Wizards Source: Josh Howard has been Great

Josh Howard is back in Dallas tonight as his Wizards are still looking for their first road win of the entire season against the Mavericks.  He will miss the game while he's still bothered by a surgically repaired knee (Howard tore his ACL last February).

Dallas represents many things to Howard: the place where he started his NBA career and became an All-Star.  It's also the place where he starting making bizarre decisions and, in turn, even more bizarre statements before ultimately being traded to the Wizards last season.

Howard has only played eight games this season because of the knee issue but he has been a "great player" according to one Wizards source.  I asked him specifically about Howard and he said that the 30-year old has been just about perfect: doing what's been asked, supporting the team and having a good attitude about all of it.

Does that surprise you?  It surprised my Washington friend.  He did point out that Howard is not making nearly the kind of money he was in Dallas and doesn't have a long-term deal.  Howard signed a one-year contract with Washington this offseason.

Do you care?  When Howard went down that path, many Mavs fans were crushed.

So now, almost a year removed from the Howard trade, are you over it?  Or do you still wonder what could have been?

U Can't Control What the Ball Do (or the Hooch Apparently)

So Josh Howard's "stomach illness" that  forced him to miss the Wizards game on January 20th was possibly a raging hangover?  Does that surprise you at all?  Lord knows I've been there (the raging hangover part) but at least I'm enough of an adult to get my job done.   

Eddie Sefko has the detes on something that doesn't surprise any  of us.  I remember reporting the "stomach illness" when I first heard the details that day and Derek Harper's first words were "he is outta here."  At least Howard's passion to party is consistent.  Sources have told me he was taking advantage of the Dallas nightlife until 5am just about every night during All-Star weekend.  (not passing judgment there....just reporting)

Howard is a player who repeatedly did not take responsibility for his actions.  He blamed the media for his wrongdoings and was constantly enabled by the Mavericks and his hangers-on.  He went from being the untouchable commodity to a player who's more of detriment than asset.  

Are you disappointed his departure didn't happen sooner?  Did the Mavs reluctance to trade him sooner hurt this team?   I had heard he was on the block for a while.  Perhaps other teams were wiser in their unwillingness to take him on a player.  Regardless, he's the Wizards problem now and he might  continue to be just that: a problem