Dwight Howard’s diva tendencies are not a good sign
Orlando has lost four straight and Dwight Howard looks like he has checked out, which can't please coach Stan Van Gundy. (AP photo)
Dwight Howard is good. Really good. He is one of the five best players in the world. He is the best center in the world. He is so good that he is in that special I-only-need-one-damn-name-because-THAT’S-how-good-I-am category. (Others: LeBron, Kobe, Dwyane.)
But here’s another thing about Dwight Howard, superstar, Olympian, Atlanta native, solid citizen, blahblahblah: He has jumped the rails. He can – and almost certainly will – opt out of his contract with the Orlando Magic following this season, assuming the team doesn’t trade him before that happens.
The Magic should have dealt Howard before the season. They have not handled this situation well, and now the Magic appear in the midst of an early-season crumble, having lost four straight and six of eight. But there’s one person who looks worse than anybody in the Orlando front office right now, and that’s Howard himself.
On Friday, he criticized his teammates after a 93-67 loss to the New Orleans Hornets, then 3-15. Quoting: “I look at guys and they don’t look like they want to play. “I told them at halftime, ‘If you don’t want to play, just stay in the locker room, because it don’t make sense for a team who we should beat to just demolish us.’”
He was right, of course. Nobody figured New Orleans would body slam Orlando, least of all anybody in New Orleans. The problem is that when it has become clear that a player has one foot out the door himself, he is no position to preach anything about resolve and team unity.
Consider: That same Howard who hammered his teammates for not having any team pride then turned around and told the Chicago Tribune he would be open to playing for the Bulls. “If I could play with Derrick [Rose] right now and God wanted that to happen, it will happen,” he said. “I love him. That’s my brother.”
Punctuation: Those comments to a Tribune reporter came the same night in New Orleans when Howard ripped his teammates (the Tribune didn’t report them until Monday morning). Seriously?
In the two games since, Howard has shot 4-for-15 and 5-for-13 from the free-throw line. Seems to me somebody needs to call him out.
Howard already has listed the Los Angeles Lakers, New Jersey, Dallas and, more recently, the Clippers as desired destinations. He has leverage because, while the Magic can trade him, no team is going to be willing to give up significant assets in a deal without assurances that Howard will sign a contract extension (or at the very least opt in for one more season on his contract).
The problem is the way Howard has handled this. He has openly asked for a trade. He has openly spoken of potential destinations. He has done things that even LeBron James didn’t do in his final season in Cleveland. For as much as James was hammered, he said very little about his free-agency plans (although there was the curious timing of the new Nike LeBron VII Low in December 2009, which had the “I Love New York” logo on the bottom).
Like Howard, James was asked about free agency in every city, but he generally declined comment.
Does this mean there will be less of a market for Howard? No. His talents compensate for all diva-tendencies in the minds of every NBA owner and general manager. That includes the Hawks.
But Howard’s act has not gone unnoticed around the league, and it’s fair to suggest that some are at least starting to wonder where his head is at.
James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh drew criticism for orchestrating their free-agency Mapquest ending in Miami, but they handled the season better than Howard has. If you doubt that, just look at what has happened to the Magic.
By Jeff Schultz
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110 comments Add your comment
Najeh Davenpoop
January 31st, 2012
6:35 pm
“How many titles have they won in this town again?”
How many titles have the worthless, overhyped Falcons who get ten articles written about them every week won?
The Braves haven’t won a playoff series in 10 years. The Falcons haven’t won a playoff game since Vick was starting. The Thrashers don’t exist. The Hawks have made it to the 2nd round 3 years in a row. Maybe that says more about the state of Atlanta sports than anything, but the fact remains: the Hawks are the best team in Atlanta, and have been for a good five years now.
Rick James
January 31st, 2012
6:52 pm
While he’s productive the Hawks should ship Marvi Williams to the Celtics for what left of Kevin Garnett..Forget Dwight Howard he’s obviously a cancer when things dont go his way.What happened to that choir boy persona?
phil
January 31st, 2012
7:54 pm
I noticed in highlights the last few games that Howard had stopped playing.
Suspend his worthless ass without pay.
Why would we want the bum in Atlanta? We have enough problems as it is with whiny, pouty joe johnson and josh smith….
LOL @ ASG
January 31st, 2012
8:56 pm
The answer is the Hawks have won zero titles. The Falcons get talked about because football will always be more popular than basketball.
Now shut the hell up about the Hawks. They’re losers just like all our teams.
NYG all the way baby!
January 31st, 2012
9:01 pm
Hahahaha, the Hawks have won as many championships as the Thrashers! Thank about that! At least your Falcons won a division last year. When’s the last time the Hawks did that? Congratulations, Loserville!
kbb
January 31st, 2012
9:26 pm
Most of the Bubbas that troll the Hawks boards live 55 minutes away from the city, and root for a team that hasn’t won anything since friggin 1981 and walk around with their chests stuck out like they are the Alabama Crimson Tide. They say things like “who cares, its the NBA” or “who wants to watch those THUGS? When ironically the Saint Richt Do things the Right Way THUGA Bulldogs average an arrest per week. If the NBA is SO full of thugs, tell me when is the last time that a Hawk was arrested. I will wait.
TheAntiMe
January 31st, 2012
9:28 pm
It really doesn’t matter, in the long run, how much of a diva Dwight Howard proves himself to be. By this time next season Dwight Howard will have been traded to a team of his liking and will have signed a long-term contract with that team and will be back to playing better than he ever has.
Doug
January 31st, 2012
9:37 pm
Negativity trumps and thwarts talent. Being paid big dollars for talent doesn’t trump or thwart negativity. Negativity is the black hole in sports and actually in life.
Just saying..
January 31st, 2012
9:48 pm
It’s really instructive to watch Dwight’s on-the-sleeve emotional reactions during a game, and the complete lack of same from Rose or Wade. Josh (who IS getting better) and Dwight on the same court? Academy Awards rehearsal.
Tree Rollins, Walt Bellamy...we need a center!
January 31st, 2012
9:50 pm
It’s the NBA !!!
WHO CARES !!!!
Arnold Ziffel
January 31st, 2012
9:56 pm
Najeh Davenpoop= one of the incompetent ASG fools trying to drum up business for the team that was sold……I mean not for sale.
Jeff Schultz
January 31st, 2012
10:06 pm
Najeh — I’ve written about the Hawks and have a few more column ideas on them, just as soon as they come home from this road trip. As for why I’m writing on Howard, he’s a player of tremendous interest and he’s from Atlanta.
Jeff Schultz
January 31st, 2012
10:11 pm
Honest Abe (and others): Somebody in league summed it up to me this way: Stars used to say, “Build around me. Let’s build a championship.” Now they say, “Let’s go there and win a championship.” The obvious exception to this is Dwyane Wade, who convinced LeBron and Bosh to go to Miami.
Jeff Schultz
January 31st, 2012
10:13 pm
Rollo Lawson — I’d love it if the Hawks pursued a center but we all know the situation and it’s been written: They’re at the cap, they’re not going to pay the tax and now even their ability to make a trade is hurt by the fact that arguably their most tradeable asset, Al Horford, is injured. So what else are you looking for?
Jeff Schultz
January 31st, 2012
10:13 pm
Child Please — Thanks. I think as much Dwight is casting himself as team guy, he’s clearly a me guy right now.
Jeff Schultz
January 31st, 2012
10:15 pm
Big Crimson — Again, Al Horford is injured. Orlando is not going to make a trade for an injured player and, that aside, Howard is given zero indication he wants to come here or would sign an extension.
Jeff Schultz
January 31st, 2012
10:17 pm
MV7 — Thanks, I’ll get right on that Vick column. I’m sure that would please the masses.
JChikara
January 31st, 2012
10:19 pm
Jeff makes a good point. Yes the Hawks are doing well but haven’t they been in this position before, only to come up short against the boys of the NBA? Besides, it’s all about what they do in the postseason that counts, not what they do in January. Hawks need to stay under the radar so when they do begin to finally beat teams like Chicago and Miami and reach the Eastern Conference Finals, then they will have earned respect.
Orlando was dumb not to trade Howard, as this issue has already hurt their season (not that i’m complaining) and people realize that he isn’t the leader that can win a championship.
Rollo lawson
January 31st, 2012
10:28 pm
Schultz, nevermind!
joe
January 31st, 2012
10:30 pm
the hawks don’t need ,i am sorry,HOWARD.They need,1 a leader 2 a coach 3 a better than average center.
BravesFan79
January 31st, 2012
10:34 pm
Its sad to see him turn into more of a Lebron than a David Robinson (loyal teamate, never give up). I still like him alot more than overrated Blake Griffin tho. Plus hes from the A, he should give Teague and guys a try. The Hawks could win the East / Title with him.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
January 31st, 2012
10:39 pm
AMNESTY ASG
BravesFan79
January 31st, 2012
10:45 pm
Marvin Williams for KG? I Like that trade! Ill take Ray Allen for Kurt while were at it.
drmaryb (*_*)
January 31st, 2012
11:21 pm
And Jason Collins for LeBron James!
MV7
January 31st, 2012
11:24 pm
A Vick article would be great Schultz! Come on man! All the bubbas would get mad but hey they have nothing else to do except blame Latinos for taking their jobs!
Greg
January 31st, 2012
11:36 pm
The Hawks have won two playoff series in the past 5 years against mediocre Bucks and Heat teams that pushed them to the limit despite being seeded lower than the Hawks.
They just completed 4-1 road trip was nice on the surface, but when you delve into the details it was a matter of the Hawks disposing of 4 really bad teams(combined record of 24 wins and 62 losses) and getting whipped by the one good team they played in San Antonio.
Nobody takes the Hawks seriously because their M.O. Is to whip up on the league’s weak sisters and fold like the pretenders they are when playing the league’s elite teams. When the Hawks achieve a top 2 seed or actually beat one of those elite teams in a playoff series, then they’ll be taken seriously.
The Falcons have had 4 straight winning seasons and went 13-3 last season to take the NFC’s #1 seed heading into the playoffs. The difference between the Hawks and The Braves/Falcons is that the Hawks are the one of those 3 teams that have the least hope of actually competing for and winning a title….unless you are delusional enough to think Joe Johnson, Jeff Teague and Josh Smith are going to lead them to the promised land(I laughed out loud just typing that). Who doesn’t make the playoffs in the NBA? That is a very minor accomplishment. Wake me up when they do something that matters in the big picture of the NBA.
teedub
February 1st, 2012
12:16 am
@Greg – you should watch this team before you post about them. You comments suggest that you haven’t. The Hawks gave CHI all they wanted last year, and have seriously upgraded the bench this year. Last years team would have lost at least two of these past 5 road games, if not more. This team has more resolve, they play together (on most nights), and appear to be trusting each other. Bench and chemistry are vital to playoff success.
How in the world can you say the Falcons or Braves have more hope? Face it man, the Falcons have embarrassed us two years running in the playoffs, and the Braves are a disaster.
Slimjr
February 1st, 2012
12:30 am
The Hawks have won more playoffs games in the last four years than The Fal-cons and Busters(Braves) combined……
Take that Larry Love Lace! You clueless clown……
CGD..
February 1st, 2012
12:37 am
The Fal-cons will never when a playoff game with this throwback, overrated, non- athletic, noddle armed QB…….He aint the one Grasshopper!
kbb
February 1st, 2012
1:15 am
Greg Wrote:
Nobody takes the Hawks seriously because their M.O. Is to whip up on the league’s weak sisters and fold like the pretenders they are when playing the league’s elite teams.
Umm Greg, isn’t that the M.O. of The Atlanta Falcons as well? They have folded against the leagues elite teams in the playoffs since Matty “Ice” arrived and they fold 85% of the times against the elite teams in the regular season as well. The Falcons beat ONE team that made the playoffs this year and TWO teams that had winning records. The Falcons look like contenders against the Bucs, Manning-less Colts, and Vikings……but against the Saints and GB? HA HA HA HA HA!!
childrojc
February 1st, 2012
2:01 am
Dwight Howard should be ashamed of how unprofessional he has acted in this whole situation. My main problem is that Orlando did everything they could do to remain competitive in the last 6 years and brought in players to try to contend but Howard acts as if they have done nothing to help the cause. If Howard is so disgruntled with Orlando he should shut his mouth suck it up and play the rest of the year without making statements about wanting to play somewhere else and choose his new club next year. I also believe that professional sports should have rules to protect owners/organizations from having to pay to get rid of athletes such as Stephon Marbury and other cancerous players who profit from becoming a disruption and a bad example.
P.S. I don’t think “SUPERMAN” ever bitched about the city he was helping or his supporting cast !
Jesus Christ
February 1st, 2012
4:07 am
If Howard was playing in the 80’s, he would be the 6th best center, behind my pal Moses, Patrick, Parrish, a healthy Walton, Hakeem, etc. And to include LeBron in such high esteem is a bit silly as well. AS Jordan said, Kobe is the only superstar among the three. Howard and LeBron are mostly hype. Those two along with Griffin may want to learn how to make a free throw rather than concerning themselves with dunks.
jroll1
February 1st, 2012
8:03 am
If your team is getting killed with you, why should a team give up their quality assests to get you and keep getting killed??? Dwight is a far cry from the kid who left high school wanting to change the NBA logo from Jerry West to the cross!
Double Zero Eight
February 1st, 2012
8:16 am
Dwight has outgrown Orlando. It is obvious
they will not contend for a title or a conference
championship. The trades made last year were
a debacle for the Magic. The NBA is a business,
He can go elsewhere and make “mega bucks”.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 1st, 2012
10:06 am
“The difference between the Hawks and The Braves/Falcons is that the Hawks are the one of those 3 teams that have the least hope of actually competing for and winning a title….unless you are delusional enough to think Joe Johnson, Jeff Teague and Josh Smith are going to lead them to the promised land(I laughed out loud just typing that).”
In general, baseball teams and football teams have a better chance at competing for a title than basketball teams do, because baseball and football teams don’t require superstars to do so. So from that point of view, you can make the argument that the Braves and Falcons have a better shot just because of the way the sport and the league is structured.
But specific to ATL sports teams, the Braves and Falcons don’t have a better shot than the Hawks. Yes, it is unlikely that Joe Johnson/Josh Smith/Jeff Teague lead the Hawks to the promised land, but the Braves’ and Falcons’ key players are not as good as those three relative to other players at their positions. Maybe that says more about the Braves and Falcons than it does about the Hawks, but neither of those teams has shown they have a better chance.
PMC
February 1st, 2012
10:11 am
All you have to do to get more Hawks talk is start calling/texting and writing about them guys. Demand it.
Ed G
February 1st, 2012
10:15 am
Now you should do an article on how Steve Nash is the anti-Dwight.
bfred
February 1st, 2012
10:18 am
The NBA under David Stern has done this to itself. The league markets players first with teams as an afterthought. It drives the league nuts when team-oriented play featuring fundamentally sound players (e.g. 2011 Mavericks with Nowitski over the Heat or the 2004 Pistons, a defense-first team, over the Lakers) beats the superstars. Why should the players act any differently? Their own league has made a handful of individual stars the entire focus of the game!
“Tonight, the LeBrons against the Griffins in a can’t-miss matchup!”
Ed G
February 1st, 2012
10:21 am
Enter your comments here
Arnold Ziffel
February 1st, 2012
10:21 am
Why fans don’t care about the Hawks. (This is just a sampling of the asinine moves made by the spirit)
Billy Knight- missed on more draft picks than I can count. Out of work since leaving ATL.
Mike Woodson- mediocre coach came on the cheap. Out of work since leaving ATL
Sheldon Williams- wasted pick and backup player on new team each year
Marvin Williams- wasted pick. I won’t even get into who we could have had.
Josh Smith- undisciplined and should have been packaged in a trade by now
Joe Johnson- are you kidding? Guy flicks off fans and gets more money than Dwight and Lebron
Speedy Claxton- was supposed to be the savior. Yeah right!
bfred
February 1st, 2012
10:23 am
Oh, and these players need better representation, or at least to listen to the advice they get. If Dwight doesn’t have someone telling him the best way to get what he wants is to play hard, keep his mouth shut and, if there is a short list, keep it between him and management, then no wonder he’s publicly flopping around like this. I do think he’s hurt his value, and at the end of the day isn’t that all he has to shopp right now?
bfred
February 1st, 2012
10:31 am
Arnold Ziffel – You can lay all those complaints at the feet of ownership, with the possible exception of Smith’s discipline (which has improved dramatically this year – you can’t honestly tell me you don’t like the way he’s playing). Bad picks, poor coaching choices, max contracts. It’s insane and pathetic that the main thing holding back a city’s support for a very good team is universal hatred of its ownership. That group of @ssclowns should never have been allowed by the NHL to buy a franchise for $8 million down (between six people!) and I put the Thrashers’ demise squarely on the ASG’s shoulders as well. A professional sports franchise should demand excellence from all involved and the ASG obviously doesn’t give a flip.
Arnold Ziffel
February 1st, 2012
10:54 am
Bfred- Josh is playing well this year but we all know his history. When the chips are down, my bet is on Josh to revert back to running around the court throwing up 25 foot jumpers. I hope he proves me wrong. Bottom line is this team is not built to win a championship as ASG continues to make terrible choices on players, coaches, and GMs. They’re cheap as all get out- look no further than their coaching hires- but will surprise you by overpaying a guy like Joe Johnson who just flicked off the fan base. You see how that’s worked out as far as filling the seats. ASG are incompetent owners who feel that lying to their fans is ok. What they’ve done here is a PR disaster that should be documented and taught in colleges as to how not to run a business. I won’t support anything they’re involved in. Hawks have deal with NBA to stay in ATL until bonds are paid off for Philips arena so ASG are the ones who lose until they sell the team.
bfred
February 1st, 2012
11:23 am
Zifel, sounds like we’re circling to the same thing, much of the apathy towards the Hawks is the fault of an embarassing ownership group. I have my fingers crossed on Josh.
KBP
February 1st, 2012
11:27 am
It would be great if Dwight did not call his teammates out publically and also not talk about playing for other teams publically. I have no problem with him wanting to go a team where he feels he could win right away as opposed to Orlando building a championship team around him. They have had 6 years to do that. I do not recall any criticism for KG and Ray Allen for going to Boston. They were lauded for “laying their egos aside” to come together to win a championship. KG could not lead Minnesota nor could Ray lead Seattle nor Paul lead Boston to a championship. Together they won. They set the pattern. Lebron, Bosh, and Wade are following it. Now Dwight wants the same thing. I do not question his competitiveness because of that. Jordan, Bird, Barkley, sportswriters and some fans question these guys competitiveness. Dwight, keep your mouth shut and sign with the team that you want to sign with. Team ownership perpetuates divas and they get what they deserve.
DocDawg
February 1st, 2012
11:40 am
Najeh, the Hawks have a clearly defined ceiling, they are not getting out of the 2nd round. The Falcons (and NFL teams in general) have a chance to get hot during the playoffs and run the table. That being said, the AJC’s coverage of the Hawks is absolutely abysmal. They didn’t even send the beat writer to two games of the recent road trip. The only thing conceivably worse is the Hawks ownership. This should be an NBA mecca with top talent beating down the doors to play here.
Brandon
February 1st, 2012
12:38 pm
It’s scary how gullible some of the Hawks fans here are–buying onto the 15-6 regular season record and the current make-up of the roster as championship material is sad. It’s also part of the reason why towns like NYC, Boston, L.A., etc. win championships and the ATL doesn’t. I am a season ticket holder and have watched the Hawks play. They are 2nd round and done material with the same old problems. They are dumb, Joe Johnson is not a #1, they don’t play team bball, and the bench isn’t great. If people really think that McGreedy, Radmonivich et al will look good against the top tier teams, they’re crazy, and of course the Hawks look good now–they are young, athletic and again, it’s the regular season. When it counts, Josh will revert to launching ill advised 20 footers, Joe will shoot sub 40% and Teague will miss key free throws. They should OF COURSE look into trading for Dwight Howard, a top 10 sure-fire player. It’s an L.A., Boston, Chicago-type move, but as others have said, it won’t happen. The “solid” Al Horford will supposedly be untouchable and they won’t give up the extra #1 pick along with Marvin. It’s a shame bc Howard is a piece that CHI and MIA don’t have and it would create an instant mismatch.
doug dawg
February 1st, 2012
12:48 pm
who cares about basketball? it is national signing day for the college football scene. who cares?
Mike
February 1st, 2012
12:56 pm
IDK, Jeff. Regardless of Howard’s intentions or earlier comments, he was absolutely right to call out his team. Ironically, Howard has been criticized in the past for not being more of a vocal leader. These sort of call outs are what leaders do. They hold the team accountable and will get in their face when they need to.
The players around Howard are professionals too. They basically mailed that game in and didnt show up for a punchless Hornets squad. Why would Howard want to stay around if the team has already quit?
Dont forget, Lebron got a lot of criticism for that playoff loss his final year in Cleveland. he was labeled a quitter before he even got to the “decision”. Kobe whined quite a bit and called his team out publicly before Jackson came back for his second stint in LA. It sort of comes with the territory when you have a young top talent like Lebron or Howard. Even Jordan had to be convinced by Phil Jackson to stay in Chicago.
Rodster
February 1st, 2012
1:37 pm
He’s a front runner and an A hole. It’s an insult to diva’s to call him a diva. He is not going to put any teams on his back and carry them to a championship.