# So now that we've got him, will Dwight stay?



## Luke (Dec 7, 2008)

I say yes. He'll be in a better situation if he does than if he leaves, and he'll be leaving money on the table if he decides to skip town. We're arguably the best market in the world with an awesome front office. Give Howard a few months of L.A. fans kissing his ass and I think he'll feel at home here.


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## Laker Freak (Jul 1, 2003)

Absolutely no chance of him leaving. Has anyone in NBA history ever taken less money to leave Los Angeles or New York? (Serious question for you history buffs) 

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## Cris (Jun 18, 2003)

No one has ever turned down a Max-contract. If he leaves, we'll get something back, but I don't think he will considering how LA is guaranteed to fall in love with him.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)




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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

This front office has proven time and time again that they are willing and able to put together championship teams. That coupled with the fact we can give him the most money too should be more than enough for Dwight to stay.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Would be the biggest shocker since Antonio McDyess left Phoenix for Denver in 1998 if he left.


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

I think he'll stay. Especially if we make it to the finals


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

For all accounts, Howard is a dumbass, but i don't see him skipping town unless he has a nightmare of a season.

Like Kobe said, it's Howard's team in a couple of years. THEN, he can be The Man on the most glorious basketball franchise. and the money's better.


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## Jace (Sep 26, 2005)

Barring something catastrophic, he's staying. Buss/Kuppy knew this, which is why they were fine with Dwight not signing an extension. You put Los Angeles + the most $$$ available in front of a kid like Dwight and he's hypnotized. I don't see him being motivated by winning over glitz and dough. Not saying LA won't still be in contending position, but you never know if a team can work something out to offer him younger star teammates in another good market. Given that choice, I still say Howard sticks with LA, even if Kobe/Nash appear on a steep decline and Pau continues Pau-ting. 

He'll have all the space in the world (no D-Rose) to sell his adidas brand in a humongous market with a tradition of legendary, all-league centers. Team-hopping will be seen as a blemish to his legacy.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Jace said:


> Barring something catastrophic, he's staying. Buss/Kuppy knew this, which is why they were fine with Dwight not signing an extension. You put Los Angeles + the most $$$ available in front of a kid like Dwight and he's hypnotized. I don't see him being motivated by winning over glitz and dough. Not saying LA won't still be in contending position, but you never know if a team can work something out to offer him younger star teammates in another good market. Given that choice, I still say Howard sticks with LA, even if Kobe/Nash appear on a steep decline and Pau continues Pau-ting.
> 
> He'll have all the space in the world (no D-Rose) to sell his adidas brand in a humongous market with a tradition of legendary, all-league centers. *Team-hopping will be seen as a blemish to his legacy*.


That didn't seem to bother Cabron James!


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## seifer0406 (Jun 8, 2003)

i'm pretty sure he's staying. Where can he go next year?


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## ss03 (May 31, 2006)

PauloCatarino said:


> That didn't seem to bother Cabron James!


Switching teams once and team hopping aren't necessarily the same thing... In Dwight's case, he would have whined for a trade, gotten it to perhaps the best media market in the NBA, and then bolted after one season there despite everything that had to happen to get him there. If he really wanted to play with Dallas, he could have played out the year in Orlando and then signed there. 

Dwight has no reason to leave unless he can't stand the LA pressure... Or Kobe.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

> Just listened to Dr. Robert Klapper, chief of orthopedic surgery at Cedar Sinai and ESPN 710's resident expert.
> 
> Some highlights:
> 
> ...


http://forums.lakersground.net/viewtopic.php?t=148925

Some good info about Dwight's back surgery.


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## Adam (Jan 28, 2003)

Just to make this actually questionable (because as the question is posed the answer is 100% yes) let's say they add some provisions into his contract.

Say, he has to wash Jerry Buss's car once a week (by hand) and do Jim Buss's laundry once every two weeks in order to receive the max. Does he do it or does he leave the $30 million or whatever on the table and walk? How about just the car wash?


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

I would do Jim Buss' laundry for free, just hoping to find c-notes that he left in his jeans when he was out getting shit-faced with our new talent scout.


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## Jace (Sep 26, 2005)

Is the new talent scout that hot chick?



PauloCatarino said:


> That didn't seem to bother Cabron James!


I don't remember LeBron joining a "layover" team for a year before coming to the Heat. That's what I'd consider team-hopping. Three uniforms in three seasons.


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## JonMatrix (Apr 8, 2003)

He probably stays in LA, unless he really ends up hating it there or just wants to play in his hometown of Atlanta. He's been friends with Josh Smith since AAU ball. But there weren't many Atlanta rumors, mainly because their front office isn't Orlando's front office. Still, I'd say he probably stays with the Lakers.


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## MojoPin (Oct 10, 2008)

Jace said:


> Is the new talent scout that hot chick?
> 
> 
> 
> I don't remember LeBron joining a "layover" team for a year before coming to the Heat. That's what I'd consider team-hopping. Three uniforms in three seasons.


He's a bartender (I think)


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## 29380 (Feb 23, 2009)

Jace said:


> Is the new talent scout that hot chick?












Lakers scout, assistant general manager of the Los Angeles D-Fenders, and former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders *Bonnie-Jill Laflin
*.


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## MojoPin (Oct 10, 2008)

sweet jesus. I stand corrected.


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## ii9ce (Feb 1, 2005)

She can scout me anytime!


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## JerryWest (Jun 24, 2002)

He's staying 100%.

No team with cap space will have better chance to win. He get's most money with Lakers now with Bird rights.


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## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

Only way we lose him is if the team doesn't gel and has serious chemistry issues. With guys like Nash, Gasol and Jamison on the team...I'd say that's unlikely. All of these guys have made it clear that their main priority is to win, so hopefully we won't have much of an ego problem.

When he becomes a FA and sees that the Lakers can offer the most money, along with a roster of Nash, Kobe and Gasol, it'll be an easy decision. Plus, he'll know that the team's books are all clear the following summer, so they can build a team around him. Carmelo, Rudy Gay, Danny Granger, Dirk, Z-Bo and possibly even Miami's Big 3 will all be Free Agents by then.

The teams that can or will likely have max cap room...
Atlanta
Dallas
Houston
Charlotte
Cleveland
Phoenix
Philadelphia
Detroit
Sacramento
Utah
Orlando
Milwaukee
Toronto

You can rule out basically all of those except for Atlanta, Dallas and Phoenix. Would he leave LAL for any of those three teams? He'd have to be crazy.


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