Lake show we'll rebound

SMH getting tired of this same story/topic every week it seems
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/21627516/beset-by-injuries-trying-to-fit-with-lakers-howard-avoids-drama

you forgot cedric ceballos who was are only free agent in years... but that group was in there mid to early 20s.. that's something to build around.. 2012 lakers are all old.. no real players that we are developing.. no draft picks an what top free agent willing to come play wit a declining kobe an company?? as a true lakers fan im really concern.. an when folks say who cares if he walks i really dont get there logic.. an they call themselves lakers fan

[TyCobb]

For me, it's because he seems too high-maintenance, and I don't care for his personality/attitude/and limited offensive abilities.

[LLcoleJ]

For me, it's because he seems too high-maintenance, and I don't care for his personality/attitude/and limited offensive abilities.

agree. And I don't want to hitch our wagon to that for the next 6 years. Unless of course all that changes.

I would actually prefer to trade him so we can get some things to retool this team.

Bottom line is this team was a sink or swin one from the beginning, not a rebuilding one. It was never designed that way. We be sinking...

[hermes]

duh, dwight

whatcha mean bro? why would you blame him

its his decision that's why

[Kilroy]

For me, it's because he seems too high-maintenance, and I don't care for his personality/attitude/and limited offensive abilities.

agree. And I don't want to hitch our wagon to that for the next 6 years. Unless of course all that changes.

I would actually prefer to trade him so we can get some things to retool this team.

Bottom line is this team was a sink or swin one from the beginning, not a rebuilding one. It was never designed that way. We be sinking...

Well they won't trade him while he's hurt, and I would imagine he'll be hurt until after the deadline. Which is convenient for him... Because otherwise I'd bet the decision would be a tougher one for the Lakers.

Not saying Dwight's sand-bagging, but I'm sure he doesn't want to be traded by the Lakers, cause I'm sure they wouldn't care where he wanted to go.

[DEEP3CL]

The only ones who'll have to accept the blame will be Doc and Jim. They're the ones who made the last two big decisions that undercut this team. Mitch did his job, he only faltered on several bench players but that's it.

[AcecardZ]

For me, it's because he seems too high-maintenance, and I don't care for his personality/attitude/and limited offensive abilities.

The free throw shooting is my biggest concern. Until I see what he can do for us at 100% I don't want to see him go anywhere. Unfortunately he may not get anywhere near 100% before the season is over in which case we have a pretty big decision to make this offseason.

[craig01]

Nobody is to blame.

Howard was the featured player in Orlando, with the team being built around his skill set.

Now he is in LA and his offensive skill sets aren't being featured because there are other options around him.

Howard is a mechanical and robotic post presence that needs to play "outside-in" basketball (as opposed to inside-out), which means he needs to be surrounded by perimeter shooters that create spacing for him.

This LA roster is not a good fit for Howard....

[Father Time]

I would say Dwight is to blame if he leaves.

[Optms]

Don't blame anyone. Let him walk if he wants.

[GeneralNash]

I question if Dwight can carry a team to a ring. I think he has time and a lot of room to improve. Right now I think he needs to improve his passing, and working on his offensive game if he ever wants to be considered to be in the same breath as Shaq and Hakeem.