Dwight Howard reportedly wanted Kobe Bryant amnestied, Mike D'Antoni fired

[Backshot Bully]

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The Los Angeles Lakers worked hard to retain Dwight Howard this summer, but the free agent center wanted two specific things that the team wouldn't grant. Howard apparently insisted, according to former ESPN reporter Ric Bucher that the Lakers "fire Mike D'Antoni and amnesty, or at the very least muzzle, Kobe Bryant."

The Lakers passed on that not-so-modest proposal from Howard.

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If L.A. gave Howard what he wanted, the Lakers could be looking at a radically different team right now. Using the amnesty clause on Bryant would've been controversial, but firing D'Antoni would've been easy and the team could have let Kobe walk in free agency a year from now. In 12 months, this could have been Howard's team.

The Lakers never had any intention of dumping one of the most important players in franchise history, even if Kobe is nearing the end of his career. This isn't to say the Lakers chose Bryant over Howard, but it's clear the two players couldn't co-exist in Los Angeles much longer than they did.

Meanwhile, the gripes from Howard regarding D'Antoni aren't exactly news. It's long been known that Howard was dissatisfied with his role in the coach's offensive system, even though D'Antoni pointed out after his signing with Houston that the Rockets run a very similar offense.

That said, it's easy to question the Lakers' decision. Howard may have his warts, but he's a supremely talented 27-year-old center in a league lacking good ones. With their best days likely behind them, Bryant and D'Antoni presumably won't be able to have the same impact on a franchise.

But the Lakers stayed loyal to their franchise player and will continue on this path. Through all the turmoil, the Lakers and Kobe have stayed together -- as we've seen, even Dwight Howard couldn't break up the partnership.


http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/8/...kobe-bryant-amnesty-mike-dantoni-fired-lakers

 

[Pworld297]

They are never gonna let this shit go are they... What's funny to me is damn near everyone knew before Howard was even traded to the Lakers that he was not going to stay there except the Lakers..

 

[dredell]

bitchmade, earn the title of being THE franchise, not orchestrating it

 

[Mask]

Man they knew

 

[D-TOWN REP]

I don't blame him

As long as Kobe is on the Lakers it is his team and D'Antoni sucks

 

[BDR]

It is what is it that you OP?

 

[Amajorfucup]

He will passive aggressively leak or tweet a denial while playing victim very soon.

 

[dtownsfinest]

The nerve of that nigga.

 

[Ming Fei Hong]

They can frame it however they wish, but it's clear (if this report is true) that the Lakers chose Kobe over Howard. Now he has yet another way he's followed in Shaq's four steps.

 

[Better]

Kobe is a masterclass in hijacking an organization and making them like it.

 

[RoadRage]

That bitch made motherfucker did everything I said he was going to do.... How predictable..

 

[An RnB Thug]

Dogz, you MONTHS late with this

 

[spider705]

Well.....?

Don't have a problem with any of that.....and I'm a Kobe fan

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 4

 

[IT IS WHAT IT IS]

Kobe is a masterclass in hijacking an organization and making them like it.

5 Chips will do that for you though...

 

[vandamation]

This shit will never end...

 

[max-dawg]

bitchmade, earn the title of being THE franchise, not orchestrating it

been telling you niccas this about this big robotic motherfucker.

nicca shoot bball like he's made out of rusty metal.

btw, the bitch cp3 doing the same shit on the slick... insurance-selling motherfucker.

 

[wildlover85]

Every one and their mom knew.Kobe was the reason why he bounce.Everyone thinks kobe can ring by himself.He will have the entire season to shoot all the shots he wants.

 

[tontotonto]

bitchmade, earn the title of being THE franchise, not orchestrating it

like kobe did?

 

[Non-StopJFK2TAB]

Every one and their mom knew.Kobe was the reason why he bounce.Everyone thinks kobe can ring by himself.He will have the entire season to shoot all the shots he wants.

Lets pretend the year is 2020. Do you really believe Howard is going to have a championship ring? Howard wants to believe hes Shaq to the Lakers, when in fact hes not even a Vlade Divac.

 

[vandamation]

Some of these Lakers fans kill me...

They blame everything on D. Howard...

Before that... It was Pau Gasol...

But they NEVER place the blame on Dumb Toni... or Junior Buss...

Kobe is Kobe... his place has been solidified...

It just amazes that they never talk about the ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM...

A SHITTY COACH... and SHITTY OWNERSHIP...

... and a Knicks fan... Believe me... I'm well versed in BOTH...

 

[wildlover85]

Lets pretend the year is 2020. Do you really believe Howard is going to have a championship ring? Howard wants to believe hes Shaq to the Lakers, when in fact hes not even a Vlade Divac.

Dwight Howard is happy to be a role player like LBJ,but LBJ can handle the pressure.Of being the point man or the star of the team.If you got kobe, D'Antoni,and buss.Always in your face 24/7.That shit gets old real quick.The lakers made Dwight a lot of promises and didn't delivery.

The lakers can't blame Dwight like they tried blame shaq.

Shaq told them;it's me or kobe.The lakers pick kobe.

Dwight told them;it's me or kobe and D'Antoni.They pick kobe and D'Antoni.So the lakers got to live and die by that choice.

 

[X-Man26]

What's crazy is that exactly one year ago Lakers fans were all on D12's dick now they hate him!

I remember the talk from last year about the Lakers winning 73 games. They better hope Kobe and Nash on PED's or they might lose 73 games. I find it hard to believe that Gasol is going to buy in to D'antoni's system after the way D'antoni discarded Gasol last year.

 

[K Luv]

I love how all la writers say it's clear it wasn't gonna work now lol,
Before it was lets make a pitch to him

 

[cranrab]

Re: Dwight Howard reportedly wanted tobe Bryant amnestied, Mike D'Antoni fired

using the amnesty on tobe was the only correct solution IF you're interested in winning games.

if you're interested in wringing out every last dollar from the simp fakers fans, then keep current course for iceberg.

 

[fatsack1]

I can't blame him.... Fuck it he is in a better place now

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4

 

[MadWun]

some of these lakers fans kill me...
.
.
.

It just amazes that they never talk about the elephant in the room...

A shitty coach... And shitty ownership...

boom!!!

 

[cole256]

The first sentence of the article is bullshit. They didn't work hard on signing shit. Like one of the fam said fucked up ownership and coaching.

 

[ScottyPiffen745]

He still wouldn't have stayed because he also said he didn't like playing for Lakers fans. If he would've had them get rid of Kobe, it would've been all on him to make whatever team Buss would make after getting rid of Kobe a champion because LAL fans want to win ASAP, they ain't for no re-building.

 

[Smoke Van Gundy]

Lakers went 41-25 in 2011 lost in the 2nd round..with D12 they went 45-37 and got swept in the first round. He clearly was not the answer. They win 60-65 games its a different argument

 

[D-TOWN REP]

I can't blame him.... Fuck it he is in a better place now

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4

Yep

 

[dredell]

like kobe did?

different situation: Buss wouldn't pay what ShaQ demanded, ShaQ threw shit at Buss in public, ShaQ was half-assing it during the two seasons after the second ring, Buss grew tired of Phil, Phil wanted more and more control of Basketball Operations, so bad Jerry West decided to kick rocks early on cause he saw the writing on the wall

even after ShaQ was traded and Phil let go Kobe STILL was about to leave, shit, he had the Clippers playing over half their games at the Honda Center in Anaheim before changing his mind at the last minute, plus that Clippper squad with Kobe added would have flushed the league

people forget all this shit, Kobe is not an angel, but him demanding people get traded/fired didn't happen is this situation (Bynum for JKidd & Melo are different scenarios), even Phil and ShaQ said so afterwards

 

[godofwine]

That dude. Seriously? Fuck that dude. He ain't been the same since the surgery. Watch he don't win shit ever.

 

[Pimpslap407]

Common sense would tell you that I am not surprised at all, remember when Nelly went on ESPN basically told them what Dwight told him and flat out he told SAS why can't it be he just don't wanna play with KOBE!!!