Dwight Howard places a full page ad in an Orlando paper

Dwight Howard placed in ad in Sunday’s Orlando Sentinel thanking Magic fans for supporting him the first eight years of his NBA career and expressing love for the city. For some, that will be enough to move on from ‘Dwight-mare” but others will never feel it’s enough. They’ll still hold onto the indecision, the toying with the media and some of the childish antics displayed by Dwight during the process. Fans can be “ride-or-die” for their teams as we’ve seen. A betrayal, especially one they took personally, can be hard to let go off.

But the NBA is a business and from that end, players are commodities. When they have leverage, they look to use it because it doesn’t last for long. Free agency can become a game of high stakes chess. Regardless as to what side you fall on with this issue, you’ve got to think that placing the ad was the right thing to do.

“To play the game of basketball in the NBA is a blessing and to have had the opportunity to play before the Orlando fans for eight years was truly a privilege and an honor.

Words cannot express the love I have for Orlando. With your support we have done great things in this city from hanging banners to impacting our youth.

Although my career with the Magic has come to a close, my love for the city and the people that make it beautiful will never end.”

curtsy to Ball Don’t Lie