[KHAM83Participant]

According to CNNSI, Kobe and Howard has been feuding. We have epected that they aren’t close buddies, but appearantley, after a recent loss, Kobe “agreed with Shaq” that Howard was soft. Howard then had to be restrained from going after Kobe. Do you believe this!?
If so- then there’s no way Howard stays. If you’re the Lakers, what approach do you take?
If Gasol and Howard continues to not work, do they consider moving Howard? Brook Lopez would not clog up the post, just saying.

Pls, your thoughts?

[kingofbumsParticipant]

brook lopez would not solve their defensive issues either. instead of calling out his teammates kobe needs to bring them altogether. they need to regroup and secure a playoff spot first because if they continue with this nonsense there will be no playoffs for them. i wouldnt be surprised though if the howard thing really doesnt work out and hes moved to atlanta before the deadline for jsmooth.

[ThepessimestParticipant]

The Lakers are in a tough situation.

A) Howard expressed concern well before the trade about playing with Kobe Bryant but when he agreed to the trade to the Lakers he tried to pretend those concerns were not there.

B) Kobe’s personality does not allow for him to take a step back i.e. Tim Duncan. So as long as Kobe Bryant is in L.A. (and producing) whoever plays with him has to understand that his personality and the way he plays the game will be the identity for the Lakers. Kobe will not be traded and so…Kobe will continue to play the game as though he needs to take 20-25 shots per game although he plays with 3 other guys who are potential HOF guys.

C) Dwight is a free agent. He can leave after the year if he wants to leaving the Lakers with an old roster (Kobe is 34 and will be 35 next year, Nash 39, Gasol 33). All of their best players are past their prime. Alienating Dwight may or may not be the best option for the Lakers.

D) Firing Mike Brown was a horrible decision because the reason for their struggles were not accurately assessed. The Princeton got a lot of blame but as can be seen…the issues were always based upon turnovers, selfishness, and lack of defense. Those issues have continued. Point being is that now that the firing of Brown did not help and the hiring of Mike D’Antoni hasn’t not helped much they cannot again fire the coach and say he is the problem. They are stuck with a coach whose system is built for a 39 year old PG but whose best young player is a 27 year old athletic center who needs touches. Again lack of foresight.

These are just some of the issues the Lakers have to consider moving forward.

At this point a trade is necessary. A change is needed.

[surveParticipant]

“Firing Mike Brown was a horrible decision because the reason for their struggles were not accurately assessed.”

This is what I was telling my Laker buddies before Brown got fired. It’s not the coach so much as the personnel he has to work with.

Another thing I said was that Howard would not automatically make them a contender and that to me, the difference between Howard and Bynum ability wise was minimal. Its not that Bynum isnt as good, just that he hasnt been durable. Still if you look at the two, I dont see how one can say Dwight would make this team be a rival to OKC, which a lot of people were saying.

I didnt agree with hiring D’Antoni. I felt that he could give them some regular season wins but player personnel was not geared to withstand a playoff run.

The Lakers shouldve never gotten rid of Odom either, not while he was pretty much playing at his peak and was in great physical condition.

Move Dwight….and while you are at it….move Pau too.

[BigChamp12Participant]

Im seeing this report on several sites, but according to most of em, the story came from a Brooklyn Nets beat writer. How does he report the story. It sounds a little fishy but there may be some truth to it. I can actually see Kobe doing that. Yes Dwight has thin skin. But Kobe has always had think skin also. He’s quick to fire back when someone calls him out. And it has been clear that Kobe doesnt care for the way D12 has called him out a few times.

[220Participant]

Dwight Howard and Shaq are definitely alike in that they clown around and like to complain to the media often. Kobe had issues with Shaq even when Shaq was clearly the better player, it only makes sense that Kobe would have a lot of the same problems with Dwight.

I don’t know that there is anyway for the Lakers to fix the problem. Kobe certainly isn’t going to change now especially since he’s putting up great numbers and personally competing at a top level. I doubt Dwight will change either. D’antoni’s offense favors Kobe more so than Dwight as well. Even trading Dwight for equal value will be difficult seeing as he’s a free agent at the end of the season and nothing he says can be trusted…so who’s going to mortgage their teams future for a player who’s likely only to stay a few months.

I’m sure Magic fans are breathing sighs of relief that they don’t have to deal with Dwight’s drama anymore.

[BigChamp12Participant]

Wow! Im getting so sick of Stephen A Smith riding Kobe’s jock. Thats all he ever does. He has never questioned anything Kobe does. Its always, “He’s the Mamba, he’s a bad man, He deserves to take 41shots.” Dwight talks about sharing the ball a lot, of course we all know why. But Im not sure if any of you keep up with post game conferences and quotes. Metta World Peace has been on record after SEVERAL games this season stating that they have to share the ball more. I agree with Skip. He said D12 is speaking for the rest of the team. No one on that roster, outside of D12 is going to call out Kobe. Stephen A went out of his way to say that is not true because MWP doesnt need anyone to talk for him. He is not scared of Kobe but he is still not going to call out Kobe. Stephen A also said Dwight Howard’s 26 rebounds didnt mean anything. He said he’s only getting a lot of boards because people are shooting more against the Lakers. That’s gotta be one of the most ridiculous explanations I ever had. 26boards is not an accident or just a it just happened sort of thing. I was just venting a little amid all of the LA drama.

[paint intruderParticipant]

Now imagine switching Howard for McGee not saying that McGee is as good as DH but just think about it for a minute.

1. The Lakers wouldn’t have to feed as many mouths on offense.

2. They’d have a young and HEALTHY defensive center with some upside.

3. Howard would have a team where he would be the focal point on offense and wouldn’t have to worry about Kobe tripping on him.

Too bad Howard smashed Faried in his mug. lol

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard nearly fought after Lakers’ New Year’s Day loss, according to report | Ball Don’t Lie Yahoo Sportssports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/kobe-bryant-dwight-howard-nearly-fought-lakers-day-165202206–nba.html

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

Rockets clearly want Howard, how about giving up Asik, Terrence Jones, and Royce White? Asik is above average defensively and Rebounds at a high level and mabye it would get Pau rolling again. I mean I think a trade at this point with Howard would be comical and not going to happen, but just saying.

[TheArtistPaysthePriceParticipant]

and now his shoulder injury is re-aggravated. Maybe he hurt it chasing Kobe or he is back to suddenly needing emergency career threatening surgeries after locker room spats.

[BenchWarmerParticipant]

Kobe always blames other people. He has a “I’m a superstar how is it my fault?” kind of attitude

[Sewok15Participant]

Kobe usually has a reason to blame other people. He is playing at an extremely high level again and despite all the new “talent” around him they aren’t getting it done. I am usually not a Kobe defender but he has come to play this season and without him they would already be out of the playoff chase and likely fighting with the Hornets for worst record in the West.

They really lack athleticism on the wing outside of Kobe. Jodie Meeks has been okay but they need another Shannon Brown-like player who can defend, hit threes and attack the basket. The pieces they have do not fit and don’t play much defense either.

[TheArtistPaysthePriceParticipant]

Like when he complained Shaq shouldn’t use the season to get in shape and because he said it was a on the job injury and he was waiting to the season to have surgery. Kobe was right and Shaq was on some bullsh!t. Or when he said yall got me out here playing with bums and then they got Gasol and won two rings. He was wrong about trading Bynum but he was right that Bynum at the time was being soft.

[TheArtistPaysthePriceParticipant]

Like when he complained Shaq shouldn’t use the season to get in shape and because he said it was a on the job injury and he was waiting to the season to have surgery. Kobe was right and Shaq was on some bullsh!t. Or when he said yall got me out here playing with bums and then they got Gasol and won two rings. He was wrong about trading Bynum but he was right that Bynum at the time was being soft.

[surveParticipant]

…but behind Lebron and KD, Kobe is still the best in the league. If he is displeased he has every right to be. Especially since Dwight never committed wholeheartedly to being a Laker.

Its safe to assume that there is some embellishment in this story…but I am inclined to believe that the fact we are even discussing it gives credence that at least a smidgen of this report could be true.

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

I hope this is all true and it only gets worse, I love living in LA right now with the Lakers so bad and the Clippers so good, people don’t know what to do with themselves.

[goneParticipant]

Posh

http://thescore.tumblr.com/post/39951374445/pic-kobebryant-and-d-12-get-ready-to-throw-down

[220Participant]

Now Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol are out indefinitely…can things get any worse for the Lakers? It’s all a big expensive disaster so far for the Lakers this year.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

I’m not buying this story.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve had disagreements though. I mean, that happens in basketball. They had a disagreement on the court and in the huddle earlier this season. Right now, the Lakers are losing and nobody’s happy. There’s a lot of pressure.

[theballerwayParticipant]

Weee want Phil, We want Phil…………….

he must have a big smirk on his face espcially after they way it played out with him thinking the job was his. The assumption that the tam could revive the D’Antoni/Nash glory days was crazy.

Also by now they would have had the princeton offese on lock and I feel brown couldve ot the defense sorted too at some point once they had a full healthy team

Too many knee jerk reactions. Ego

[Author]

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