Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol have one thing in common with Lakers fans:
They are not happy.
Howard is not happy because he got just five shot attempts Monday as the Bulls defense smothered the Lakers. Gasol is not happy in his role coming off the bench. It’s the latest in a season-long trend of frustration for pair.
Like many a wayward production in Hollywood this is not the script the All-Star big men thought they had signed up to shoot. The Lakers thought they would come together quickly, fit the pieces together and be threatening the Thunder by now. Not being a lottery team at 17-24.
Howard sounded the most frustrated after his five shot attempts — something that’s a trend as he has had single-digit shot attempts in three straight games (to be fair, he was tossed from the Toronto game). Here is what Howard said after, via Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register.“Look at the stat sheet,” Howard said. “Look at the stat sheet.”
Asked how he can get more shots, Howard said: “It’s simple. Play inside-out.”
Asked if it is out of his power, he said quietly: “Just continue to play. Not get frustrated. As hard as it is, can’t get frustrated.”
Little late, he looks frustrated. Howard also has looked dispirited the last couple games. Clearly his back still bothers him some (maybe he shouldn’t have pushed to be back at the start of the season) but he still put up good numbers early in the season despite the physical limitations. Now he just seems disengaged at times, going through the motions. He was supposed to be a defensive backstop and he seems to have lost that edge.
Gasol has not and did not after the game hide his displeasure with his new role as sixth man. He also admitted he knows he is on the trade block. From Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News (via Sulia).
Gasol could find his in this new role as a sixth man if he embraces it (ala Manu Ginobili) and finds he places he can make plays in the system. He needs to demand the rock more — tell Kobe Bryant to set him up — if he wants it. As much as coach Mike D’Antoni needs to do more to fit Gasol in the system, Gasol needs to meet him halfway and find his spaces in the new offense.
The Lakers star big men need to look in the mirror.
But so does Lakers management.
They knew their roster was a poor fit for D’Antoni’s system when they hired him (if they didn’t, the Lakers have bigger problems) and that frustration from their big men would be part of the price. Management made this move anyway thinking it is best for the long term but knowing (if they watched him in New York at all) that D’Antoni doesn’t bend the system much to fit the players. Management knew roster moves would have to come.
The ultimate question is just how frustrated is Dwight Howard getting? So far there has been nothing but hints he plans to re-sign this summer with the Lakers when he becomes a free agent. But at some point, will the losing start to change that? Management had to know that was a risk when they hired D’Antoni, too.