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What are Dwight Howard's free agency options in 2013?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Carl Herrera, Jun 26, 2012.

  1. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Contributing Member

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    So, Dwight Howard has threatened to leave Houston as a free agent in 2013. It's a legitimate point for concern if you trade for him-- losing Howard with nothing in return.

    However, I am trying to think about where he might go and can't think of many good options in terms of places with both a good supporting cast (a 2nd star preferred) and the cap room to pay him the $19 million salary that he's allowed to earn under the rules (he is, of course, allowed to take less, but if he's leaving Houston, he will already giving up the max years/raise so I can't see him be up to giving up even more $). Of course teams can make trades and dump salary and what not before 2013, but even that's not gonna be so easy.

    Some possibilities I thought about:

    Brooklyn: They can have the cap room for sure and that's where he wants to go now, but is Deron Williams staying there without Dwight? Also, if Deron is staying, do they forgo spending money for a whole year (or forgo giving folks more than 1 year salary) for the chance to acquire Dwight in 2013? Would Deron waste yet one more year of his life waiting for the Nets to get him a good temmate?

    Dallas: It's Deron's other likely destination (especially if Dwight isn't in Brooklyn by the time free agency starts). However, with the salary of Dirk, Deron, Hayward and Martion on the books for 2013, they will not have sufficient cap room to add Howard to the mix.

    Los Angeles Lakers: No cap room with Kobe, Gasol and likely extended Bynum (Jimmy Buss loves him).

    Clippers: Will CP even be there? Also, if CP stays, Blake Griffin extended (likely, he's a cash cow), DeAndre Jordan and Caron Butler on the books, not gonna have cap room.

    Boston: Perhaps the most realistic possibility? Can have cap room and will have Rondo. I wonder if they'll forgo signing free agents (including KG, who won't be cheap) to multi-year deals this season to make room for Dwight. Will they win enough to look like a good destination if they don't sign enough talent?

    Miami: No cap room.

    Orlando: Will those 1st round picks develop enough to make Orlando an attractive place again? Would be the funniest option (not so much for Les Alexander).
     
  2. larsv8

    larsv8 Contributing Member

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    I like this angle.

    Where would he walk too? There isn't a slam dunk option that isn't a clearly worse team without leaving mass money on the table.
     
  3. count_dough-ku

    count_dough-ku Contributing Member

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    Someone will make room for Howard. If he doesn't want to be here, he'll find another team to go to.
     
  4. minis9

    minis9 Member

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    Morey, is that you?
     
  5. True Rocket

    True Rocket Member

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    Right..he won't have trouble finding a better situation.
     
  6. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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    None of this matter if Morey and all us fans cave and go for a SnT.
     
  7. larsv8

    larsv8 Contributing Member

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    Lay a hypothetical out for me, cause this would be an outstanding situation for him and would be very hard to beat.
     
  8. jopatmc

    jopatmc Contributing Member

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    $57 million



    This is how much money Dwight stands to lose over the next 10 years if he does not sign a birds rights max contract.
     
  9. jayhow92

    jayhow92 Member

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    He may run to Boston if rondo is still there.
     
  10. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Contributing Member

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    Maybe there is such an option out there, it is possible for teams to acquire talent and/or cap room in a year's time. Their existing talent can also develop enough to make them attractive (for example, Minnesota's has looked much better with Rubio joining them, and both Love and Pekovic making a big jump). However, I can't really think of one that's for certain gonna be a great option at this point. And a lot of the existing talented teams, particularly those in big glamour markets are already paying their stars (or will be within the next few months, as is in the case of Griffin).

    I think this is why Dwight Howard's camp is giving out such bluster at this point and why the Rockets may not care: walking in free agency in 2013 is just not that great an option. At the very least, Houston will have the core members of a .500 team around him (Lowry, Martin, Bud and Dalembert having been capably replaced as starters by Dragic, Lee, Parsons and Camby). .500 is a lot better than what Howard's supporting cast could put up last season without him. They can also create enough cap room to add another star, perhaps even Deron Williams.
     
  11. Mariachi ROCKET

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    Man what a head case...
     
  12. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Contributing Member

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    With a S&T you get something back. Particularly in case of a team that needs to do a S&T to get Dwight (like the Lakers if they don't have cap room), the Rockets will have control over whether Dwight gets to go there or not and can thus get a considerable amount for him.

    The question is whether there is a team that he can realistically just sign with straight up.
     
  13. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Contributing Member

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    Which team can and how would they do it?
     
  14. sammy

    sammy Contributing Member

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    what jopatmc said

    like Melo, i'll believe it when i see it. walking away from millions that is.
     
  15. count_dough-ku

    count_dough-ku Contributing Member

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    Any number of teams could find a way. Look at how the Lakers started giving away players in 1996 in order to clear room for Shaq. If the Rockets are gonna trade for Dwight Howard, they better make damn sure they're gonna put a winning team around him immediately. Because if their attitude is "he ain't going anywhere cuz there's nowhere else go", they'll be in for a rude awakening.
     
  16. GreatOne1978

    GreatOne1978 Member

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    1) You're paying for max for a player who doesn't want to be here. He's half azz committed

    2) Are his back problems gone? We saw how T-Macs career spiral once his back issues flared up


    Careful what you ask for.
     
  17. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    If Morey gets Dwight and does not cave in, I will be in his corner a lot more often.

    DD
     
  18. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Contributing Member

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    Of course they are going to try to maximize the talent around him, with or without his pending free agency. What's the point of having a star if you are not trying to win right away?


    As for "any number of teams could find away," specifically, which team can and what ways can they find to have both enough cap room and a good supporting cast? Examples? The Lakers in 96 had (1) Shaq always wanted to be a Laker, (2) not CBA restrictions on max year/raise only to existing teams, and (3) a roster, much like the Rockets with decent young parts that are cheap (so they can both be competitive and staying well under the cap even after trading, for example Vlade Divac). Who is similarly situated this cycle?
     
  19. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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    This matters a great deal. The whole purpose to trade for him is to keep him. If you bring a SnT discussion to the table next year, you are dead meat. The Howard camp will be in the power position and you will be forced to trade.

    So, you're right...it also matters a great deal where he can sign outright without a SnT,,,but none of this matters if Morey caves and allows SnT talk to enter the conversation. He must not entertain such talk, and must make the Howard camp can take less money somewhere.

    He should just offer them the max, ignore any other talk and show them he is acquiring more pieces in the mean time while they decide to stay or go.
     

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