Dwight Howard Aware That Houston Has Become More Attractive

It doesn't matter how long he's played. He's still a dominant Center and Omer Asik shut him down.

Where'd you get that from my post? I've been one of the biggest advocates for acquiring Dwight for over 2 years now.

 

Still, there's no guarantees that LeBron will sign with the Lakers.

The Lakers never goes downhill?? Are you serious? Remember that 04-07 period? The Lakers struggled for 3 years after Shaq left. The Lakers will continue to just go downhill with this aging roster. Not to mention that they don't have any draft picks. Their only hope is to sign a marquee player in 2015. And there's no guarantee that they will pull it off.

But if Dwight chooses us, that would be a team that can contend for years.

 

Yeah, it's obvious that Mchale is the problem. It's not that we are young, newly formed, and only have one player that can truly be rationalized as a Superstar (better one than none). It's not because we are playing in the era where LeBron James has brought his overall game to another level, and Durant isn't far behind. It's because McHale is our coach! Fire him and bring in someone else and we would definitely win a championship!

 

Which part of "for long" do you not understand. Please don't be stupid about it. 04-07 is a lot shorter than over 15 years. The Rockets haven't been championship contenders since the pre-Yao days. You can argue that but your just lying to yourself if you do.

The Lakers aging roster empties out at the latest in the summer of 2014. That's just little over a year from now. Which I am willing to bet brings in at least one more star.

If Lebron leaves Miami which he definitely hasn't closed the door on LA is his likely choice. Yes Cleveland has an inside shot as well but if he wants the glamour and fame then LA is really his only choice. And make no mistake the lakers have positioned themselves very nicely to make a run for him in 2014. It's no coincidence that all those salaries expire including Kobe's at the same time Lebron can be opt out.

Now lets say he doesn't want it and chooses to stay with Miami. That still doesn't give us the inside edge. LA still will get some star. If Lebron chooses t leave Miami for Cleveland than perhaps Bosh or Wade leave as well. The Luxury tax makes it almost impssible to keep all 3 and even if he stays put Carmelo may be an option or some other star.

I will concede one thing. Howard and Josh Smith are long time buddies and there is a chance they join forces together and probably even discussed the possibility during All Star weekend. Which is why the rumor that Morey wants both Smith and Howard may be true. But since when did Morey get a high profile free agent he wanted. And Howard would have throw away the keys to tinsel town and a lot of money to boot. And LA will not be sitting down while that happens. They will pull out all the stops even if that means b**** slapping Kobe.

Now you can disagree with me if you want but history is on my side. LA gets their stars. Whether it's Wilt, kareem, Shaq and now Howard. The point is LA has a history of stars wanting to play for them. Either way it would be Howard and Lebron or Howard and somebody. LA will get theres. The CBA has changed the playing field. Almost no team will go over the limit into the luxury tax land. LA will. They have a market that allows them to spend more and offers more fame and glamur and endorsements. You can be sure LA will be sending that message to him everyday and with a little more than a red rental truck with a bunch of crazy rowdies and a cheap Ipad.

 

The Rockets will be looking to make a sign an trade deal with LA by dangling a minimum of Asik and Robinson and Jones as bigs in the package. As far as getting both Howard and Smith, I don't think that has a snowballs chance in hell. Smith is going to want far too much money and Rockets have already committed Max money to Harden. The whole reason Harden was traded from OKC was because they couldn't afford Durant, Westbrook and Harden and still have any money left to fill the other 12 positions on the team. Most likely, we end up with Smith or Millsap and trade some of our young bigs with potential for a solid backup at the 2/3 spot. Go into next season with our core pretty much in tact and watch them continue to improve due to having time played together.

 

I know this was intended as sarcasm but what you posted is true.

 

You're an idiot. Our second best player is Asik. We aren't winning any championships with this roster.

 

What reason would Houston have to trade anything to the Lakers for Dwight when they can sign him outright?

 

What coach would transform the current Rockets roster into a better team than the Heat?

 

First of all there is no advantage for Houston doing a sign and trade. Under the new CBA Dwight will not get a penny more if they do that. Those days are gone. Dwight loses 30 mil signing with Houston. On the plus side we have no state tax but on the down side he could lose millions in endorsements by leaving LA. If he comes to Houston we will sign hi outright ... No snt.

Second if he comes I think part of that reason will be to team up with his best bud JSmith. So I actually think it is more likely we get Josh Smith if we sign Howard. And how we achieve that is easy. The hawks want value at a lesser cost and Asik offers that. He can play the 5 and horford can move over to the 4. Second they'll want a young affordable up and comer. That could be lin but more likely they demand Robinson young prospect. With Robinson and Asik they would only need to under the cap after signing howard a few million which should be possible. We would be left with Lin Brooks Harden Howard Josh Smith, Greg Smith Donatus Parsons TJones, Beverly We could keep Anderson add at least 1 second rounder and resign garcia or maybe an outsider like Casspi for the minimum. That would give us a full roster with a starting five of Lin, Harden, JSmith, Howard and parsons. Not bad.

 

If Dwight trusts the owners of this team, which he should, he has no reason to worry about the $30 million. They'd give him $60 million in an extension 3 years from now and give him a player option on his contract besides so he could opt out after 3 and get a fresh 5. It's a risk on the Rockets promising him his 5th year but it's the kind of risk they would take. The 5th yr is a non-ssue.

 

I would be down with a sign and trade so we could free up some cap space.

Morey is about to do his thing hopefully.

 

Wow really the fifth year is not an issue? Perhaps to you it's not but 30 million is a lot of money to walk away from when you never know how long your career will last. Howard may be considering but I can assure you his decision hasn't been made yet. Yes if he does come hereI agree it is not about the money. But he will never get that back and he will lose even more in endorsements maybe a lot more. He definitely hasn't thought it all out and may have got wrapped up in all the fun and glory he got here during All Star weekend but that fades. So yes if he comes here it's because he thinks the Rockets can land him and someone else and win a championship. If he is not lying and he really means what he said then maybe that's his number one motivating factor. But I am not sure he truly understands the ramifications and has even begun to feel the push of LA enticing him to stay. They will pull out all the stops make no mistake about it and those stops may be too much for him to say no to.

LA holds some big cards Glamour fame and money more money than he will ever see as a Rocket. And please do not talk about promising anything. They can't promise anything. Not by word or especially by contract and any agent wouldn't be worth his weight if he took a handshake agreement. The only chance we have of signing Howard is if he really sees himself winning here and that really is his number one goal. Not money.

That being said I do believe Harden was politicking him hard during all star weekend and that probably included the idea of bringing in Josh Smith as well. And clearly the Rockets have an idea what it will take to get Josh Smith including salary space since they negotiated for him before the deadline. Which may be why they dumped Morris for almost nothing and signed Brooks as an expensive bench player. If all goes right they may have to give up a pg. If not Brooks salary can be dumped this summer.

So after writing all of this my thinking has changed slightly our odds may be better than slim and none. But we still are longshots the way I see it. Maybe if we blowout LA the last game of the season and they miss the playoffs because of it and we get the 6th seed and make it out of the first round and give him something a little more substantial than IPAd like an oilwell instead. maybe that could work. Just don't hold your breath. And don't get your hpes too much or you might be in for a letdown.

 

No, it's not an issue if Dwight trusts the owner.

No, my hopes aren't real high about getting Dwight. I just know Morey is going to make a push for him. And I know he'll have quite the argument...especially if the Lakers are sitting at home come playoff time.

 

The Rockets deficiencies are so obvious, and Dwight would so perfectly address them.

1. He is every bit as good as Asik in every area where Asik is good. He is much much better offensively. He is generally much more consistent. The Rockets are so good at dribble penetration, but lack any inside muscle offensively to finish plays with strong dunks (as opposed to ballerina like reverse hopes).

2. Adding Dwight via FA allows you to trade Asik. Trade Asik for improved PF help. You could do a S&T with Utah/Atlanta at that point if htose teams are interested to acquire Milsap/Smith (would be the only way after spending all FA money on Dwight). Or the same with Portland for JJ Hickson. There's also the Kevin Love dream, too. Asik + Parsons + DMo for Love type thing.

Adding Dwight as a FA would so precisely allow the Rockets to address their biggest needs.

Don't see it happening, but it would be nice. In the best case scenario, given that any team going after him is going to offer the max that team can offer (be it the Lakers max, or another team like the Rockets max), and that one would assume, absent needing to do some deals to get further under the cap, those teams would make said offers once FA starts, that HOPEFULLY Dwight can do something quickly for once, and sign with the team he wants to sign with.

Somehow this thing will drag on once again, and that's the situation DM should try and avoid.

 

its quite sad

 

Why would he trust Les and Morey. Morey thinks all players are stinking assets. People like Martin and others have said that. We have have the biggest turn over every year. No player is safe. Les has no history of being trustworthy accept bad. Barkley b****ed for many years that Les promised him more later if he cut his salary to sign Pippen and then reneged. You do not have to believe Barkley but I do.

Howard would be stupid to believe anything not in writing. Still the more I read about this I do think there is a chance but not for the reasons you post. I do think Howard is thinking about Houston. I do think the H sign he made at the All Star game may mean something more. I do believe he wants to play with his best buddy. I do believe he wants to beat Miami. And he hates that Lebron gets all the fame. I read an article this morning that said the weekend after Lebron made the big decision Howard was attending his best buds wedding, the best man to be exact, and when asked about the decision he mocked the idea and then said yeah they will be good but it doesn't mean they will win championships.

So maybe winning is more important and maybe Harden Josh Smith and Howard have already made a deal. But it's still long way from signing and LA will be doing everything in there power to keep him. Even to the point of getting Kobe to kiss and make up with Dwight. It's almost sickening to watch but Kobe knows if Dwight walks the Lakers will d very well to amnesty him. Anyway eough on this subject. It's along way to the free agent signings and we are not even a lock to make the playoffs.

 

I predict that Howard shuns LA and comes to Houston. It just makes sense (in my crazy mind at least).

Howard wanted LA. Key word is WANTED. What has tinseltown gotten him?

1. A so-so (at best) relationship with a legend that will be there at least another year. I doubt Bryant retires after next year.
2. Constant media attention (mostly negative). This has gone on for 2+ years for the guy. I believe he is tired of it.
3. He now has a clear idea that even with a few talented geriatrics, LA is a long way away.

His compliments of us during the Allstar break were very telling and I don't think a first round beating at the hands of SA or OKC is going to convince him to stay just because he loves tinseltown.

 

As long as the Lakers are high up in luxury tax, they can't do a sign and trade. So, if Howard leaves, it's via him signing a contract with his new team and leaving the Lakers with nothing for it.

 

LOL That's because they were assets. Assets to acquire superstars like Harden, Dwight, CP3, etc.. Dwight would love to have a GM like Morey. He would instantly build a great core around him and the beard.