Monday, August 13, 2012
Sunday, August 12, 2012
The indecision is over.
The good news is, Dwight Howard takes Steve Nash closer than ever to a championship. The bad news is, another big market, high profile, large payroll team took a superstar away from the small market Orlando Magic. The worse news is, that rich team that just got richer is the dreaded LA Lakers. If Nash made them better, Howard definitely makes them a legitimate contender. Howard tried his best to help LeBron out by taking over the title of the "most hated player in the NBA". He has been a disaster the last 9 months or so with all the drama surrounding his on-again, off-again trade requests and his upcoming free agency. Everybody was tired of this garbage, but it is finally over now. On the court, Howard is a legitimate superstar, though the player he is replacing - Andrew Bynum, is not bad either. Bynum is actually better than Howard in terms of offensive post moves, but Howard is better in every other category. Dwight is more athletic, is a better rebounder, a better defender, and an awesome shot-blocker.
The biggest benefit for the Lakers that Dwight brings might actually be the intangibles - especially in 2012 when he is expected to miss some time and will hopefully and slowly get back to his original form coming back from that back surgery. As messy as Dwight's divorce from the Magic was, he is still much more mentally stable and mature than Bynum. Bynum comes off like a immature punk and doesn't inspire a whole lot of trust and confidence despite his immense physical gifts. Dwight also has the hype of a superstar and that raises the championship profile of the Lakers. This can translate into better focus and performance on the court since the players, along with the fans, now believe they are true contenders. Belief is a necessary, though not a sufficient condition for success and the Lakers, including Kobe Bryant, definitely believe they are better today than they were last week. Now it's up to Dwight and his teammates to make it happen.
The Laker fans better be happy they didn't have to give up Pau Gasol in this trade. I like a nucleus of Kobe, Nash, Gasol, and Bynum better than Kobe, Nash, and Howard. Of course Kobe, Nash, Gasol, and Howard is even better. Add Metta World Peace, Antawn Jamison, Jordan Hill, and Steve Blake to this mix, it's a pretty impressive roster. I think a healthy Dwight Howard makes them a contender and puts them on par with the Heat. The biggest loser in all this might be the Oklahoma City Thunder. They lost a golden oppurtunity to win a title when they lost to the Heat and LeBron, who was under so much pressure. They did have a good draft, but they have to rely on their youngsters maturing and getting better to compete with this super-team now in LA. The Lakers are old and aging, but it's definitely a super-team now. Nash has not lost a whole lot and Kobe is still very good. So both the Thunder and the Heat better be scared of them.
The other issue here is that the NBA spent a lot of energy this time last year trying to come up with a system that creates a level playing field and prevents these super-teams in big markets. LeBron's "decision" has really created this culture of stars trying to gang up with each other and hoping to win a championship while also making the big bucks. The problem with this is, these consolidations are usually posbbile only in the big markets due to both logistical and financial reasons. Also, it creates a bigger gulf between the haves and have-nots as talent accumulates in a few NBA cities. So this trade has fans questioning the NBA's new system. But to be fair to the NBA, the full effect of their new rules will take effect only in 2013-2014. In fact, the only saving grace here for the Laker haters like myself is, even the filthy rich Lakers may not be able to afford the luxury tax for this roster in 2013. This roster is purely a play for Kobe's 6-Th ring and they have to deal with the fiscal issues when they show up. My early guess is, they may try and get rid of Gasol when they have to eat the luxury tax poison pill, which is definitely coming. But for now, all is well in LaLa land. As for the rest of us, nobody cares!
The biggest benefit for the Lakers that Dwight brings might actually be the intangibles - especially in 2012 when he is expected to miss some time and will hopefully and slowly get back to his original form coming back from that back surgery. As messy as Dwight's divorce from the Magic was, he is still much more mentally stable and mature than Bynum. Bynum comes off like a immature punk and doesn't inspire a whole lot of trust and confidence despite his immense physical gifts. Dwight also has the hype of a superstar and that raises the championship profile of the Lakers. This can translate into better focus and performance on the court since the players, along with the fans, now believe they are true contenders. Belief is a necessary, though not a sufficient condition for success and the Lakers, including Kobe Bryant, definitely believe they are better today than they were last week. Now it's up to Dwight and his teammates to make it happen.
The Laker fans better be happy they didn't have to give up Pau Gasol in this trade. I like a nucleus of Kobe, Nash, Gasol, and Bynum better than Kobe, Nash, and Howard. Of course Kobe, Nash, Gasol, and Howard is even better. Add Metta World Peace, Antawn Jamison, Jordan Hill, and Steve Blake to this mix, it's a pretty impressive roster. I think a healthy Dwight Howard makes them a contender and puts them on par with the Heat. The biggest loser in all this might be the Oklahoma City Thunder. They lost a golden oppurtunity to win a title when they lost to the Heat and LeBron, who was under so much pressure. They did have a good draft, but they have to rely on their youngsters maturing and getting better to compete with this super-team now in LA. The Lakers are old and aging, but it's definitely a super-team now. Nash has not lost a whole lot and Kobe is still very good. So both the Thunder and the Heat better be scared of them.
The other issue here is that the NBA spent a lot of energy this time last year trying to come up with a system that creates a level playing field and prevents these super-teams in big markets. LeBron's "decision" has really created this culture of stars trying to gang up with each other and hoping to win a championship while also making the big bucks. The problem with this is, these consolidations are usually posbbile only in the big markets due to both logistical and financial reasons. Also, it creates a bigger gulf between the haves and have-nots as talent accumulates in a few NBA cities. So this trade has fans questioning the NBA's new system. But to be fair to the NBA, the full effect of their new rules will take effect only in 2013-2014. In fact, the only saving grace here for the Laker haters like myself is, even the filthy rich Lakers may not be able to afford the luxury tax for this roster in 2013. This roster is purely a play for Kobe's 6-Th ring and they have to deal with the fiscal issues when they show up. My early guess is, they may try and get rid of Gasol when they have to eat the luxury tax poison pill, which is definitely coming. But for now, all is well in LaLa land. As for the rest of us, nobody cares!
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