Surprise, Surprise: Howard Leaves Lakers Because Of Bryant

Mar 22, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) and center Dwight Howard (12) in the first half of the game against the Washington Wizards at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

You knew there were going to be more coming out of why Dwight Howard did not want to resign with the Los Angeles Lakers and the man in the middle, Kobe Bryant.

According to multiple reports, the meetings in which Howard had with the Lakers had to deal with him having an issue playing with Kobe Bryant if he were to stay passed the 2013-2014 season.

Of course there were other issues that stuck out as well, Mike D’Antoni’s offense surely did not fit Howards style of play.  D’Antoni likes for his offenses to push the ball up the floor, not settle down in the post.  That is Howards game.

You can add the fact the Lakers are and for a while will remain Kobe’s team to the list, writes Ramona Shelburne and Marc Stein at ESPN.com.

Sources told ESPN.com that Howard and his representatives, in a handful of meetings with Lakers officials before he became a free agent July 1, strongly suggested that the center would have a difficult time re-signing with Los Angeles if Bryant stayed with the franchise beyond the 2013-14 season, the final year of his current contract.

If Howard’s reputation couldn’t take anymore of a hit, in that same story with ESPN, his [Howards] camp asked if the Lakers were at least considering releasing Kobe through the leagues’ amnesty provision.  Wait, what?

As an offshoot of those discussions, sources said, Howard’s camp at one point asked the Lakers whether they were at least considering releasing Bryant through the league’s amnesty provision, since Bryant’s return date from Achilles tendon surgery remained in question.

Okay Dwight, you wanted out of Los Angeles, you are now in Houston, what do you say you just shut up and play some ball now.