Dwight Howard speaks about what he wants
On the subject of what he’s looking for, Howard hit on some reasonable themes while seemingly throwing a chill at the Magic by comparison.
“The first thing is basketball,” he said. “I want to win a championship, and it takes a certain type of team to win a championship. You know, there’s a lot of teams who are great during the regular season. They play well, but it’s different once you play in those playoffs, you know? It’s gut-check time.
“Like I told the Magic, I just want to win. I don’t want a team that doesn’t know how you have to win in the playoffs. I want a team that’s going to go out every night and forget about stats, forget about who scores the most points or who is the fan favorite. Just go out and play, play for each other and play to win. That’s the only thing.”
Now Dwight Howard is in a position to go after what he wants. It’s created a scene that sadly takes away from basketball and a very good team off to a 12-5 start, but he seems all right with that.
“What people don’t understand is that this is a business, and at the end of the day you always have to take care of yourself,” Howard said. “People just say, ‘Oh, these guys are prima donnas. They want this and they want that.’ But this is life. You’ve got to go and take it, because nobody is going to give it to you. And I just go out and do my thing. I’m just going to play basketball.
“I told the Magic how I felt at the beginning of the year. They decided they weren’t going to do anything, so I said, ‘OK, I’m here. I’m going to play until I can’t play no more.’ You know, I don’t have no problems with being here. I want to win. That’s what I told them. So as long as I’m here — as long as they keep me around — I’m going to play hard every night and try to win a championship.
BOSTON HERALD
Howard's statements could just be catering to the Boston media, but they sure feel like Howard doesn't believe this is a championship team. To me these biting words clearly imply that if the Magic don't win a trophy this year he is gone. This is nothing new from a speculative history, but I think this is the first time I have seen him actually articulate this sentiment.
This FanPost was made by a member of the Orlando Pinstriped Post community, and is to be treated as the opinions and views of its author, not that of the blogger or blog community as a whole.
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Dwight is outro...
Hope the Amare and Chandler rumor actually comes through. Don’t like Bynum. Lopez is worse. SVG could make something happen with those 2 a lot better than d’Antoni is attempting.
by Memphissleek on Jan 26, 2012 12:12 PM EST via mobile reply actions
His comments reek
He makes those comments, but somehow he still wanted Gil on the team, who is the antithesis of what he is describing. NJ has these players he is describing? Please. To me, it sounds more like making excuses for leaving. Throw our players under the bus to preserve your image. What a great teammate. I’m becoming more and more ok with him leaving.
Keep Hedo
by Satch30 on Jan 26, 2012 12:54 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
Can't be serious
What if the Magic makes it to the ECF or the Finals for that matter in this short season, then what? What would be his excuse for leaving then? But Dwight just keeps on entertaining the media with this list and this “oh, that team too. Yea, I could see myself being there as well”
by CBMagic85 on Jan 26, 2012 2:01 PM EST via Android app reply actions
He is clearly
going to leave and simply doesn’t want to be viewed as a bad guy when he does so. If he wanted to win, he wouldn’t even consider New Jersey so we know exactly what his real desire is – bigger market. I don’t blame him, if that is really what he wants, but trying to make it look like his hand is being forced when he is currently under contract and is basically sabotaging the team, that isn’t something I can support. I am really glad I did not buy a Dwight Howard jersey.
by nick_anderson on Jan 26, 2012 3:40 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
...
I think this is the first thing you’ve ever said that I agree with.
I like to watch.
by MoveThoseChains on Jan 28, 2012 11:43 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
ouch...
Eddy Rivera @erivera7
Dwight is like a high school teenage girl that likes the next guy she meets.
Bill Ingram @TheRocketGuy
Dwight Howard is going to start hearing boos in Orlando if he doesn’t stop telling every team he visits that he would play there…
Remember how first LeBron James went around the country the season before "The Decision" and whenever he got to a new city and was asked if he could see himself playing there he said yes? Then last year Carmelo Anthony tried a calmer version of that same play, but would never say no to any city?
What playbook do you think Dwight Howard is stealing from? Kurt Helin NBC Sports
These comments are nothing different than we've heard before
Why are people treating this like it’s something new?
Not to throw poo on this post, but I really don't care what he has to say. Just play basketball.
Anyone else missing Stockton?
I don't get the whole 'pop-tart cats pooping rainbows thing,' but then, I'm old. So, there it is.
Dwight is not a leader
and never will be. Great players don’t let their team blow a 27 point lead against a team that held them to a franchise low in points a few days ago. Can you see this EVER happening under Jordan or Kobe’s watch? On top of that , you got to love how he throws his teammates under the bus constantly How about you show some accountability, stop acting like a clown and whining half the time and hit 70% of your free throws. People are saying that you’re a prima donna because you are one! Clearly basketball is not Dwight’s number one priority.
"We have a bunch of guys who basically have to decide if they want to be sort of the typical NBA player, which nowadays is more of an excuse-maker and a blamer and has his agent telling him how great he is. There's not a lot of realism in that. Or, do you want to fight and scrap and claw for wins? I'm confident that our guys will eventually get that message." Scott Skiles
You're really gonna blame Howard for that??
What about Nelson? What about Ryan that went 0 for 8, or was it 11?
Blame the Coach and the players.
Yes, he is the team captain and supposed "superstar".
He is a very good player but that does not exempt him from blame. He sucked tonight and this is not an aberration because he almost always sucks vs physical teams.
Not only did he help (if not instigate) the meltdown along with his incessant complaining but he also festered other players into complaining and loosing their composure. Then in the post game interview he yet again throws his team mates under the bus by saying they are weak mentally.
That is weak – as if pointing the finger at others detracts the fact that he made numerous horrible plays when pressured by the defense. He turned the ball, made terrible passes, forced shots, and yet again sucked at free throws. How does he not deserve a huge part of the blame?
by MagicLA on Jan 27, 2012 4:16 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Yes, but
as you said, he’s always struggled against physical teams. That’s fine, if you have players around you to bail you out. Not every superstar is a superstar against every team; some teams just have some guys figured out (think Bobcats with the Lakers). Dwight used to have other guys to bail him out. Now he does not. That’d make me frustrated too.
I like to watch.
by MoveThoseChains on Jan 28, 2012 11:45 AM EST up reply actions
The Magic where 11-4 going into the Boston game and a lot of that had to do with Anderson, Hedo and JJ.
Just because Nelson and JRich have been playing bad it does not mean the whole team sucks. In fact if you look at win shares Anderson ranks higher than Dwight.
by MagicLA on Jan 28, 2012 1:52 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Did you guys copy over your posts from the other article?
i swear this feels like Deja-vu or something
by nastynate2012 on Jan 29, 2012 12:47 AM EST up reply actions
There was a time when I didn't dislike Dwight Howard for wanting to leave.
After we got punked by the Hawks, Dwight leaving felt like a “who could blame the guy” situation. If you want to win and things where you are don’t look like they’re going to improve, it’s hard to be mad at you for wanting out. Now I realize that Dwight’s focus is elsewhere. He’s the same as Anthony, he doesn’t care at all about the wreckage of a franchise he leaves behind, and his continued presence at this point is a negative, as he still plays well (his best, though? I’m not sure) but foments a negative emotional environment that is making this team rapidly check out. I can’t watch it. I watched the team when it was very, very bad, but I can’t watch a team that doesn’t try. I hope I’m wrong and they bounce back, but how else do you explain the New Orleans game?
I’m tempted to say we’ll be better off once Dwight is gone and we can start picking up the pieces, but that sure isn’t true as long as Otis Smith is around. No matter what situation comes up, we’re going nowhere managed by the guy who signed Duhon and Quentin Richardson, traded for Gilbert Arenas, resigned Jason Richardson despite a complete lack of compelling reason to do so and traded Brandon Bass for Glen Davis.

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