[Stardust]

Dwight Howard's distaste for the offense and approach of coach Mike D'Antoni is widely cited as the biggest trigger in his decision to leave the Los Angeles Lakers. But another key factor that led the All-Star center to the Houston Rockets was the Lakers' refusal to establish a clear timetable for moving on from the Kobe Bryant era, according to sources with knowledge of Howard's thinking.
Sources told ESPN.com that Howard and his representatives -- in a handful of meetings with Lakers officials before he became a free agent July 1 -- strongly suggested the center would have a difficult time re-signing with the team if Bryant stayed with the franchise beyond the 2013-14 season, the final year of his contract.
[INDENT] The Lakers, almost from the moment Howard arrived in August 2012, had gone to great lengths to assure the 27-year-old that they saw him as the future face of the franchise and that the torch would be passed from Bryant to him in short order. But with Bryant saying publicly just a week before free agency that he was thinking of playing at least two or three more seasons, it was hard for Howard to envision when he would assume that role, sources said.
[/INDENT]

But with Bryant saying publicly just a week before free agency that he was thinking of playing at least two or three more seasons, it was hard for Howard to envision when he would assume that role, sources said.


"How can it be Kobe's team and Dwight's team?" one source said. "It was about the passing of the torch."


As an offshoot of those discussions, sources said, Howard's camp at one point asked the Lakers whether they were at least considering releasing Bryant through the league's amnesty provision, since Bryant's return date from Achilles tendon surgery remained in question.

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story...les-lakers

[Aslan]

As a Lakers fan, Howard is not the player I want Kobe passing the torch to.

[Stardust]

^ I agree, let him pass the torch on to Steve Nash!

[zaga_fan]

As a Lakers fan, Howard is not the player I want Kobe passing the torch to.

I would rather pass it to Jordan Farmar

[RunItUpTheGut]

The Lakers should have gotten rid of Kobe back in 08 or 09 when they had the chance.

[tomcatfan722000]

^lakers have 2 rings and 3 finals appearances since then. I think they made the right decision keeping Kobe.

[Stardust]

^ Yeah, that's fair, keep the guy who's career is over versus the guy whose career is getting ready to peak, makes perfectly good sense.....

[baller4lyfe]

It's amazing how many people hate on Kobe on this website.

Fact of the matter is that Kobe has done much more for the Lakers franchise than Duhwhite "I'm entitled to everything" Howard.

[RunItUpTheGut]

^
Nobody likes Howard either, its just that Kobe is the most overratted player to play the game.

[zaga_fan]

It's amazing how many people hate on Kobe on this website.

Fact of the matter is that Kobe has done much more for the Lakers franchise than Duhwhite "I'm entitled to everything" Howard.

He's not the greatest player ever, Laker fans admit it, but he is treated like the lowest of the lows on BGR.

I just don't see how you can see how hard the guy works, watch him try to take over games, listen to him talk about his passion for the game and then just spit hate on him all day.

[Aslan]

^Everybody hates or loves the best. Kobe is the greatest player of his generation, so there's no middle ground when it comes to him.
You love somebody you defend them to no end. You hate them everything they do is overlooked, overrated, and criticized.

[RunItUpTheGut]

^
We give him full credit for his sexual assault case.

[zaga_fan]

^
We give him full credit for his sexual assault case.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articl...t_dropped/

[E's Army]

It would have been his first pass.

[KCMS COACH]

Lol!!! For sure his first pass!! What a self centered person