The long awaited decision by Dwight Howard has landed the NBA's best Center on the Houston Rockets. He joins James Harden (a superstar in the making) and Jeremy Lin (the guy that fooled us into thinking he could be a superstar). That is the newest "big three" in basketball. If you ask me, that is a pretty underwhelming trio. Jeremy Lin averaged 13 points and 6 assists last season, while shooting 44% from the field. These are very pedestrian numbers for a starting Point Guard in the NBA. Although Dwight Howard is the gaining headlines for his move to Houston, it is worth pointing out that his statistics have been declining. Over the past three seasons, Howard went from averaging 22 points and 14 rebounds to averaging 17 points and 12 rebounds. He also averaged nearly 4 fouls per game last season, meaning Dwight could spend some serious time on the bench this season in foul trouble.
Dwight Howard was not the best fit in Los Angeles. Honestly, he doesn't seem to have the mental makeup to handle the pressure of being a Laker. When a player puts that jersey on he carries a torch that so many other superstars have carried for decades. Although Howard becomes the only superstar to walk away from the Lakers, that just fits his personality. He presents himself as a guy who doesn't want to feel pressure and dislikes expectations placed before him. With the Houston Rockets comes a certain level of anonymity. He follows Hakeem Olajuwon and Yao Ming. No disrespect to Hakeem or Yao intended, but those names pale in comparison to Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O'Neal. That's just to name a few. The lights shine very bright in LA, and Howard is not cut out for that shine.
Dwight has a ragtag group of teammates now, from the unworthy Jeremy Lin to the unproven Chandler Parsons. Beyond Parsons and James Harden, there are no three point shooters. One can only guess (or hope, really) that Rockets' GM Daryl Morey is far from finished constructing this team that is clearly playing for a shot at an NBA Championship. The team presently constructed is still no threat to the best in the West in my estimation. The Rockets have a long way to go before they can earn home court advantage in a playoff series.
As for the team Howard leaves behind, they are playing a farewell tour. Only the aging Steve Nash remains under contract beyond this season. Kobe Bryant will surely return with something to prove in 2014. With the free agent class in 2014 including stars such as Chris Bosh, DeMarcus Cousins, Paul George, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony (potentially), and LeBron James; the Lakers should have no shortage of opportunities to create the next "big three" however they see fit. In truth I would rather tie my future to any one of those players listed above than hitch my wagon to Dwight Howard.
I previously stated that Howard is the best Center in the NBA. What I didn't mention is how starved the NBA is for quality players at that position. This is the golden age of Point Guards, not big men. More and more big men are developing jump shots and shying away from posting up. The days of dominant Centers and Power Forwards down on the block like Shaq are long gone. Sure, Dwight can pretend he is a post up player, but he lacks any real post moves. LeBron James has more post moves than the best Center in the NBA. There is the problem with sinking big money into the front court. There just aren't enough guys who can catch the ball in the paint and get consistent points. Even if Howard developed his post moves, he still cannot hit his free throws. Fouling Howard is a near guarantee that he will miss at least one of his two shots at the charity stripe.
Lakers fans should keep the heads held high and say good riddance to Dwight Howard. His Houston Rocket team does not look poised to hang any more banners than the Lakers this year. The free agency class of 2014 is on its way. The NBA's glamour franchise will make it's presence felt next July.
