Scottie Pippen on LeBron James, 2010 FA, and Dwight Howard

• hoops23

  

  OS: There is expected to be a big free agent season this summer. What is your opinion on high-profile players like Cleveland's LeBron James and Miami's Dwayne Wade potentially leaving teams they were drafted by?
  
  
  SP: I think it's up to the players. For me, I'd like to see LeBron stay with the Cavs. He's definitely brought a lot of equity to their franchise and he has a huge fan base. I think that he will ultimately stay there. I think that's the best place for him and I think he realizes that team has been assembled to help him win a championship. They have a good team now, so there are no excuses now to turn your back and walk out the door. But I think the free agent market has always been a great way for teams that are not top teams to work their way up. But on the other hand, the players still have to go there and make that team better. It's not just about them going there and picking up all the money off the salary cap. Ultimately you want to see the team improve as well so you don't want to go after the people in free agency and lose all your salary because then you basically have a one man show.
  
  OS: If you had your choice of one player that you could build your franchise around, who would it be?
  
  SP: That's a difficult question. If you want to ask me that then I'm going to probably go after the best player in the game and that's going to be LeBron James. But I don't know if LeBron James fits with the Chicago Bulls. I don't know if I want Derrick Rose to give the ball up and let LeBron run the show. There are some great free agents out there. For me, you have to have the right fit. You just can't go and get the best player. You got to have chemistry in this game.
  
  OS: How special of a player can Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard be?
  
  
  SP: He's a very special player but I don't think he's going to win a championship until he gets another superstar to play alongside of him. A guy that's very consistent and has that drive, that's what it's going to take. I don't think that he can carry a team to a championship. He's not that great of a scorer, he's not a good shooter and he's not a good foul shooter. So in the latter parts of the game, as big as he is and as much athleticism as he has, that becomes very small when the game gets into crunch time. He's not the type of player that can dominate a game in the fourth quarter.

  http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/os-espn-the-weekend-scottie-pippen-0229,0,6569851.story
  
  
  Thoughts?
  
  I agree with him about Howard. Dwight hasn't shown me that he can step up and consistently be THE man in Orlando. He has a really nice team around him right now, but I still don't think they have enough to win it all..
  
  I also enjoyed his opinion on LeBron, obviously, but I think that is pretty much the consensus with a lot of these guys.. MJ said last season that LeBron should stay in Cleveland as well...
• SQ_Crazies

  

  I completely agree with him about Howard. I've always said that Howard will never lead his team to a title--he needs major help to get there because he can't just take over games like some other guys can. It's harder to do from the post anyways, its just easier to defend.
• Benny The Jet

  

  My thoughts...Scottie sounds like a smarter person that I originally thought haha
• hoops23

  

  SQ_Crazies wrote: I completely agree with him about Howard. I've always said that Howard will never lead his team to a title--he needs major help to get there because he can't just take over games like some other guys can. It's harder to do from the post anyways, its just easier to defend.

  No doubt. Part of it has to do with Dwight Howards lack of "finesse" around the rim. He tries to overpower everybody, which sometimes comes off as an awkward and horrible looking shot or a terrible take to the rim. Shaq was able to dominate because of his size, but he also had a nice post game that went vastly underrated during his prime.
  
  Dwight still doesn't have that "go-to" move that is money. He's trying to create a hook where he sweeps to the left, and it was effective, but once teams take that away, he's back to being pressured to give up the ball or throw up a wild shot.
  
  Obviously Dwight is near money when 3 feet from the basket, but I'm more so talking about when he catches it from the elbow.
  
  I also believe that he doesn't have the mentality to be a champion. He's a joker. LeBron is too, but the difference between the two is LeBron knows when to be serious and take a game over.. LeBron loves to hear opposing fans boo him or players from opposing teams to trash him because it motivates him.. It seems to hurt Dwights feelings when it happens to him.
  
  Just some observations from me.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Yeah, in all fairness to Dwight, he is still very young and he's been improving every year.
• Laley23

  

  Scottie is spot on with everything he said in that portion of the interview. From LeBron, to who he would want in Chicago, to Dwight.
• royal_k

  

  Very good interview....Scottie is a very smart man.
• se-alum

  

  I agree w/ his thoughts on Howard, but he's not unlike any other player in the league. No superstar can win an NBA title on their own.
• Footwedge

  Scottie was probably shocked when the inferior Magic upset the heaviy favored Cavs last year.
• hoops23

  

  Footwedge wrote: Scottie was probably shocked when the inferior Magic upset the heaviy favored Cavs last year.

  Wedgie, we get it. You think we were upset last year and this year we aren't as good..
• se-alum

  

  LTrain23 wrote:

  Footwedge wrote: Scottie was probably shocked when the inferior Magic upset the heaviy favored Cavs last year.

  Wedgie, we get it. You think we were upset last year and this year we aren't as good..

  I think he believes that if he repeats himself enough, people will actually care what he says.
• just_a_swimmer

  

  SQ_Crazies wrote: Yeah, in all fairness to Dwight, he is still very young and he's been improving every year.

  I have heard he has a good strong work ethic too. That will only help him.
  I like the kid.
• gibby08

  

  Of course you liked his view on LeBron because he thinks he should stay in Cleveland.
• BR1986FB

  gibby08 wrote: Of course you liked his view on LeBron because he thinks he should stay in Cleveland.

  Larry Bird said the exact same thing in a recent interview. Outside of ESPN and Knicks/Nets fans, MOST people WANT to see him stay.
• Laley23

  

  BR1986FB wrote:
  Larry Bird said the exact same thing in a recent interview. Outside of ESPN and Knicks/Nets fans, MOST people WANT to see him stay.

  Yep, I think the great players who are idolized in their cities they played for realize how special it is to be there for your whole career (sans maybe the last few when you still think you can play but you cant). Bird, Jordan, Pippen, etc
• SQ_Crazies

  

  just_a_swimmer wrote:

  SQ_Crazies wrote: Yeah, in all fairness to Dwight, he is still very young and he's been improving every year.

  I have heard he has a good strong work ethic too. That will only help him.
  I like the kid.

  Me too.
• BR1986FB

  I think the Magic missuse Howard. You have a manchild like THAT and you're a finesse, 3-Ball team? They should be feeding him the ball all night long.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  I agree with that too. They're really inconsistent about how they use him too.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  But they do live and die by the 3, so his numbers depend on this teammates A LOT.
• ytownfootball

  

  It was an issue last season, he made some comments on not getting the ball and honestly, as one of the games dominant bigs, you can't disagree. But, he came out and apoligized, back-tracked and fell in line with team/coaching philosophy. Personally I think he's going to waste in Orlando.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  I think he's going to leave Orlando someday, who knows...Lakers maybe? They're going to need another one of the league's best players here soon--they always seem to land one. I think one of the big, young stars is going to play in LA during their prime at some point. Maybe Dwight? Worked last time they took the Magic's center.
• ytownfootball

  

  ^^Very possible, I think Dwight is ripe for the picking, plays in a system that doesn't utilize his best abilities, has voiced his displeasure before...he won't be in Orlando unless they put together a package to keep him, that includes not relying on the 3 ball so much.
• hoops23

  

  I don't think Dwight likes Stan Van Gundy much either. I can definitely agree that they don't use him enough/right, but that's somewhat irrelevant.. If you're THE guy on your team, you let it be known..
  
  Dwight just doesn't have the "killer" personality in my opinion.