Why Dwight Howard's search for a new NBA home continues
By Chris Mannix of The Vertical
Yahoo Sports
Another year, another trade deadline and the never-ending search for stability
for Dwight Howard continues. The Rockets did what they could to move Howard out
of Houston on Thursday, NBA sources told The Vertical, canvassing the league
for offers, plainly instructing teams to submit their best bids. No luck.
Howard is still in Houston, still a Rocket, though with just 27 games remaining
in a forgettable season, those days may officially be numbered.
又经过了一年，又经过了一次交易大限截止日，而由 Dwight Howard 所主演“寻找栖息
地”的连续剧依然持续播放。根据联盟消息，休士顿火箭在台北时间星期五凌晨4点以前，
尝试了他们所能做，挨家挨户地去寻找 Howard 的买主，开门见山地要求对方直接开出手
上最好的价码。事与愿违，Howard 仍留在休士顿，仍然是火箭队的一员，在一个不值得纪
念的赛季，剩下的27场比赛可能将会是在这里最后的几场身影。
The gap between what the Rockets wanted and what teams offered for Howard was
considerable, for two reasons: Howard, 30, can be a free agent at the end of
the season, and he will likely seek a contract worth north of $20 million per
year. Howard has been healthy for most of this season, yet concerns about a
once-debilitating back injury linger. And while executives admit Howard is
better than the pedestrian scorer (14.6 points per game) he has morphed into
alongside James Harden, you are hard-pressed to find many willing to mortgage
the future of the franchise to go get him.
火箭方与其他开价想买 Howard 球队之间的落差有两个可以探讨的主因: 1. Howard 30岁了
可以选择在本季结束后，恢复自由球员之身；还有他将有可能寻找一份平均 $20M/y 价值的
合约。虽然 Howard 本季大部分而言是健康的，但是也考量到曾严重弱化战力的背伤还在。
还有虽然大部分的买家一致认为 Howard 在与 James Harden共存的情况下，还是拥有优于
一般水准的得分能力(本季平均14.6分)，但你就是很难在一定的财务限制下，找到一个愿意
拿未来来赌他的人。
Picking on Howard is easy, sporting even. He's the guy who smiles too much,
goofs around too often, who appears to play with the same fire as headband-clad
hackers do in rec league games. He's the guy who drove Stan Van Gundy out of
Orlando, pissed off Kobe Bryant and drew the ire of Kevin Durant. He irritates
winners more than he tries to become one.
找到挑剔 Howard 的地方不难。他是个成天笑个不停、犯傻不停的人，活像是个带着头戴
跑去打 rec league(recreational league)比赛的家伙。他也是把 Stan Van Gundy 弄到
被炒鱿鱼、激怒老大 Kobe Bryant 还让 Kevin Durant 气到冒烟的家伙。他去惹怒那些
赢家的能力，看起来大于他想要成为赢家的本事。
But really: Is he that terrible? In an off year, one that has seen his shot
attempts dip to rookie-year levels, Howard is third in the NBA in rebounding
and field-goal percentage. He's not an automatic double-team anymore but he's a
difficult cover in the post and a load to keep off the glass. Mock him,
belittle him, but good luck finding six or seven true centers better than him.
但说真的: 这有这么严重吗？虽然在低潮受伤的那一年，他投篮的次数比起秀年还低(2014-
15出赛29场，FGA:423次 vs 2004-05 677次但是出赛了82场) Dwight Howard依然缴出3th的
篮板(10.5 Rebs)和投篮命中率(FG%:59.3%)的成绩。他不再是过去那个会让对手自动包夹的
猛兽，但他在禁区一样难以单防，且依然拥有擦板得分的能力。即便在怎么酸他、小看他，
但去联盟中晃一圈看看能不能找到6-7个纯中锋比更他好的？
Houston would like nothing more than to move forward with Howard and Harden as
cornerstones, to use the pair to lure a marquee free agent like Durant, to
assemble an All-Star team that can compete with the one blitzing the league in
Golden State. But the Rockets understand: The relationship between Howard and
Harden has become increasingly unsalvageable. Howard has never whispered a word
about wanting out of Houston, about any disdain for Harden, but the lack of
on-court chemistry between the two is obvious. Howard still craves a bigger
role, and it's hard to see that materializing in Houston.
休士顿方面原本不求他想，只求可以以 Howard + Harden 的基石组合发展，用这一对去
吸引像是自由球员的大物:Kevin Durant，做“新三巨头”的美梦，期待能与以快打旋风的
小球战术席卷整个联盟的勇士分庭抗礼。
There won't be an elaborate courtship of Howard, but make no mistake: Teams
will come calling. Not being interested in forking over young players and picks
for Howard is a lot different than throwing some decent money at him. Take
Boston. The Celtics were involved in the Howard sweepstakes, league sources
told The Vertical, but, like everyone else, were not interested in paying
Houston's price. Yet Celtics president Danny Ainge is a fan of Howard. Kevin
McHale gave Ainge a strong endorsement of Howard, and there are few people in
the NBA Ainge respects more than Mac. Boston has a hole in the middle and money
to spend; to the Celtics, Howard is intriguing.
当然不再会有像过去一样，砸重金梭哈全部去追求 Howard，但这不代表球队不会尝试争取
他的加盟。不会出到整碗年轻潜力外加数支选秀签，跟出个合理价钱试试看把他找来是两回
事。拿波士顿塞尔提克来说，据联盟消息青塞就曾也在 Howard 的谈判桌上尝试交易他。
但是就跟其他进房间谈判的人一样，跟休士顿的价码谈不拢而作罢。但是塞尔提克的总裁
Danny Ainge 是 Howard 的纷丝，Kevin McHale也曾在 Ainge 前为 Howard 强力背书，而
Mac(Kevin McHale)也是联盟中少数几个受 Ainge 尊敬的人。波士顿在中锋位置上缺门，手
上也有钱，所以对于塞尔提克来说，Howard颇具吸引力。
Several teams will undoubtedly feel the same. When the dust settles on the
Durant derby, when Al Horford and Mike Conley choose where they want to play,
there will be Howard. The days of a five-year max contract are history, and
four-year ones might be gone, too. Howard will have to swallow a cheaper deal,
a shorter deal, one that reflects the diminished player he, at least
statistically, has become. Still, right team, right price, Howard's ability to
be an impact player can still be considerable. He can't lead a team to the
Finals anymore but in the right role he can still help one get there.
另外还有数支球队也同样感同身受。当今年夏天“Kevin Durant竞标大赛”尘埃落定、当
Al Horford 和 Mike Conley 选好下一站之后，剩下的好戏就会轮到 Howard。过去开口就
是五年顶薪不然不用谈的好日子已经过完，可能连四年也没得过了。Dwight Howard必须要
放下身段，知道自己至少在数据上来看已经回到凡间，接受减价、缩年的合约条件。不过不
变的是，适合的球队、适合的栖息地、合理的薪资水平，他依然有能力在场上成为有影响比
赛能力的球员。他不再是过去那只可以一夫当关扛着球队杀进总冠军赛的魔兽，但适合的球
队角色他还是可以成为闯入决赛的一大助力。
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