First, they asked him to be the fourth option in a three-man offense. Juwan Howard accepted that with a smile and without complaint.

Then they asked him to do enough rebounding for them all, to ignore the scoring that used to be so pivotal to his game. Howard performed that one with gritty effort and without so much as a groan.

Then, came a move to the bench, something he had never experienced. Howard shrugged at that one, but accepted it, too.

But a trade to Utah? That might be just a little too much for Howard to take for the team.