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Woj: Rockets "frontrunners" for Dwight Howard, Lakers "desperate" to keep him

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by J.R., Jun 29, 2013.

  1. J.R.

    J.R. Member

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    <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Y! Sources: Anchored as frontrunners, the Rockets will make the first free agency pitch to Dwight Howard. <a href="http://t.co/YVG1Uwh74s">http://t.co/YVG1Uwh74s</a></p>&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/statuses/351167746454720512">June 30, 2013</a></blockquote>
    <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
     
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  2. J.R.

    J.R. Member

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    After two years of careful planning and preparation to make themselves irresistible to Dwight Howard, the Houston Rockets have emerged as the frontrunners to sign the free agent center and will make a formal presentation to him on Sunday night in Los Angeles, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

    The Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors and Lakers will make presentations between Sunday's midnight ET start of free agency and Tuesday evening, sources told Y! Sports.

    Howard doesn't want this process to extend long beyond his final meetings on Tuesday and could have a decision before the end of the week, sources said.

    "He wants to make a decision based on basketball more than anything else," one source with knowledge of Howard's thinking told Y! Sports.

    For this reason, Howard has been leaning toward the Rockets in recent weeks and considers them the only team that would instantly allow him to play for a championship contender, sources said. The Lakers aren't out of contention for Howard, but they are running second with the meetings starting Sunday in Los Angeles, sources told Y! Sports.

    Two of the biggest hurdles facing the Lakers' ability to re-sign Howard remain his disdain for coach Mike D'Antoni's system and a belief that the Lakers not only aren't a championship contender as constructed, but lack the assets and financial flexibility to become one in the near future, sources told Y! Sports.

    Although Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has recently told D'Antoni that his job is secure, sources said, the fact that management hasn't allowed him to start hiring assistant coaches for a depleted staff has left many suspicious the Lakers are keeping the option of cutting ties with D'Antoni should it allow them to re-sign Howard.

    And the one coach who has most recently been considered for an assistant's spot on the staff, Kurt Rambis, is closely tied to the Buss family and the ever-lurking Phil Jackson. The Lakers are desperate to hold onto Howard, and the reality remains that two of the people who should be most important in the retainment process – D'Antoni and star Kobe Bryant – have poor relationships with him.

    The Rockets will sell Howard on a four-year, max contract with advantageous Texas tax rules, a roster constructed for championship contention, an offense designed with him as a cornerstone and an imprint into China and the Far East that could hold immense marketing and endorsement possibilities for him.

    Because of their ties to Yao Ming and now Jeremy Lin, the Rockets are the most televised NBA franchise in China, with data showing that nearly 300 million regular-season viewers watched Houston on CCTV 5 this season. For Howard, the Rockets sell will assuredly be how much more lucrative sneaker, appearance and marketing possibilities will be for him in a basketball-driven part of the world.

    Dallas is selling Howard a two-year plan to reshape its roster and the championship pedigree of owner Mark Cuban, coach Rick Carlisle and star Dirk Nowitzki.

    Atlanta has the cap space to bring Howard back to his childhood home, but Howard has never shown a desire to play as a professional there.

    The Warriors have the toughest path to try and acquire Howard – needing a sign-and-trade scenario with the Lakers to make it happen. Golden State hasn't constructed its franchise with the pursuit of Howard as a priority, and has shown little inclination to gut its excellent young core to deliver the Lakers assets in a sign-and-trade deal.
     
  3. Clutch

    Clutch Administrator
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    I'm going to split this out into a new thread because it has a couple of interesting items. We can merge if necessary.

    Calls the Rockets "frontrunners," spells out their pitch and says the Lakers are "desperate" and may be keeping the option of firing D'Antoni open. This part is interesting to me.

     
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  4. Knightrogen

    Knightrogen Member

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    Hoping for the great news! That would make my year!
     
  5. Raven

    Raven Member

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    Dwight's image would never recover. He wouldn't be a coach killer, he'd be a coach assassin.
     
  6. Aaron_D

    Aaron_D Member

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    Love the fact, after all the Broussard stuff over the last 24-48 hours, that Woj gave Dallas about as much play as Atlanta and Golden State.
     
  7. AbrahamLincoln

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    The part about the coaches was really interesting. I think that Phil coming back is somewhat likely.
     
  8. The Cat

    The Cat Contributing Member

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    Interesting that Woj cites LA's lack of assistants but doesn't mention that they hired Madsen two days ago. That said, Madsen did play for Phil.

    I don't think it's a coincidence that Phil is heading to Montana on this of all weeks. He doesn't appreciate what the Lakers did to him in November, and while he won't completely detach himself from them (due to Jeanie), he's not going to show up in-person for an "informal consultant" role.

    To me, if there's even a 1% shot of the grand Phil conspiracy, we'll find out by Tuesday. No way Dwight re-signs in LA for Phil without an extended meet.
     
  9. Clutch

    Clutch Administrator
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    I think if Phil Jackson were to come back, Dwight wouldn't be viewed as a "coach killer" in LA... he'd be viewed as the guy who used leverage to get the Lakers to wise up.
     
  10. TheFreak

    TheFreak Contributing Member

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    Don't think Phil would take on that no win situation. Doesn't fit his M.O.
     
  11. eddiewinslow

    eddiewinslow Member

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    I really hope Lakers wise up and send nash and dwight in a sign and trade for Lin and Robinson. The lakers need to do what San Antonio did that year before Duncan was in the draft and just tank.

    The trade Nash and Dwight here
    Amnesty Pau
    Waive Metta

    Go in all in for a top 2 pick and a new franchise player to build around.

    Hopefully a new core of

    Lin
    Kobe
    Wiggins
    Thomas Robinson

    that's got a lot of potential for the future after kobe.
     
  12. tmoney1101

    tmoney1101 Contributing Member

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    isn't it awesome that china watched more games in their living rooms than we did last year?
     
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  13. khanhdum

    khanhdum Member

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    well mark madsen just got hired as one of the assistant coach a few days ago?
     
  14. Matt Maloney

    Matt Maloney Member

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    [​IMG]
     
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  15. liveguy

    liveguy Member

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    Mannnnn.....if after all the hoopla, they cave and fire D'Antoni that means DH agrees to stay.

    I dont mind the desperate...but if they're THAT desperate...got DAMB!

    Only way I would respect Dwight after that point would be if they fired MDA and Dwight still left anyway.....lol
     
  16. mikol13

    mikol13 Protector of the Realm
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    Glad the day is almost here. I won't stop being concerned Dwight won't sign until he signs. Lakers still worry me. What if their pitch is, Phil is coming?

    Pretty pumped seeing who all is involved with the pitch to get Dwight here. Make. It. Happen.
     
    #16 mikol13, Jun 29, 2013
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2013
  17. Chamillionaire

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    He's already here in my opinion. No way after all this, and all indication points to that he's either coming here with TRob going out, or he's going to the aging Mavs.
     
  18. NotInMyHouse

    NotInMyHouse Contributing Member

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    Lets do this gents!

    Lakers, prepare your anus.
     
  19. Houst0ne

    Houst0ne Member

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    Lol haven't seen the its happening gif in awhile
     
  20. rocketblood713

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    I thought there wasn't a frontrunner lol ???
     

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