Orlando Magic superstar center Dwight Howard told a radio station that he wanted a bigger say in the trades made by the team last season.
After reaching the NBA Finals in 2009, the Magic lost in the Eastern Conference finals in 2010 and got off to a lackluster 16-10 record before making a pair of huge trades, sending Rashard Lewis to Washington for Gilbert Arenas and Vince Carter, Mikael Pietrus and Marcin Gortat to Phoenix for Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark.
“I wanted to be more part of the process a little more,"
Howard told 790 The Zone in Atlanta. "I had to step out on the court and I wanted to make sure that the people I played with wanted to go out and play hard every night. My only issue was the fact that I didn’t really have a chance to be involved, but I think with the guys that we brought in we still have an excellent chance of winning, but we all have to be on the same page."
Arenas and Turkoglu struggled to fit in, and Orlando finished 52-30 before losing to Atlanta in the first round of the playoffs.
"I do miss a lot of the guys we traded,"
Howard said. "Marcin Gortat, I think he was very key since last season. Also Mickael Pietrus and Rashard Lewis and also Vince. All of these guys are very key in our success and to see them go on the personal side it hurt, but I understand the NBA is a business and we have to keep going.”
Howard understands the business of the NBA, having refused to sign a contract extension with the intention of becoming a free agent after the 2011-12 season. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year said he would remain in Orlando if the Magic win a championship.
