Case of the Mondays: JLay Talks Dwight Howard Trade
Posted Aug. 13, 2012, 2:18 p.m. /
The beauty of skateboarders is that they’re rarely one dimensional; they always have other interests whether it be music, art, cars, astronomy, whatever. It’s rare to come across a robot bred only for skateboarding and we sure don’t have any on our squad. This new regular column, Case of the Mondays, hopes to shine a light on some of the other interests of our guys and hear their thoughts on things outside of skating.
The first installment begins with the man who started our Vans Riders Weeks earlier in the year, Johnny Layton. JLay is a huge basketball fan and being from Southern California he’s a Laker fan first and foremost. This weekend it was announced that after much pouting, whining and crying Dwight Howard finally got his wish to be traded off the Orlando Magic. His new home? JLay’s Lakers. We rang up Johnny to get his take on the trade.
This weekend it was announced the Lakers made a crazy deal and got Dwight Howard. How do you feel about it?
It’s probably the best thing for them. If you look back 16 years ago they got Shaq when he was two years younger than Dwight is now; they got Shaq when he was 24, they’re getting Dwight when he was 26. If Dwight stays through the following season they line themselves up to do what they’ve done before when they had Kobe and Shaq together. It worked then and they three-peated so hopefully it goes that route. I think Dwight going to a team where there’s other superstars and not just him carrying the load it will be better for him because it won’t be all eyes on him. But they will expect a lot from him after all this bullshit he’s pulled for a year and a half.
You got a big 3 with Nash, Howard and Kobe. How do you think that will work out?
Yeah, but if it comes down to it we have to still go against Oklahoma and San Antonio. Those are two teams that are both deep. Say we get to the finals then we have to go against Lebron. Dwight is going to boff on Bosh. I don’t think Bosh is going to last against Howard. Kobe and Lebron is the match up that everyone has been waiting to see and now they both have the same odds to win a championship this coming season. If they meet and we see Kobe go against Lebron, Nash against Dwayne Wade and Howard on Bosh; it’s going to be crazy to see that. If you’re a basketball fan that Kobe vs Lebron match up is the match up to see. I do want to say I love Kevin Durant. Don’t get me wrong I love the Lakers, they’re my team but Durant is one of my favorite players in the league now. He just developed into being even more like Michael Jordan than Kobe is ever going to be. He’s flawless.
You keep your eyes on the entire league, you don’t just watch one team. How did you feel about Dwight Howard these last few months with all this back and forth B.S. about wanting to be traded, not wanting to be traded and then wanting to be traded again? Because I was over hearing his name after while.
I honestly thought he was going to go to Brooklyn. He’s boys with Jay-Z, Deron Williams is there, they got Joe Johnson; they’re gearing up for something good. But as soon as shit fell apart in that deal for Dwight and they signed Kris Humphries I knew that one was over. I seriously thought he was either going to Brooklyn or Dallas but then all the Dwight talk died down for the past month and then last week Koston posted on Instagram: D12, with Dwight wearing a #12 Lakers jersey and then I went on Sportscenter and I couldn’t believe it. After hearing the trade rumors for a year and half I didn’t believe it but 12 hours went by and the four team trade went through. I was stoked.
Yous guys sent Jersey boy, Andrew Bynum, off. Were you a Bynum fan?
Yeah, but he was young and immature. He was seen in the papers in LA parking in handicap spots. It’s LA, everyone knows who is on the Lakers and when a seven-footer gets out of a car illegally parking in a handicap spot people notice and get bummed. When it comes down to it you want Dwight Howard. He could win Defensive Player of Year every year. If he could get his free throw shooting down we’re going to be so solid because Nash and Kobe don’t miss free throws and Playoffs come down to free throws. So I’m saying Lakers dominate the West and go to the Finals and go against the Heat. The Heat are going to blow through everyone this year now that they have Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis.
You’re not really going out on a limb by claiming Heat/Lakers in the Finals. Who do you pick to win it all?
Dude, I got to give the edge to The Heat just because they won the last one. But it’s going to be that much harder to repeat. I say it’s a gnarly seven game series. But Dwight doesn’t have a ring yet so he’s the one star of all those dudes that doesn’t have a ring so he’s got to get it so maybe that’s the difference maker. I hate Coach Spoelstra, I don’t like the Heat at all but they have such a dominating team and they beat the Thunder and the Thunder were real good so I’m saying the Heat take it.
Photos by Grant Hatfield
The first installment begins with the man who started our Vans Riders Weeks earlier in the year, Johnny Layton. JLay is a huge basketball fan and being from Southern California he’s a Laker fan first and foremost. This weekend it was announced that after much pouting, whining and crying Dwight Howard finally got his wish to be traded off the Orlando Magic. His new home? JLay’s Lakers. We rang up Johnny to get his take on the trade.
This weekend it was announced the Lakers made a crazy deal and got Dwight Howard. How do you feel about it?
It’s probably the best thing for them. If you look back 16 years ago they got Shaq when he was two years younger than Dwight is now; they got Shaq when he was 24, they’re getting Dwight when he was 26. If Dwight stays through the following season they line themselves up to do what they’ve done before when they had Kobe and Shaq together. It worked then and they three-peated so hopefully it goes that route. I think Dwight going to a team where there’s other superstars and not just him carrying the load it will be better for him because it won’t be all eyes on him. But they will expect a lot from him after all this bullshit he’s pulled for a year and a half.
You got a big 3 with Nash, Howard and Kobe. How do you think that will work out?
Yeah, but if it comes down to it we have to still go against Oklahoma and San Antonio. Those are two teams that are both deep. Say we get to the finals then we have to go against Lebron. Dwight is going to boff on Bosh. I don’t think Bosh is going to last against Howard. Kobe and Lebron is the match up that everyone has been waiting to see and now they both have the same odds to win a championship this coming season. If they meet and we see Kobe go against Lebron, Nash against Dwayne Wade and Howard on Bosh; it’s going to be crazy to see that. If you’re a basketball fan that Kobe vs Lebron match up is the match up to see. I do want to say I love Kevin Durant. Don’t get me wrong I love the Lakers, they’re my team but Durant is one of my favorite players in the league now. He just developed into being even more like Michael Jordan than Kobe is ever going to be. He’s flawless.
You keep your eyes on the entire league, you don’t just watch one team. How did you feel about Dwight Howard these last few months with all this back and forth B.S. about wanting to be traded, not wanting to be traded and then wanting to be traded again? Because I was over hearing his name after while.
I honestly thought he was going to go to Brooklyn. He’s boys with Jay-Z, Deron Williams is there, they got Joe Johnson; they’re gearing up for something good. But as soon as shit fell apart in that deal for Dwight and they signed Kris Humphries I knew that one was over. I seriously thought he was either going to Brooklyn or Dallas but then all the Dwight talk died down for the past month and then last week Koston posted on Instagram: D12, with Dwight wearing a #12 Lakers jersey and then I went on Sportscenter and I couldn’t believe it. After hearing the trade rumors for a year and half I didn’t believe it but 12 hours went by and the four team trade went through. I was stoked.
Yous guys sent Jersey boy, Andrew Bynum, off. Were you a Bynum fan?
Yeah, but he was young and immature. He was seen in the papers in LA parking in handicap spots. It’s LA, everyone knows who is on the Lakers and when a seven-footer gets out of a car illegally parking in a handicap spot people notice and get bummed. When it comes down to it you want Dwight Howard. He could win Defensive Player of Year every year. If he could get his free throw shooting down we’re going to be so solid because Nash and Kobe don’t miss free throws and Playoffs come down to free throws. So I’m saying Lakers dominate the West and go to the Finals and go against the Heat. The Heat are going to blow through everyone this year now that they have Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis.
You’re not really going out on a limb by claiming Heat/Lakers in the Finals. Who do you pick to win it all?
Dude, I got to give the edge to The Heat just because they won the last one. But it’s going to be that much harder to repeat. I say it’s a gnarly seven game series. But Dwight doesn’t have a ring yet so he’s the one star of all those dudes that doesn’t have a ring so he’s got to get it so maybe that’s the difference maker. I hate Coach Spoelstra, I don’t like the Heat at all but they have such a dominating team and they beat the Thunder and the Thunder were real good so I’m saying the Heat take it.
Photos by Grant Hatfield
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