Not surprised by this.
I don’t want to go all Royce White on you, but I believe Dwight Howard has some core emotional problems that will make it unrealistic for him to be happy anywhere long-term, especially in Los Angeles.
Never trust anyone who always blames others, doesn’t acknowledge their kids and never accepts the responsibility that they might be the problem. Dwight Howard is a very good player, but is he someone you want leading your franchise over the next 10 years?
Reports from Chris Broussard say that Howard doesn’t like Mike D’Antoni’s system. That he doesn’t feel he’s being utilized correctly. After a season of witnessing Howard’s immaturity firsthand this wouldn’t be surprising, as he seems like the type of person that constantly seeks positive reinforcement. A petulant child stuck in mental adolescence. But there’s more to it.
Yes, the fans.
The fans that have refused to blindly accept him as their own. The fans that are looking for more than just a goofy smile and a missed free throw before throwing their devotion in a player’s corner. The fans who, for better or worse, will remain loyal to their favorite basketball squad. But they do so at a cost.
According to a source, it’s this intensity, this inane desire to be the best, that Howard can’t live up to.
In conversations with Howard, the big man reportedly called L.A. fans “the most unappreciative group of people ever,” going on to say that people in Los Angeles are “ungrateful.”
I said this as soon as Dwight Howard signed with the Lakers, that the expectations might crush him. Being in LA isn’t like Orlando or Houston, they have higher expectations and aren’t fooled by the clown act.
In the end the Lakers and Dwight Howard might be better off getting a divorce. The Lakers need a particular type of superstar. Someone not just talented but strong willed and that isn’t Dwight Howard.