Has there ever been a more reluctant free agent signing than how the Lakers have brought Dwight Howard on board this summer? ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski wrote that Howard has “been warned” that any tomfoolery or shenanigans will be met with dismissal. Bobby Marks reports that Howard has no money guaranteed on the deal, and will make just under $15,000 per day he’s on the team, beginning Oct. 21.
DWIGHT HOWARD HAS BEEN WARNED
We have that and more in Tuesday’s NBA newsletter.
Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images
This is the Lakers acknowledging that this is probably a terrible idea, and protecting themselves in expectation that it is a terrible idea, but that they really have no other options. And this is all happening after the Lakers took a close look at Joakim Noah and Mo Speights.
The truth is that there is a little upside with Howard, who remains a productive player when on the court, as I wrote in my column suggesting he could help the Lakers. Of course, I don’t have to be in a locker room with him. There must be a reason the last five teams that he played for were glad to see him gone. That’s what he’s been “warned” about — basically, don’t be yourself and everything will be fine.
At least the Lakers seem to be setting up themselves and their fans to be pleasantly surprised instead of bitterly disappointed.
LeVert is French for ‘The Green’
The Nets inked Caris LeVert to a three-year, $52 million early extension, reports Woj. As Woj also notes, this means the Nets have the following players locked up through the next two years as they chase a title: Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant (who will miss this season), LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, and DeAndre Jordan.
LeVert will probably serve as Kyrie’s co-star this season and transition to a third banana when Durant returns for the 2020-21 season. LeVert had everyone speaking tongues last season before and after injuries slowed him down. Intriguingly, LeVert was quite good off of the bench late in the season — you wonder if Kenny Atkinson will eventually work to use him as a Ginobilian reserve to maximize the scoring talent the team has.
The Nets have options, which is absolutely wild considering they signed two max free agents this summer. This is what good planning and a stroke of luck looks like in practice.
Links
Team USA men’s basketball lost to Australia on Saturday morning. I wrote that it’s fine that USA Basketball isn’t invincible. Dan Devine, thinking similar thoughts, on how this vulnerability makes Team USA more compelling. The World Cup tips off Saturday.
Jeremy Lin is signing with the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association. Good for J-Lin. Find joy after bringing so much to so many.
Vijay Vemu on how the Raptors’ G League team the 905 model themselves after a European soccer club. CHRIS BOUCHER, FUTURE RAPTOR GOD.
Michael Pina suggests the Hornets become a weird basketball science experiment instead of whatever they actually plan to be.
I wrote about how much had to go right for the NBA to get Donald Sterling out of the league in 2014.
Selling Kobe’s air? That’s weird.
The Washington Mystics have another brutal injury at a bad time. This time around, it’s a bone bruise for Kristi Toliver.
The Las Vegas Aces are carving out an identity, writes Chris Herring.
Be excellent to each other.
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