Los Angeles Lakers legend and current Times Warner Cable SportsNet analyst James Worthy talked about the upcoming season and what he's expecting from the Lakers.
The acquisition of Dwight Howard was most likely the biggest story of the summer in the NBA, but Worthy admits he wasn't too thrilled with how Howard strung along the Magic organization in order to get them to trade him.
"We've had all the best centers. (Dwight's) got to realize that, one, this is not Orlando. This is the Lakers. We work quietly and methodically. There are no distractions outside of the locker room. Everything is dealt with on the inside."
While the Lakers have had their fair share of public feuds in the past, there are definitely higher expectations in Los Angeles when it comes to the attitude of the players. Worthy hopes that Howard will leave the ego and the attitude at the door once he suits up for the Lakers.
"Who said this, I don't like this coach. To me, that's nonsense. Your job is to come in and play and deal with the situation that's there."
Though Howard is certainly an upgrade over Andrew Bynum, Worthy went on to say that he felt that the Howard move won't have the greater impact on the team next season.
"I think my favorite move of the the summer was Professor Steve Nash. Yes, he's 38 years-old, but we haven't had a point guard like that since Magic (Johnson). He's so vital at that position and he can make everyone better."
Worthy knows that a lot of the team's success will come down to whether or not Kobe Bryant is willing to defer to Nash, especially with the game on the line.
"The key is going to be if Kobe can defer to Steve Nash and let Steve run the show. If he wants that sixth championship he's going to have to let Steve Nash do his job."
Either way, Nash and Howard will both play major roles on the Lakers next season, or their additions have raised fans expectations of winning multiple championships.
Whether these expectations are met, Worthy knows it comes with the territory.
"They look really good on paper, but so does a counterfeit 100 dollar bill until you try to spend it."
