Free-agent center Dwight Howard remains leery of franchise star Kobe Bryant and notoriously stubborn coach Mike D’Antoni, putting his return to the Lakers and L.A. in perilous uncertainty.
The L.A. Times is reporting even Howard’s father, Dwight Sr., sees D’Antoni as a “problem,” with the thinking being his up-tempo, quick-trigger offense does not play to Howard’s power game, around the basket strengths.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also recently quoted Howard Sr. as saying “Dwight is probably looking at the coach, thinking, ‘what are you going to do?’”
Howard officially becomes a free agent on July 1, and, given salary cap policies and restrictions, the Lakers can pay him some $30 million more than any other suitor. Still, that hasn’t done much to quell Howard’s apparent interest in testing the market.
Houston, New Jersey, Dallas and his hometown team of Atlanta have all made their interest known, with Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki even telling the Dallas Morning News he would be willing to restructure his contract to earn less in order to make a better run at Howard.
No matter who Howard talks to, Bryant recently told ESPN he plans to have the final word with him in a last-ditch effort to keep him in L.A. If Howard’s latest hints are any true words indicator that may be easier said than done if D’Antoni remains part of the equation.
When The Times recently asked him to assess his coach’s abilities, Howard would only respond “he’s a great person.”
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