Thank you, Phil Jackson. Thank you.
The Zen Master has cleared up one of the most not-so-mysterious mysteries in the NBA: Dwight Howard did, in fact, leave the Los Angeles Lakers for the Houston Rockets because of Kobe Bryant.
Mind-melting stuff, I know.
We already knew, for the most part. But there’s something about Jackson saying it that offers some sort of definitive closure that didn’t exist before.
Here’s Jackson, in an autobiographical update, on what happened, via the New York Daily News:
During his postseason interview, Dwight asked for assurance that I would be coming back to coach the team, but Mitch quickly disabused him of that notion. He asked me to back him up on that and not send out a conflicting message. I agreed and told Mitch that I would reach out to Dwight and encourage him to sign with the Lakers. He never answered any of my messages.
…
The Lakers invited Kobe and Steve to the final pitch meeting to help persuade Dwight to come on board. It sounded like a good idea. Steve sent out an amusing tweet before the meeting: “Dwight Howard we’re coming for you. You’re going to love the statue we build for you outside Staples in 20yrs!” And Kobe made a moving speech during the pitch, promising to teach Dwight the secret of winning championships that he’d learned from the best in the game.
If the meeting had ended there, it might have worked. But after the presentation, Dwight asked Kobe what he was planning to do after he recovered from his Achilles injury. Was this going to be his last year? “No,” replied Kobe. “I’m planning to be around for three or four more years.”
At that point, according to others in the room, Dwight’s eyes went blank and he drifted away. In his mind, the game was over.
One has to wonder if Howard wasn’t stoned out of his mind during his end-of-season interview. The Lakers already passed on Jackson once. Why on earth would they fire Mike D’Antoni less than one season into the job for a coach looking at the position through a year-by-year scope? That’s something you should get a kick out of.
If this was before the Lakers hired Mike Brown’s replacement, then fine. Let your voice be heard. Try to make demands. See what happens.
But don’t try to undo something that was just done. That’s not how it works in Laker Land.
Worse, what was Howard expecting from Bryant? Did he really think he was going to retire? He had to know better. That blank stare couldn’t have been one of shock. Perhaps it was one of slight disappointment, knowing that what he already knew was actually true.
Whatever it was, Howard’s decision seems to be have been made then. Once he knew Kobe would cast a shadow over him for the next three or four years, it was over. He was gone. Off to Houston. Ticking James Harden’s beard.
The Lakers, meanwhile, began—and are still—embarking on an extensive rebuild, one that would have been far easier with Howard. But what’s done is done.
Kobe was a deterrent then, he could be one now and might even be a hindrance next summer.
At least by then he’ll only have one more year left in his tank, ensuring that the same blank, glossy, we’re-done-here stare doesn’t wash over Kevin Love’s face.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
