Why We Can’t Hate Dwight
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
By Michael Failla
FINALLY! We can all take a deep breath and relax; 7 time All-Star and Hall of Fame Diva Dwight Howard made a decision, he is “taking his talents to” Houston. The road has been very long and arduous for D12, mostly due indecision.
In 2012 Dwight Howard was the topic of conversation that fans and media members loved to talk about. Regardless of the network, NBA insiders were consistently discussing, “What is Dwight Howard’s future do?” and where the Superstar Center in the sport was going to play basketball the next season. Howard created the perfect storm of controversy: injury, deceit and indecision. Howard found himself to be a lightening rod due to his public indecision regarding his future plans and he was coming off of back surgery. In addition to his physical and mental issues, Howard’s public persona was stained in the eyes of some due the allegations that he met with the Brooklyn Nets, while a member of the Orlando Magic. As the 2012 basketball season came to a close, Dwight Howard chose to “opt-in”, or sign a one-year option to play with the Magic.
Howard was heavily criticized for that decision because the general belief among fans and media members was that Dwight no intention to play with the Magic long term. In a business where perception becomes reality, it became clear to sports fans that Howard did not want to be seen as the “bag-guy” by leaving the organization that drafted him and the one he elevated to an NBA Finals appearance.
Instead or making the decision based upon what was right for him, Howard chose what he considered to be the best Public Relations move: stay with Orlando and orchestrate a trade from behind the scenes. During the offseason Howard was traded to the Lakers as part of a three-team deal between the Denver Nuggets, Lakers and the Orlando Magic. For his part in the trade Howard’s actions were viewed, by some, to be made purely on his image and not what was best for him.
Upon Arriving in Los Angelas the talk around the NBA was that the Lakers, not the Spurs, would be the team to challenge the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. Before one foul was committed or one basket was made, the already high expectations of the Lakers were even higher. Mitch Kupchak paired Howard and future Hall of Famer Steve Nash with one of the greatest to ever play: Kobe Bryant. The results did not match the hype; the Lakers finished 45-37 and were eliminated in the first round by the eventual Western Conference Champion San Antonio Spurs.
When we peel back the layers, dig into the details and understand Howard’s decision this time around I do not see how NBA fans, outside of Laker Nation, can blame him. The Los Angeles Lakers, Howard’s former team, are a complete dumpster fire due to lack of salary cap space, injuries and father time. If Dwight stayed he would have had to make due with an aging, but still offensively effective Steve Nash, a man that plays the same position as he does in Pau Gasol and a Kobe Bryant, who is rehabbing a torn Achilles. Additionally, Dwight would have been forced to play in an “up and down” fast-paced offensive system created by Mike D’Antoni, a coach that many speculate he does not get along well with. That mixture is not necessarily the best cure for an ailing back.
For the first time in Howard’s professional career he made a decision that was best for ON THE COURT, as opposed to OFF. Dwight made the conscious decision to relinquish the $30 Million additional dollars that he could have made had he signed with the Lakers, due to NBA regulations, because Houston is a much better situation. Howard could be the key ingredient missing form a Houston Squad that has acquired or developed many attractive pieces including Olympian and NBA All-Start Shooting Guard James Harden. Along with The Beard, Howard is joined by Chandler Parson, a stretch forward capable of making shots from behind the arc and a young exciting point guard in Jeremy Lin.
20 years from now Dwight Howard will forever be known as the guy that left the Lakers, the epitome of NBA greatness. According to Charles Barkley, and many NBA followers, his legacy will forever be defined by what he does in Houston. As an outsider looking in, can’t we applaud Dwight Howard on making the best basketball decision of his career? It seems to me that Howard has finally allowed the media to refocus on his game and allow the talking heads to criticize his is abysmal free throw shooting and awe at his trademark rejections. Houston has provided Howard with an opportunity to finally make it about the X’s and O’s of basketball and not the politics.
