Dwight Howard Is An Asshole

So I laid a little wood(chips) on the Magic to win the NBA championship last Sunday at the MGM Grand Sports Book in Las Vegas. I figured at 40-1 odds why not? Who's to say a team with a dominant big man and an arsenal of lethal three point shooters couldn't get hot and go on a run in a wide open field? Unfortunately for me, too much sun and margaritas had gotten in the way of my basketball watching, and I did not do my research before deciding on a dark horse to run with. See I hadn't followed the NBA (sans Knicks games) for the duration of my Cali trip and had no idea of the severity of Dwight's injury, let alone the fact that he had gone down at all.

Now I know what you're thinking. Ten bucks, big deal, and you're absolutely right. But the fact of the matter is that I'm mad at myself for not seeing this one coming. The 2012 Orlando Magic will go down in history as one of the most dysfunction teams of all time, and it is 100% Dwight Howard's fault. First he leaves them in limbo for months before finally advising them to "roll the dice" (this year's version of "taking my talents to") and keep him right before the trade deadline. Only management saw right through that load of crap (Dwight didn't want the Nets to gut their team for him, a la the 2011 Knicks with Carmelo, so he tried persuading the Magic to keep him with the false hope of resigning in June) and gave him the ultimatum of "sign or your gone."

Dwight then halfheartedly agreed to waive his free agency clause, effectively guaranteeing him both another year in Orlando and the exact same negotiation mess next February, if not earlier.  Howard's quick about face helped him save face in Orlando initially, as the team clung steady to the number three seed in the East.

However, behind closed doors all was not well in the Magic Kingdom. Howard had allegedly gone to management and told them that he would no longer play for the them if Stan Van Gundy was the coach. For reasons unbeknownst to anyone, GM Otis Smith then told Van Gundy about Howard's confidential demands. Stan being the mature, veteran, coach that he is, kept his mouth and continued to coach the team as if nothing had happened. Just kidding, he inexplicably told the entire media about the fiasco, burning bridges left and right, leading to the most awkward press conference of all time.



Which leads us to today, where after weeks of speculation that Dwight has made it crystal clear that there's not enough room in town for the both of them, news now breaks that the All-Star center will undergo season ending back surgery tomorrow, ruling him out for the playoffs and this summer's Olympic Games.  Just the icing on the cake for season down the drain.

-fresh (@danye33)

P.S. 100% re-posting this column in ten months when Dwight-drama is all the rage again at the trade deadline.