One team, one dream, one destiny, one prosperity and one loss. In the same way that players produced by championship teams are not boutiques, there will be people who rush to ask for them, and in the same way, players produced by "often defeated divisions" may be snubbed even if they are boutiques. The Lakers missed the play-offs last season, and the Lakers will always be a hot potato. According to Hoopshype statistics, the last 17-man roster of the Lakers last season, 9 people have not yet received NBA official contracts, they are Anthony, Howard, Augustin, Bazemore, Bradley, Ellington, Stanley Johnson, Mason Jones and McClang. Veteran Howard still believes he has the power to fight, but he may have played his last NBA game.
Howard lived to learn and did not want to retire
Turning back the clock to last offseason, Howard, 36, had mixed feelings. Happily, Howard received an olive branch from the Lakers and wore a purple and gold jersey for the third time in his career. The Lakers have many future Hall of Fame members such as Lao Zhan, Thick Eyebrows, Will Shao, Anthony, and Rondo, and Howard has the opportunity to taste the taste of winning the championship again. The worry is that the NBA is not very friendly to him, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of NBA history, but Howard was not selected as one of the 75 stars in NBA history. What's even more incredible is that the thick eyebrows, who were selected as the top 75 stars in NBA history, almost hit Master Huo at the beginning of the regular season. Truth be told, neither the NBA nor Bushy Eyebrows gave Howard enough respect.
The Lakers' championship dream was shattered early, and Howard worked hard and performed remarkably. He played in 60 regular-season games for the Lakers, averaging 16 minutes per game, averaging 6.2 points + 5.9 rebounds + 0.6 assists + 0.6 steals + 0.6 blocks per game, shooting 61.2% from the field, 53.3% from three-point range and 65.8% from the free throw line. Skinny camels are bigger than horses, and Howard can eat cakes efficiently and also has a certain ability to protect the frame. What's even more touching is that Howard lived to learn from age, shooting 8-of-15 from three-point range in a single season, shooting and hitting career highs. But it is undeniable that Howard is no longer reused by the Lakers, and he himself said bluntly in an interview: I want to play, but the Lakers are unwilling to give me this opportunity. Howard is unwilling, and Howard is even more reluctant to retire, he has maintained high-intensity training in the offseason, his physical and competitive condition is great, and his eyes are full of desire to return to the NBA.
Goodbye, NBA, Howard accepted reality
In the small-ball era, the status of traditional centers is getting lower and lower, the 32-year-old Whiteside Whiteside is unemployed, and the old monster, who has reached the age of 37, has not received a contract. Fans expected Howard to return to the Lakers, but the Lakers finally chose two young centers, Jones Jr. and Bryant; Experts said that Howard and the Nets were a perfect fit, but the Nets reporter hurriedly came out to refute the rumors: the Nets had no interest in Howard; The Greens suffered a wave of injuries before training camp began, and they desperately needed to replenish an inside lineman, and Howard once again saw hope for employment, but the Greens ultimately chose Griffin, who was more capable of projecting. Missing the Lakers, missing the Nets, missing the Greens, Howard really wants to say goodbye to the NBA.
Veterans don't die, but veterans will slowly wither, and Howard is already mentally prepared to accept the reality of saying goodbye to the NBA. In his own words: I still want to play, I still like to play, but I feel that there is no team that gives me a chance. If I can't get back to the NBA, if WWE pays more, I'll be serious about being a real wrestler! This may be the step Howard found for himself, or maybe it is Howard's shout and warning to 30 teams - sign quickly, or I will change platforms.
The championship + $250 million is in hand, don't blame the Lakers for being ruthless to you
The new season is getting closer, and the risk of Howard losing his job is getting higher and higher. According to NBA roster Keith Smith, there are only 13 free contracts in the league, of which the Hawks, Hornets, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Warriors, Clippers, Pelicans, Suns, and Trail Blazers each have a standard contract, and the Cavaliers and Trail Blazers each have a two-way contract. Howard will not accept a two-way contract, Howard will not go to the weak team to mess around, and the championship team will mutter: Can Howard still help the team to win the championship? Howard's transformation in the later years of his career was very successful, and his attitude was fine, but it is undeniable that Howard's movement speed has dropped significantly, and it is also difficult to defend against blocking, which is why teams such as the Lakers Nets and Green Army do not give him a chance.
In his 18-year career, Howard has won the regular season rebounding championship 5 times, the regular season block king twice, the DPOY 3 times, the All-Star team 8 times, the All-Star team of the year 8 times, the defensive team of the year 5 times, and the total career salary exceeds $250 million. If there is any regret in Howard's career, it is that his cooperation with Kobe Bryant and Harden, two all-time scoring champions, ended in failure. According to Howard himself, the back surgery he received in 2012 nearly paralyzed him and was a turning point in his career. Fortunately, Howard was not knocked down by injuries and won a championship with the Lakers later in his career! So, Howard, don't blame the Lakers for being ruthless to you, you're already a winner in life! Fans, what do you think about this? Come leave me a comment to discuss.