The Indecision II starring Dwight Howard...

We all know Dwight Howard the playful kid too big to grow up. Always playful never a serious moment clown of the circus shoe. Well this time Howard better put on his big boy pants as the rest of his career could be on the line based on his next decision. Several teams including the Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets are looking to pry D12 out of L.A.. All five teams to provide a great opportunity for D12 to make several appearances in the NBA playoffs for years to come.

Atlanta Hawks represent an opportunity for D12 to play in front of his hometown fans and family members. Which is the exact reason why I don't imagine Howard moving back to Peachtree. Howard has been adamant in the "recent" past discussing his none desire to play in the city where he grew up. Maybe its the pressure of performing in front of his hometown fans or simply its because Atlanta provides the most mental distractions. Family members and friends can be bothersome especially when the entire city claims you as a family member or close friend. Minus the emotional distractions and his recent comments, I believe the Hawks provide Howard with an opportunity to be a perennial figure in the playoffs. Hawks would have a great low post tandem teaming Al Horford with D12 both athletes combined for 34.5pts, 22.6 rebs, and 3.5blks. Danny Ferry is a smart GM responsible for surrounding LeBron James with talent in his Cleveland days and one of the few individuals James respected in the Cavaliers front office. Ferry usually makes the best decision possible and can be trusted in Atlanta's rebuilding process. Will D12 buy-in?

If their is one team that NBA fans by storm during the 2013 NBA playoffs Coach Mark Jackson's Golden State Warriors was that team. Warriors are a young hungry and relentless never say die team, full of young talented sharpshooters. The exact formula D12 loves in a team, Coach Jackson commands respect from NBA athletes young and old. Mark is the type of coach you play for because you know he would do the same for you. His a mentor which is exactly what D12 needs from time to time. A Warriors contingent is set to meet with Howard on Tuesday July 2nd the contingent includes NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West. West serves as the Warriors Executive Board Member. Rumors have already started that the Warriors are offering Bogut, Thompson or Barnes in a sign and trade deal for D12. This compromises the integrity of the Warriors offering to trade Klay Thompson. Stephen Curry, Thompson and D12 would provide a close to unstoppable line-up for NBA teams to guard. Trading Thompson would lose some of the appeal D12 would have toward the Bay Area.

Mark Cuban the always outspoken Owner of the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas represents one of the most intriguing scenarios for Howard. Dirk Nowitki, Shawn Marion and Vince Carter would still be under contract with those contracts set to expire in the near future. Last time Dallas Mavericks won a postseason game was Game 6 of the 2011 NBA Finals. Teaming Nowitzki with Tyson Chandler and a slew of sharpshooting guards and swing men. Ironically that was the last time LeBron James Miami Heat lost a postseason series.  Cuban knows how to use his personality and BIG MONEY to lure free agents and build a championship. Mavericks franchise would belong to D12 with less media scrutiny than Los Angeles the pressure would be lighter. If Dwight slips a little he won't get eaten up "just look at Tony Romo, Cowboys" Dallas fans are very forgiving. Plus Cuban is a marketing genius and Howard would still posses larger than life status in BIG D.

Sports media reports are jumping off the charts with rumors that D12 is gone, his already left L.A. for Houston. Unless you live in Howards head which can be a very drama filled and confusing location no one knows who has the upper hand. Nonetheless Howard did meet with the Houston Rockets first thing Monday  "after speaking with Lakers GM Mitch Kupchack" morning at 12:01am EST/ 9:01 PST. Rockets launched off with face to face discussions with the coveted center as NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon, Yao Ming (video) and Dikembe Mutombo spoke with Howard in Los Angeles. The Rockets sold their international marketing base to Howard as Yao created a video message in China. It's true with Yao, Mutombo, and Olajuwon the Rockets have been able to thrive on the back of great center pieces. All three athletes were born overseas. The thought of having Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon as a mentor and teaching post moves is a dream come true an opportunity to take your game to the net level. Hakeem provided the Rockets with back to back NBA Championships in the league absence of Michael Jordan. Oh yeah almost forgot, James Harden, Chandler Parsons and Jeremy Lin are also good teammates. The possibility of teaming Harden and Howard keeps Kevin McHale up at 3am in the morning designing plays with thought after thought and endless possibilities.

Then there's the Los Angeles Lakers where everything they present can either scare you away running headed to Texas or you can embrace it and fall in love. The pressures of Hollywood along can be a double edge sword do bad and celebrities will talk about you on TMZ do great and the keys to everybody will be placed in your hands you will feel like your walking on liquid water. Movies, T.V. Shows and endorsements can make you the most popular and sought after player in NBA history. Performing under the names in the high Staples Center's rafters could also be a huge emotional kill one can fall under the pressure struggling live up to Wilt Chamberlain, Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O'Neal. D12 woulld be expected to perform at a lager than life level and Howard's record shows that he fades and pouts his way under pressure. Signing with the Lakers would provide the most pressure than any other team but not resigning would show that Howard is a player not born to commit. Lakers franchise has won a NBA Championship or appeared in the NBA Finals every decade since the NBA was born If this game is truly about winning Los Angeles is the place but then again the thought of possibly failing to meet those expectations can be daunting. Los Angeles offers every opportunity D12 could have in the NBA including a 5yr $118 million contract 1yr and $30 million more than any other franchise can offer.

PREDICTION: Here's my list in reverse order (5) Warriors, (4) Hawks, (3) Mavericks, (2) Rockets, (1) Lakers. This all comes down to how much Howard feels the pressure of possible failure in Los Angeles. Movies, endorsements, TV deals, and 5yr $118 million isn't this difficult. Honestly I don't know who the better coach is Mike D' Antoni or Kevin McHale neither is a "Great or Horrible" commodity "wash". If Lakers had signed Phil Jackson this discussion doesn't exist. Jackson twitted that he expects D12 to get with the program. If the fear does exist Houston Rockets IPad presentation represents the best possibility.

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Clenaure Carter is now the Writer for http://www.football.com covering Georgia Tech Football

Also check out Pro Sports Lives (Atlanta GA 1190AM) at http://www.prosportslives.com/ every Saturday 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST....

NBA Draft 2013 Recap: They Stole the Show...

On Thursday night the burrough of Brooklyn held the 2013 NBA Draft. The start to the NBA draft was full of surprises Nerlens Noel dropped to #6, Cleveland Cavaliers continued their impressive drafting streaking selecting UNLV's Anthony Bennett #1. Many pundits (except us) predicted Noel to be the #1 draft pick in 2013 they were wrong and Noel's family was shocked holding their breath as Noels slipped down from #1 to #6. Finally Noels was selected by New Orleans Pelicans appearing to team w/ another Kentucky athlete and former #1 draft pick Anthony Davis. After the selection Kentucky Coach John Calipari was interviewed giving vivid thoughts of a possible Davis and Noel duo in the NBA. Pelicans looked to have secured a young front court full of potential. A few minutes later Twitter exploded with reports of Noels being traded to Philadelphia for Jrue Holiday. After dropping from a perceived #1 draft pick to #6 then being traded from Pelicans to 76ers minutes later. Noel told USA TODAY Sports "oh I am going, to make them pay".

Nerlens Noel is from Haiti his mother worked several jobs just to put food on the table. Through all he has endured he never quit he never gave up on his dream. His mother told reporters that Noel has been dreaming of this day since he was a child. Noel suffered a season-ending ACL tear forcing the young Mc Donald's All American to miss most of the 2012 season at Kentucky. It was the ACL tear that caused Noels to rapidly drop in the draft the look on his face became memorable everyone including ESPN announcers were shocked "wow".

During a pre-draft conversation with Atlanta's Jarvis Davis of 92.9 FM "The Game" we discussed the the possibility of Noels not being the best fit in Cleveland. Reason's discussed Anderson Varejao and Tristan Thompson already provide a good level talent at the post positions. Minutes before the draft I sent a two word text message to the producer "Anthony Bennett". With his strength, size and athletic ability Bennett reminds many of another former "Runnin Rebel" Larry Johnson. Bennett is a more prepared polished player when compared to Noel and has the ability to defend the SF and PF positions. When called with the #1 draft pick Bennett appeared shocked and you can't Google one website in the world where "Mock Drafts" listed Bennett at #1. History was set last night at Anthony Bennett became the first Canadian selected #1 in the NBA draft.

David Sterns goal was global he wanted to reach places where the NBA was less known. Stern believed the  basketball was an international sport that could catch fire around the globe expanding other countries from Canada to Nigeria. In the end Stern's dream was achieved, it all began in 1984 when the Houston Rockets selected Hakeem Olajuwon from Lagos Nigeria. It ended Thursday night during the 2013 draft when Stern called the surprising name of Canada's Anthony Bennett. Stern achieved his international goals the NBA has improved greatly international athletes have come from almost every continent since his commissioning except Antarctica of course.

The night should have ended with those three highlights Bennett, Noel and Stern but in the end the greatest immediate impact was felt when the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics stole the show. The writing was on the wall Tuesday afternoon when the much anticipated trade of Celtics coach Doc Rivers was dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers. Celtics brass had already watched former BIG 3 band member Ray Allen jump ship last season to rival Miami Heat and win a Championship as the NBA Finals parade drove through South Beach on Monday. Then Thursday night the Celtics completed their overhaul sending Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn. In the end Brooklyn hosted the 2013 NBA Draft and then stole the draft for keepsakes  with a Mega Deal. It's possible Boston's received way too much compensation for the once heralded NBA athletes, their tanks are close to empty but for the immediate future Brooklyn Stole the Show.... 

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Clenaure Carter is now the Writer for http://www.football.com covering Georgia Tech Football

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NBA: Miami Heat Robbed of Competition

For years it has been known that the NBA's Western Conference has been superior compared to its Eastern Conference foes. Western Conference offers the more recent legendary NBA franchises from Kobe's Los Angeles Lakers to Tim Duncan's San Antonio Spurs. For comparisons sake simply look at the 2012-2013 Western Conference playoff teams and an argument can be made that the "Top 6" teams in the conference could have challenged the Miami Heat. Fact is the road to the 2013 NBA Finals for the Miami Heat was full of opponents missing key components to their rosters. Chicago Bulls "no Rose", Indiana Pacers "no Granger" yet the mighty Heatles struggled for a combined 8-5 record versus those opponents in the playoffs, possibly playing to the level of their competition. .

No this is not a Miami Heat bashing or ripping apart of LeBron James. This is just a statement of the facts, the Heat simply faced less than adequate opponents in the Eastern Conference this season. When you rattle off 27 straight wins and your main regular season opponents consist of the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Bobcats a sense of superiority can settle in quickly. Now the Miami Heat are embattled in a fierce standoff against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. A battle that has the defending champions scratching their heads searching for answers. As the same tactics the Heat deployed against the Granger-less Pacers, Rose-less Bulls, incompetent Bucks, Orlando Magic and Charlotte Bobcats "geesh" simply will not work against the well dressed Spurs.

At the beginning of the 2013 season the Heatles appeared to meet the challenges presented by the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics four of the top teams in the conference. Unfortunately these teams all had significant injuries down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs. While the Pacers tested Miami's resolve the truth is the conference was flawed. It was the equivalent of shopping at the Louis Vuitton Outlet finding an awesome sales deal then arriving at the house to find out one sleeve was shorter than the other. While the Miami Heat found deals against less talented and injury plagued teams this season.The lack of competition in the Eastern Conference is now coming back to bite them in the end. It's not Miami's fault they are used to shopping at the wrong places.

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Clenaure Carter is now the Writer for http://www.football.com covering Georgia Tech Football

Also check out Pro Sports Lives (Atlanta GA 1190AM) at http://www.prosportslives.com/ every Saturday 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST....