If guys don’t want to play, they’ve got to sit down,” Howard said. “We just can’t have guys or anybody out there not playing hard.” – Dwight Howard

Uh oh, the Happiest place on Earth has a BIG problem. The whole point in that blockbuster trade earlier in the season for Gil, Hedo and JRich wasn’t just about having the right tools to fight off the Celtics and Heat. Dwight only has a year left on his current deal. He sees what’s happening around the league, especially in the Eastern Conference. This was GM Otis Smith’s big pitch to show Dwight the Magic can be competitive. Doesn’t seem to be working. And with all the stockpiled teams in the East, the West could certainly use his “talent.”

Dwight also mentioned that everyone else was at home over the All-Star break, he was the only one in Los Angeles playing. Yeaaaahhhhhh, Trouble!

Check out a couple more quotes and the full interview:

“Everybody on the team has to step up and play hard,” he said. “I’m not singling anybody out; I’m not calling anybody out. But as a team, if we don’t play hard we’re going to lose every night.”

“We’ve been talking for a long time. That’s all we seem to do is talk.”

36-22 isn’t the worst place to be. But the East sure is a whole lot heavier now. :shrug: