Dwight Howard:「魔獸人生第三季」 - NBA

Why Dwight Howard's search for a new NBA home continues

By Chris Mannix of The Vertical
Yahoo Sports



Another year, another trade deadline and the never-ending search for stability
for Dwight Howard continues. The Rockets did what they could to move Howard out
of Houston on Thursday, NBA sources told The Vertical, canvassing the league
for offers, plainly instructing teams to submit their best bids. No luck.
Howard is still in Houston, still a Rocket, though with just 27 games remaining
in a forgettable season, those days may officially be numbered.


又經過了一年，又經過了一次交易大限截止日，而由 Dwight Howard 所主演「尋找棲息
地」的連續劇依然持續播放。根據聯盟消息，休士頓火箭在台北時間星期五凌晨4點以前，
嘗試了他們所能做，挨家挨戶地去尋找 Howard 的買主，開門見山地要求對方直接開出手
上最好的價碼。事與願違，Howard 仍留在休士頓，仍然是火箭隊的一員，在一個不值得紀
念的賽季，剩下的27場比賽可能將會是在這裡最後的幾場身影。


The gap between what the Rockets wanted and what teams offered for Howard was
considerable, for two reasons: Howard, 30, can be a free agent at the end of
the season, and he will likely seek a contract worth north of $20 million per
year. Howard has been healthy for most of this season, yet concerns about a
once-debilitating back injury linger. And while executives admit Howard is
better than the pedestrian scorer (14.6 points per game) he has morphed into
alongside James Harden, you are hard-pressed to find many willing to mortgage
the future of the franchise to go get him.


火箭方與其他開價想買 Howard 球隊之間的落差有兩個可以探討的主因: 1. Howard 30歲了
可以選擇在本季結束後，恢復自由球員之身；還有他將有可能尋找一份平均 $20M/y 價值的
合約。雖然 Howard 本季大部分而言是健康的，但是也考量到曾嚴重弱化戰力的背傷還在。
還有雖然大部分的買家一致認為 Howard 在與 James Harden共存的情況下，還是擁有優於
一般水準的得分能力(本季平均14.6分)，但你就是很難在一定的財務限制下，找到一個願意
拿未來來賭他的人。


Picking on Howard is easy, sporting even. He's the guy who smiles too much,
goofs around too often, who appears to play with the same fire as headband-clad
hackers do in rec league games. He's the guy who drove Stan Van Gundy out of
Orlando, pissed off Kobe Bryant and drew the ire of Kevin Durant. He irritates
winners more than he tries to become one.


找到挑剔 Howard 的地方不難。他是個成天笑個不停、犯傻不停的人，活像是個帶著頭戴
跑去打 rec league(recreational league)比賽的傢伙。他也是把 Stan Van Gundy 弄到
被炒魷魚、激怒老大 Kobe Bryant 還讓 Kevin Durant 氣到冒煙的傢伙。他去惹怒那些
贏家的能力，看起來大於他想要成為贏家的本事。


But really: Is he that terrible? In an off year, one that has seen his shot
attempts dip to rookie-year levels, Howard is third in the NBA in rebounding
and field-goal percentage. He's not an automatic double-team anymore but he's a
difficult cover in the post and a load to keep off the glass. Mock him,
belittle him, but good luck finding six or seven true centers better than him.


但說真的: 這有這麼嚴重嗎？雖然在低潮受傷的那一年，他投籃的次數比起秀年還低(2014-
15出賽29場，FGA:423次 vs 2004-05 677次但是出賽了82場) Dwight Howard依然繳出3th的
籃板(10.5 Rebs)和投籃命中率(FG%:59.3%)的成績。他不再是過去那個會讓對手自動包夾的
猛獸，但他在禁區一樣難以單防，且依然擁有擦板得分的能力。即便在怎麼酸他、小看他，
但去聯盟中晃一圈看看能不能找到6-7個純中鋒比更他好的？


Houston would like nothing more than to move forward with Howard and Harden as
cornerstones, to use the pair to lure a marquee free agent like Durant, to
assemble an All-Star team that can compete with the one blitzing the league in
Golden State. But the Rockets understand: The relationship between Howard and
Harden has become increasingly unsalvageable. Howard has never whispered a word
about wanting out of Houston, about any disdain for Harden, but the lack of
on-court chemistry between the two is obvious. Howard still craves a bigger
role, and it's hard to see that materializing in Houston.


休士頓方面原本不求他想，只求可以以 Howard + Harden 的基石組合發展，用這一對去
吸引像是自由球員的大物:Kevin Durant，做「新三巨頭」的美夢，期待能與以快打旋風的
小球戰術席捲整個聯盟的勇士分庭抗禮。


There won't be an elaborate courtship of Howard, but make no mistake: Teams
will come calling. Not being interested in forking over young players and picks
for Howard is a lot different than throwing some decent money at him. Take
Boston. The Celtics were involved in the Howard sweepstakes, league sources
told The Vertical, but, like everyone else, were not interested in paying
Houston's price. Yet Celtics president Danny Ainge is a fan of Howard. Kevin
McHale gave Ainge a strong endorsement of Howard, and there are few people in
the NBA Ainge respects more than Mac. Boston has a hole in the middle and money
to spend; to the Celtics, Howard is intriguing.


當然不再會有像過去一樣，砸重金梭哈全部去追求 Howard，但這不代表球隊不會嘗試爭取
他的加盟。不會出到整碗年輕潛力外加數支選秀簽，跟出個合理價錢試試看把他找來是兩回
事。拿波士頓塞爾提克來說，據聯盟消息青塞就曾也在 Howard 的談判桌上嘗試交易他。
但是就跟其他進房間談判的人一樣，跟休士頓的價碼談不攏而作罷。但是塞爾提克的總裁
Danny Ainge 是 Howard 的紛絲，Kevin McHale也曾在 Ainge 前為 Howard 強力背書，而
Mac(Kevin McHale)也是聯盟中少數幾個受 Ainge 尊敬的人。波士頓在中鋒位置上缺門，手
上也有錢，所以對於塞爾提克來說，Howard頗具吸引力。


Several teams will undoubtedly feel the same. When the dust settles on the
Durant derby, when Al Horford and Mike Conley choose where they want to play,
there will be Howard. The days of a five-year max contract are history, and
four-year ones might be gone, too. Howard will have to swallow a cheaper deal,
a shorter deal, one that reflects the diminished player he, at least
statistically, has become. Still, right team, right price, Howard's ability to
be an impact player can still be considerable. He can't lead a team to the
Finals anymore but in the right role he can still help one get there.

另外還有數支球隊也同樣感同身受。當今年夏天「Kevin Durant競標大賽」塵埃落定、當
Al Horford 和 Mike Conley 選好下一站之後，剩下的好戲就會輪到 Howard。過去開口就
是五年頂薪不然不用談的好日子已經過完，可能連四年也沒得過了。Dwight Howard必須要
放下身段，知道自己至少在數據上來看已經回到凡間，接受減價、縮年的合約條件。不過不
變的是，適合的球隊、適合的棲息地、合理的薪資水平，他依然有能力在場上成為有影響比
賽能力的球員。他不再是過去那隻可以一夫當關扛著球隊殺進總冠軍賽的魔獸，但適合的球
隊角色他還是可以成為闖入決賽的一大助力。




http://sports.yahoo.com/news/why-dwight-howard-s-search-for-a-new-nba-home-conti



--

Dwight Howard: "My soul, everything I have is in Orlando. I just can't leave it
behind."


--