Dwight Howard Aware That Houston Has Become More Attractive

Repeat of what Berger said earlier, different media outlet talking about.

For what it's worth, it should be noted that Howard used his favorite word while describing the up-and-coming Rockets team that could be instant contenders if they signed him this summer.

"I like their team," he said when asked about the Rockets. "They're a great team. They're young. They play hard. They're scrappy. They play together. Everything they do has been great. It's fun to watch them."

 

He would leave nearly $30 mil on the table (I think you meant to type $29 mil, not $19 mil, since you obviously know how this stuff works).

You are exactly right, these are his two options. I believe that Howard will not leave nearly $30 mil on the table, so I think he re-signs with whoever has his Larry Bird rights. Right now, it's L.A. If the Lakers choose to trade him before the 2/21 trade deadline, then whoever acquires him will have his Larry Bird rights.

However, I believe that Lebron is the extremely rare example of an NBA player who SHOULD and WILL leave nearly $30 mil on the table because Lebron is interested in branding, and in post-playing career income. Michael Jordan continues to make a massive amount of money, years after he stopped playing, because the Jordan brand is very, very strong. Lebron is very bright, and can see this. He has developed something of a friendship with this country's greatest investor, Warren Buffett. Can you imagine Dwight Howard having a conversation with Warren Buffett? Me, neither.

By leaving Miami in July 2014 to sign with the team that has the best possible supporting cast (and, right now, that team looks like it's going to be Houston, although this may change), Lebron will be leaving nearly $30 mil in guaranteed dollars on the table, but the more championships this guy wins, the stronger the brand, long term, becomes, which means, in the long run, more money, and we're talking a lot more money, way more than $30 mil. Jordan makes well in excess of $30 mil PER YEAR in endorsements. The Lebron brand takes a big hit if he stays in Miami, where the supporting cast is going to be pretty questionable once Dwyane Wade starts looking like a shell of his former self (which should start happening sooner than you think, if it hasn't happened already). And Miami does not have the draft picks or the cap room to fix the problem, either. In other words, winning championships in Miami gets very difficult starting in about 2014-15.

In response to those who think that Houston is not big city enough for Lebron to accomplish these goals: Seriously? Two points: 1) Houston is the fifth largest metropolitan area in the country (behind NYC, L.A., Chicago, and Dallas); Miami is the eighth largest metropolitan area. And 2) Lebron, like all great athletes, transcends place. Peyton Manning has done quite well for himself, in endorsements, despite playing nearly his entire career in Indianapolis (#35 on the list of largest metro areas, behind multiple cities that do not even have NFL teams). Tiger Woods makes a ton of money in endorsements, or at least he used to. What pro sports team does he play for, and where is that team located? Obviously Woods does not play for any team, and it hasn't mattered. I could provide additional examples but the sort of person who cannot listen to reason is the sort of person who stopped reading this post after the first sentence or two, thanks to a short attention span.

 

Best team in basketball, damn you are blind bro

 

He was willing to lose the money to get off a Magic team that was going nowhere, I doubt he stays on a terrible Lakers team for a little extra money. He wants to be on a contender more than he wants the extra year.

 

No, he was trying to get traded so that he'd still have Bird rights with his new team. When he saw that possibility going away, he opted in.

 

He told them he was leaving one way or the other when his contract was up, then they traded him. I doubt that little bit of money is enough to keep him on a garbage team like the Lakers.

 

Yep, he could have easily opted out and gone to Brooklyn when they had cap space. He clearly values max money.

 

And he'd still be with Orlando.

He was changing his mind every second, they had fired the coach and gave him the team. If they were that confident that he'd resign then why trade him at all? Call his bluff and just resign him then and start to rebuild around him with the new GM.

Dwight just needs to say that he's going to test the market or not. That is why people are mad at him. At least Carmelo and Lebron and Bosh did. So there teams could trade them for something.

Maybe he will resign for the money, no one can really say. But if he really is resigning no matter what then there is no reason why he can't come out and just say that he's going to resign like Paul did. Leave no doubt and put it behind the team and organization.

 

I don't think he'd still be there. The Magic would have burned that bridge one way or the other.

 

The thing is. The problem Dwight had with the organization was both gone.

He had problems with the coach and had problems with the GM and his terrible moves. Both gone. They had given him the organization, if they are that sure that he's going to take the extra year like everyone just assumes then I just don't see why they'd trade him.

Meanwhile people close to Dwight all say "He's gone." just like we are starting to see now.

Could it be that he's doing this just to get traded AND get the max? Could be. Maybe he just wants both like Melo did...but if he can't have both than what will he choose?

No one knows that. People just assume he'd take the money because they assume any one would.

But I think most people would turn down 30 million if they are still making Millions and the difference is working some place they absolutely hate working at.

 

Would any team risk a potential trade with them besides Houston?

 

Dallas.

 

Of course, but they have no assets despite what Steiny tries to sell everyone(Vince Carter and Shawn Marion on multi-year deals... seriously Stein??). The Mavs are in an unrestricted free agency or bust mode... and so far its kicked them in the A#$... Turns out trade assets are the way to go based on who has made quality trades to acquire a star player.
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Nets - Favors, 2 first rounders for D-Will
NYK- young talent (Gallo & co.) for Melo
Lakers - Bynum(expiring & young talent) for Dwight
Hou- Martin & picks, young talent for Harden

Every big marquee deal that has been made in recent years has come from the team acquiring that player having quality assets to offer in trade. Why Cuban thought he could make these moves with unrestricted free agent signings was pretty damn naive. Good thing Morey understood this.

Imagine if Harden was traded to Dallas instead of Houston because they turned their championship team into assets in trade the next year through trades... could have spelled disaster for Houston's rebuilding plans, and created another monster to deal with in the West for the next 5 years.

And how much was Cuban being praised on THIS VERY BOARD just two years ago when Les/Morey were getting flamed for being cruel for treating players like Aaron Brooks, and Chase Budinger like "ASSETS"? Those of you who were preaching this gospel dont act like that wasn't you(cough.. cough...DD... welcome back bro).

-for the record, I actually think Dallas is a well run franchise. They just severely overestimated the impact of their rebuilding philosophy they chose to go with. They took a risk, and it certainly hasn't paid off for them yet.

 

For what it's worth, if the Lakers trade Dwight Howard to the Celtics, as is supposedly being discussed, here's what I think the deal winds up being:

Dwight Howard and Steve Nash to Boston

Rajon Rondo, one or more expiring contracts from Mystery Team, one or more draft picks from Boston, and some combination of draft picks and/or second tier prospects from Mystery Team

Paul Pierce to Mystery Team

[Filler from L.A. would probably need to be involved.]

L.A. replaces Steve Nash with the significantly younger Rajon Rondo (upgrade at the PG position, at least long term) and replaces Howard with picks/prospects. And L.A. drastically reduces its 2013-14 payroll, which saves the organization a massive amount of money, especially since they're well into luxury tax territory. L.A. is still in a better position than they would've been had they not made the trade for Howard, because Andrew Bynum is not the most valuable asset in the world right about now.

If Steve Nash has more left in the tank--Kobe is arguably the absolute worst guy to pair Nash with, since both players need the ball in their hands a large majority of the time, and Kobe gets whatever he wants in L.A., so Nash (and the team) loses, which means it's hard to say what Nash has left in the tank based on his play this season--then Boston would have a hell of a "Big Three" in Howard, Nash, and Kevin Garnett, and Nash has a long history of making mediocre supporting players (and, make no mistake, Boston's supporting players are SO very mediocre) look really good. And yes, I think Howard for sure would re-sign with Boston, because he is going to worship Garnett, the ultimate warrior and team player. If there is a single player on this planet who can take Howard under his wing and talk some sense into him, it's Garnett.

For those who are curious, I tried to figure out if the third team could possibly be Houston, but the numbers just don't add up. So no.

 

No, it hasn't. Good post!

 

They thought they could rebuild like the Lakers or the Knicks and expected that big names will come to their team because of the city or something.

Not sure why though.

Only teams in LA or NYC can just free up cap space and have players run there.

 

I understand you, but he wanted another market, and in the case of Orlando, you only put up with so much b.s., even from a super-duper-uper star.

 

Yep...

That's what "etc" was for. LOL

 

How do the salaries not work? Any Howard trade would surely involve Asik, whether for the Lakers to keep or trade out in a 3-way. Asik's salary + our capspace means we only have to send an additional ~$4.4mil in salary to match. Toney Douglas fits in at $2mil. And surely the Rockets have to add some other youngsters, say Patterson+DMo or Parsons+Morris to add enough talent for Lakers.