At Least 1 Dwight Howard 'Stay' Billboard Has Yet to Be Taken Down by Lakers

They hang above the heads of perturbed Angelenos as a reminder of their favorite team's futility. They are the Dwight Howard "Stay" billboards, and they are now as out-of-date as they are lame. 

Hell, they could always sell them to the public as hipster billboards to make those in Silverlake happy. 

Word of the Lakers' laziness (apathy?) comes from the Golden State Warriors' David Lee. Ben Chew of That NBA Lottery Pick spotted the following Instagram picture taken by Lee, who passed by Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles on Monday. 

Howard left for the Houston Rockets on Friday. 

I will assume the Lakers were far too busy rebuilding their brand and roster with the addition of Chris Kaman. 

Now that the Purple and Gold have completely satisfied their contingent of fans with the Kaman signing, they can concentrate on cleaning up the mess they left in the days leading up to Howard packing up his bags and taking off to Houston. 

Oh, how the mighty have stumbled and bumbled to the depths of humility. 

Every team has to go through the pangs of rebuilding its empire. Even the Lakers had to reload during Kobe Bryant's tenure, notching a humble 34-48 record in 2005 before climbing back to the top of the NBA. 

This time feels different though. 

Like a boyfriend doing his best to keep his hot girlfriend from leaving him, the Lakers plastered "Stay" billboards around Los Angeles like bouquet flowers peppering a once happy home. 

Of course, Howard left for grass that was greener, younger and unfettered by Mike D'Antoni pesticide. I just have no clue how Howard could say no to those lovely signs that really should have featured Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak on their hands and knees pleading with the center. 

The Lakers, as many teams have had to in the past, will take apart the roster and reassemble into a more formidable foe.

Sometimes you have to raze the team before you can raise a banner. Still, no person bleeding purple and gold fathomed a demolition to the team's image. 

The great talent didn't stay, and the storied franchise was dealt a sad ending. It's time to take down those billboards so some other sign can take its place: perhaps an ad for a divorce lawyer or mortuary services. 

Either would be far less depressing. 

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