Monday, February 7th, 2011 at 11:00 am  |  59 responses

Gilbert Arenas’ Struggles Impacting Dwight Howard’s Future?


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

Yesterday’s demoralizing loss by the Orlando Magic in Boston to the Celtics had the Magic wondering about what the near future holds for them. For the national media, their biggest concern is also the future of the franchise, but more long-term.

Stan Van Gundy admitted that his squad is nowhere near the Celtics’ level, and Dwight Howard said the team needs to become mentally tougher (and get him the ball more frequently) if they hope to compete for a title.

The new roster has yet to gel, and the biggest acquisition (Gilbert Arenas) has failed to make an impact. Arenas even went as far as to claim that his arthritic knees stiffen up when he plays in cold-weather cities.

These are very serious concerns for Orlando with the Playoffs looming, to say nothing of Dwight Howard’s impending free agency in the summer of 2012.

CBS Sports and Yahoo! report:

“Not yet,” Arenas said after the first scoreless game he could remember since he picked up a basketball, referring to the pressure to get Howard a championship before he follows LeBron James’ lead. “But we know and I know they brought us here for a reason.” We all know that reason was not to finish fifth or sixth in the East and get knocked out in the first round.

Howard has his eyes on Los Angeles and New York, sources close to him have insisted for months, and nothing short of championship basketball may be enough to compel him to re-sign with the Magic.

[Otis] Smith has been planning for the next year and a half for the past seven years. “He’s been a free agent since he’s been here,” Smith said. “Meaning I’m not going to wait until he’s a free agent to become worried about free agency. Who are we kidding? When you have one of the top five players in this league, you’re always trying to retain him, I don’t care who you are. So there’s nothing I would do differently. Nothing. Zero. I’ve pretty much done it for seven years, since he was a rookie.”

There’s no telling if Gil will ever regain his once-dominant form — I certainly wouldn’t wager on it happening again — meaning the pressure on Orlando’s front office will only increase over the next two years.

Dwight Howard desperately wants to win an NBA title. Where this quest will continue to take place is up in the air.

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  • http://slamonline.com The Ambassador

    Howard to L.A. Then L.A waits and gets Deron Williams then they get Blake Griffen but I can only dream!!!

  • MikeC.

    @Allenp – this is just my take, but I think it’s a generational shift and a changing of the game. A couple decades ago, players weren’t exposed to each other the way they are now. There didn’t hang out and socialize. They didn’t have the Olympic experience where they got together and socialized. They also didn’t have the 24hr sports/radio/Internet pressure to win and win NOW or be labeled as forever-failures. They looked around their conference and said “I want to beat his team so I can say I’m better than him.” Then they looked to the other conference and said “I sure hope his team makes the Finals so I can beat him too.” They just didn’t know each other on a personal level. Now they want to win, but they’d rather win while playing with their superstar buddies. I could go on a long-winded blah-blah about the decay of the North American work ethic but that’s a rant for another day.

  • http://slamonline.com The Ambassador

    It will be the day when a player of Kobe or Lebron calliaber says”I Want to take my Talents to Memphis!”

  • http://philosopher.vision@gmail.com The Philosopher

    Players do relate to each other more prominantly than in the past. More players come from the same cities.
    And, the AAUs play a major role in player relations from a young age.

  • http://www.need4sheed.com Tarzan Cooper

    o, pop. and defense, lots of defense. and many rings.

  • hambone

    forget his post moves,maybe he could get john stockton to help him make a free throw.Or at least get jj to give him a set of thos knuckle duster things..Seriously though the amount of times howard comes off the pick and goes right down the lane with his hands up and doesnt get the ball is scandalous..it doesnt need to be a highlight lob every time

  • http://www.slamonline.com peter

    What’s with all these players thinking its their god given right to win a championship. That’s the point of competing, to try and win. Some fail. It seems like these guys are pushing the panic button way too early.

  • Tyquan

    If he is gonna leave after his free agency with Orlando thats on him I dont think Gil should take the fall for this one D12 wants to be like Shaq?
    Well he has his chance when is free to roam maybe he should play for the Lakers or Clippers who knows but dont blame Gilbert Arenas thats stupid

  • http://www.yahoo.com Kadarius Green

    Dwight aint goin nowhere,so he just need to sign another contract and get ready 4 the playoffs

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