Hoops Habit
Fansided

7 moments in recent NBA history in need of a documentary

By Daniel Lubofsky

CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 30: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs puts pressure on Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at Quicken Loans Arena on January 30, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 30: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the San Antonio Spurs puts pressure on Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at Quicken Loans Arena on January 30, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

2. Dwight Howard’s last season in Orlando

Coming off a disappointing first-round exit on the heels of a player option, Dwight Howard requested a trade from the Orlando Magic before the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season. The timeline of which gets more complex with each passing day. So, here are condensed bullet points on the important points of the draining saga.

  •  Howard’s agent told Adrian Wojnarowski the All-NBA center was granted permission to speak to three teams, the New Jersey Nets being one of them.
  • Magic CEO Alex Martins told Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated that was false.
  • General manager Otis Smith told Ric Bucher that was true.
  • Howard officially requested a deal to the  Nets — heading to Brooklyn the next year — on Dec. 10, 2011.
  • In Howard’s words — per ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan — Smith told him he was being dealt to the Nets on the first day of training camp, prompting Howard to inform his teammates. The deal was off by the next day.
  • It was revealed that Dwight’s list of teams he was willing to sign an extension with included the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks according to Chris Broussard, then of ESPN.
  • On Jan. 8, Dave Pingalore of Orlando’s WKMG news station was hearing Howard, after all the chaos his request bred, was rethinking his decision. Pingalore’s source believed there was an 80 percent chance Dwight would stay.
  • The day of the trade deadline, March 15, Howard officially waived his early termination option, keeping him in Orlando until at least the summer of 2013.

Related Story. Magic: What's the worst miss in franchise history?. light

  • His decision to remain another year stemmed from a particularly joyful time he had amid a team flight. According to Dwight, Smith also enticed him to stay by “bringing over all my favorite food and candies.”
  • On April 5, Stan Van Gundy told reporters he knew Dwight wanted him fired — Howard explained years later he simply believed his coach had lost the locker room.
  • In that same conversation, Howard, not knowing the details his coach just spilled, goes and playfully wraps his arm around his coach’s shoulders in one of the most awkward moments in NBA history.
  • Howard was shut down for the season on April 10th after undergoing surgery for a herniated disk.
  • Woj reported on July 25 that Dwight wanted to be dealt to the Lakers. If not, he wanted to revisit a possible move to Brooklyn. Should he enter 2013 free agency, Howard planned to sign with the Mavericks.
  • On Aug. 10, Howard was traded to the Lakers in a massive four-team blockbuster.

That’s the short version, which doesn’t include threats, blackmail accusations and several will-they-wont-they with multiple NBA teams. It can be expanded with this article here.

If this ignites a severe headache simply trying to keep track of it all, imagine the feelings inside a Magic organization just trying to push forward with its season.

There’s no ideal way for a superstar to ask out of the only franchise they’ve ever known. It’s nearly impossible to do so without drawing the fan’s ire. Even with the bar set fairly low, Howard brought it down so much further with indecisiveness that’s plagued him at every stop after.