What do you think about Dwight Howard joining the Lakers? he's the next Superstar Center to join them

[Anonymous]

Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal(better known as Shaq), and now Dwight Howard, seriously, the Lakers are like the Yankees of the NBA, Professional Basketball, both franchises play in huge markets, both have a rich history, legacy of championships, always being able to acquire superstar players through trades and free-agency, etc.

I will admit when I found out it happend, I was pretty pissed, angry since I hate the Lakers, but at the same-time, was not surprised, kinda knew it was bound to happen.

Updates

+1 y

how come the Miami Heat are still more hated than the Lakers? the Lakers have a history of acquiring, luring superstar players away from other teams

[TimePhantom]

I think it is ridiculous. This is exactly the reason I was so pissed that the league didn't get a hard cap during the lockout. Teams like the Lakers, Heat, Knicks. They can virtually assemble any team they want because they can pay the players what they want and can pay the luxury tax also. So now we have an extremely polarized league. Great if you are a fan of the Lakers, Heat, Bulls, Celtics, Thunder. Absolutely awful for the rest of the league. Like what is the point of the other teams even playing? Just have the Lakers and Heat play for the championship right now. The league is very screwed up now that we have created this super team culture. Even if lower seed teams draft young talent. All this has shown them is that they have to put in their 3 years with the team that drafted them. Then they can bolt to one of the huge salary cap teams. Even if they're still under contract, guys like Dwight and Carmelo have set examples of being able to pick the team you want to be traded to, then whining until they give you what you want.

I know the league is getting great viewer numbers recently, but I can see this really biting them in the ass in about a year. Now that the Heat have won, the universal hatred has kind of died down. The shimmer of this new Lakers team will be over be the end of this season at the latest. Then what? Nobody is going to watch the regular season anymore because there is no point. All the playoffs spots are already locked up.

[TheStaff_Sergeant]

Teams that are in huge markets should be able to pay the players that they want, as long as they pay the luxury tax if they go over the allotted cap space. I don't thik there should be a hard cap because small market teams will hold some great players from winning championships. Lebron wouldn't have won in Cleveland and neither would have K.G. won if he would have stayed in MN. Sure, a hard cap may benefit certain teams, but if you eliminate the super teams, then the overall product would suffer.

[TimePhantom]

I disagree. Having a hard cap would make a more balanced and competitive league. How are people in small market cities supposed to feel when they know they simply cannot compete on a financial level with large market teams? Why don't we just have a league with only large market teams if they're the only ones who can afford to put together a championship lineup? What's going to happen is all those small market cities will grow tired of never having a chance at a championship and they'll stop

[TimePhantom]

watching. It may be a fun thing to build a super team now. But in a year or so when half the league is not even in the picture anymore, it's going to fall off hard. Look at the NFL and NHL, those leagues are more balanced and several teams from small markets are able to compete. Teams should be built up through the draft IMO. Not simply bought. OKC is a great example, while other teams like LA don't have to care about the draft at all.

[TheStaff_Sergeant]

I agree. Teams should be primarily built through draft, but ultimately, it should be left up to the player where he decides to play when the market becomes available to him. If a team isn't marketable or busines savy, then players aren't going to want to stay. A players brand and income can reflect the market his team is in, that's why famous players prefer big markets. Same reason why big actors prefer big budget films, a bigger audience which can lead to more fame and opputunity, which = more $

[TimePhantom]

That is exactly the problem though. If we keep giving the players everything they want, then nearly all of them are going to choose the big market team. Which will leave a league where only NY, LA, Miami, Boston, Chicago are relevant. Players have lost the team loyalty they once had, it's all about the money now. Players have no problem ditching the team they got drafted on for greener pastures. Lets face it, players have become greedy. Do they NEED that max contract? Of course not

[TheStaff_Sergeant]

When a player can't play or gets old, he doesn't get resigned. So, now at the end of his career and out of his prime, he has to try to go to a contender to win. Teams don't have loyalty to the players either. They fill the seats and use the players name to bring fans and revenue in, but will cut ties with a second if he's not profitable enough for them. What goes around comes around. Yes, they need max contracts because marquee players deserve a percentage of the revenue that the league brings in

[TheStaff_Sergeant]

Whatever the agreed percentage is, then that's what they shoud get. Owners and endorsers shouldn't be the only one benefiting from a players fame and maketablity.

[Lj236]

i hate the lakers so I don't like it lol

[Lj236]

thats cause they hate how good lebron is lol ;p

[TheStaff_Sergeant]

I'm a Miami Heat fan, naturally, since I live in Florida. Now to answer your question, the Lakers acquiring Dwight Howard is nothing short of brilliant. It continues to amaze me how the Lakers repeatedly negotiate and trade to get great players without losing quality players. Losing Kwame Brown and gaining Pau Gasol...give me a break...and now this. This trade may have made the Lakers the favorite to win it all, and may have put them in a position to win for a very along time to come. I guess greatness attracts greatness, or luck.

[Asker]

i'm glad the Heat won the Championship this year!, because I really wanted LeBron to finally get the monkey off his back!, silence and shut up his critics, haters!, mockers!, no more 4th-quarter jokes, no more ringless jokes

[TheStaff_Sergeant]

I'm with you on that. I'm big believer that being successful is the best way to silence haters, LBJ did that while showing class in the process.

[moviedude714]

as a Laker Hater, it pisses me off!

[Anonymous]

not surprised, but at the same time, quite pissed

[Anonymous]

pretty angry, I despise the Lakers