The Lakers used to hang championship banners. Now, they're hanging big signs outside Staples Center, begging Dwight Howard to please take their $118 million and resign with the team. Talk about a fall from grace.
Here is one of the most pessimistic forms of optimism about that situation from Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak (via ESPN.com):
The word I've used is 'optimistic, I think I'm optimistic. I understand that there's a possibility [Howard] won't [re-sign], and I probably don't have any more information than anybody in this room does. I'm aware of a lot of the stuff that's flying back and forth, a lot of the rumors, so there's a realistic possibility that he won't be back. But I'm optimistic that he will."
Ok then.
And, while the Lakers anxiously await the big decision from Dwight Howard, the Clippers are all but assured that Chris Paul will sign a five-year, max deal extension now that Rivers has joined the team.
Doc Rivers was introduced by the Clippers Wednesday as their new head coach and senior vice-president of basketball operations. You could sense a change in the air, as the Clippers went from being an excellent team of young, athletic talent to a championship contender with one of the game's top coaches.
Rivers spoke to the media via Eric Patten and NBA.com:
"The reason I wanted [the job] when it was made available is because of what they have, not what they don’t have. I clearly think this is an extremely talented basketball team. They’re young. For me, it just gave me a lot of life, working with some of the young talented guys and trying to figure out if we can figure out a way of be...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
