The Dwight Howard trade didn't come as a total surprise. We all knew something was going to happen, we just did not know when and which of the handful of teams that were vying for him would get him.
As you have heard and read by now, it was the Los Angeles Lakers that got him and word of the trade spread through London just before Team USA took on Argentina in the semi-finals of the Olympics. The Los Angeles Times cobbled together quotes from some players reacting to the trade through the weekend.
Kevin Durant:
That's what the Lakers do. They have great management and ownership to make those moves come to life.
James Harden:
Was I surprised? No. Big market. The Lakers always do a great job of getting good players. It doesn't take away from us [the Thunder] at all.
Carmelo Anthony:
It definitely gives them that presence once again. It definitely makes them another powerhouse in the West or in the NBA as a whole. Right now, it's just a matter of them putting it together to see what happens.
To summarize: No one that was interviewed is surprised Dwight is a Laker, and no one is convinced this means they are winning a title.
Carmelo's comments were particularly interesting because he mentioned "putting it together." Not to go too deep into this, but it seems like teams and players see what Miami went through in year one and what the Knicks have gone through in the past couple of years and have realized it's not just about bringing talent in as much as it is getting everyone on the same page.
The Lakers pieces look like they fit, but a lot of people don't seem to be taking ego and personalities in to account yet.
Also, Durant's Sunday response about the Dwight trade was a smart, measured response. His Saturday response, however, was perfect.
Nah, I really don't care."
