With the All-Star center now looking to debut in time for the Lakers' first regular-season game, Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the coaching staff is busy at work introducing its prized acquisition to elements of the Princeton offense.
For Howard, this isn't just a matter of learning some new plays—it may also be a matter of becoming a new player, at least in a few respects. One of the Princeton's original innovators, Pete Carril explains that Howard's first order of business will be growing as a passer (via Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick):
"If [Howard] takes instruction and he listens, and of course he's playing with better players now too. He's got two Hall of Fame players for sure on that team at guard, so they're going to have a profound influence on him. So when they get him the ball, and he's in a position to pass as opposed to score, you're going to hit Steve Nash for a three-point shot. That thing is going in. And that's true with Kobe."
But head coach Mike Brown and Princeton specialist Eddie Jordan won't be banking on such a transformation entirely. Princeton schemes frequently rely on big men to pass from the high post (think Vlade Divac and Chris Webber with the Sacramento Kings), but there's certainly room to modify half-court sets to keep Howard closer to the basket and more focused on scoring.
As much as Howard will be challenged by a system that relies less extensively on him dominating the ball in the post, Brown is the one ultimately responsible for putting him in a position to succeed.
And with Pau Gasol already an able passer, the Spaniard will be expected to reprise that Divac/Webber role from the high post, looking for plenty of high-low opportunities with Howard in the process. In those scenarios, Ho...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers