Kobe Bryant: 5 Reasons He May Not Mesh Well with Dwight Howard
Since the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs last month, the possibility of Dwight Howard joining the team has been a popular topic of discussion.
Some people, including Magic Johnson, believe adding Howard to the roster would be the smart thing to do.
Thus far, there has been little discussion why Howard shouldn’t come to the Lakers.
Believe it or not, Howard might not be the perfect fit for the Lakers that Bryant and other people believe him to be.
Here are five reasons why Bryant and Howard may not mesh well together.
5. Kobe Bryant Is Serious, While Dwight Howard Is Silly
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Even when the Los Angeles Lakers are winning big, fans can find Kobe Bryant scowling, with his bottom jaw jutted.
Conversely, Dwight Howard can be found with a big smile on his face, showboating for Orlando Magic fans.
Can two starkly different personality types coexist on a team expected to be in championship contention every season?
4. Dwight Howard Has Never Played with a Superstar
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In his seven years with the Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard has been the clear-cut superstar.
It is doubtful that Howard and Kobe Bryant would argue over who was going to get the ball, given their respective skill sets.
However, could Howard rise to the occasion, playing with a demanding, win-at-all-costs teammate?
3. Dwight Howard’s Offense Is Suspect
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Dwight Howard is a career 59-percent free-throw shooter.
Also, Howard does not have a consistent enough offensive game where he can comfortably score with his back to the basket, like other great centers (Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon).
As much as Howard is better than Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom on the defensive end, the trio definitely has the advantage over Howard on the offensive end, both collectively and individually.
With Mike Brown likely to change the Los Angeles Lakers offense, the team will need all of the consistency and familiarity it can get.
2. Kobe Bryant Could Be in Shambles with Los Angeles Lakers' Management
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With the retirement of Phil Jackson, Jim and Jerry Buss now have more control of personnel moves.
There has been no evidence that Kobe Bryant isn’t happy with the Mike Brown hiring. On the other hand, there hasn’t been tons of reassuring praise, either.
Now, let’s pretend management makes a couple of more moves this offseason Kobe does not approve of.
If Dwight Howard does come to the Los Angeles Lakers, he would feel more pressure to perform if the front office and the team’s superstar were on different wavelengths.
1. Dwight Howard Would Become the Future of the Los Angeles Lakers
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Dwight Howard is in the prime of his career at the moment. Kobe Bryant is entering the twilight of his.
Howard would be playing for the Los Angeles Lakers long after Kobe’s skills start to diminish, and he prepares for retirement.
This would likely leave Howard as the team’s No. 1 option. Are Lakers fans confident the team can win championships with Howard as the team’s go-to player?
If they are using his sample size with the Orlando Magic as any indication, probably not.
