i agree from a coach's standpoint. without a ring yet i wouldn't consider him yet as an part of the "exception" and would go with the rule (and history) that big men carry a team to a championship. but if i were the owner of a team i'd take lebron. he brings the fans, the media and the $$$.

Why is this even a story?

To me Howard is just another good big man... he hasn't won and won't win anything under RatVan Gundy and he doesn't make the players around him better like Lebron does...I'd take Lebron over him any day.... matter of fact there's nothing Dwight can do that Lebron can't do better...

He might have said that to acknowledge the mistake they made in choosing Kobe over Shaq...

the real story to this should be that he would take howard before kobe ( isn't that who most people say is the best player in the nba (even though i strongly disagree))

Gotta to go with Lebron on this one....with Dwight, maybe as a close second...hes a beast

Dwight certainly is the best all-around center in the game
but he is NOT better than LBJ

His offensive game neds ALOT of work-
the power move to the hole works for him- but Orlando doesn't
even go to him at the end of the game for a big shot.....
tat should tell you something

QUOTE(#3):

Originally posted 07:52 AM ET  04.16 by Lostwill

To me Howard is just another good big man... he hasn't won and won't win anything under RatVan Gundy and he doesn't make the players around him better like Lebron does...

Huh? How could the best rebounder in the game not make his teammates better?

Phil is just speaking to the nature of the game.

I respect Phil's opinion... but boy I'd like to see him coach a team without a mega-star... just wondering...

Ask Jerry West. He played with the great Elgin Baylor for a dozen seasons. They both fell time and again to the greatest competitor in the relatively short history of basketball, Bill Russell. Now, Howard isn't Russell. No one ever will be. But Phil's just being logical here. Put the big piece in place, then fill in around him with all the right stuff. He's not saying who is better. Frankly, that's irrelevant. Who's the best piece to start building a winner?

The reason why he would start with D Howard is because the post is the focal point of the Triangle Offense. Triangle Offense you don't need play makers like LBJ, CP3 or DWade to create offense.

QUOTE(#8):

Originally posted 09:04 AM ET  04.16 by 718

I like Phil's thinking but how could Mr. Triangle pass on LeBron. LeBron's skill set would be amazing in that offense.

i think the reason why he would pass on LBJ is because the triangle doesn't suit lebron's type of play. the triangle begins with a pass to the post. and thats when the play begins... lebron's play begins when he drives and draws the double and he kicks out or dunks on someone lol

Since Jordan won his first title dang near every team that won it all had a dominant big man
94- Olujwan (sp)?...Hakeem
95- Olujwan (sp)?...Hakeem
99- Robinson & Duncan
00- Shaq
01- Shaq
02-Shaq
03- Robinson & Duncan
04- Pistons (maybe Rasheed)
05- Duncan
06- Shaq
07 Duncan
08- Garnett

QUOTE(#3):

Originally posted 07:52 AM ET  04.16 by Lostwill

To me Howard is just another good big man... he hasn't won and won't win anything under RatVan Gundy and he doesn't make the players around him better like Lebron does...I'd take Lebron over him any day.... matter of fact there's nothing Dwight can do that Lebron can't do better...He might have said that to acknowledge the mistake they made in choosing Kobe over Shaq...

Ugh Lostwill sometimes I wonder about you. How could you say the Lakers made a mistake a choosing Kobe over Shaq...are you serious?? Shaq is team-hopping now because his time's up as aplayer and people want to dump his salary. He has not been an efefctive player since his championship year with the Heat.

The Lakers chose Kobe and now have a championship caliber team with an average age of 27. What the heck are you smoking dude?

Phil Jackson has always favored big players on his teams. Like a previous poster said, the triangle offense wouldn't suit a player like Lebron James.

I've been saying this for years. You build a basketball from the insidee out, not the other way around.

QUOTE(#3):

Originally posted 07:52 AM ET  04.16 by Lostwill

To me Howard is just another good big man... he hasn't won and won't win anything under RatVan Gundy and he doesn't make the players around him better like Lebron does...I'd take Lebron over him any day.... matter of fact there's nothing Dwight can do that Lebron can't do better...He might have said that to acknowledge the mistake they made in choosing Kobe over Shaq...

uhmmm... your just another uninformed want to be nba fan... the biggest factor in the shaq leaving la fiasco is that he demanded a rediculous salary that would of drove out kobe and other players because they would not be able to resign them. it was a pure finacial decision. for the price they would of gotten shaq for 2 years, they were able to get kobe for 5.