[CBS Sports] Howard no lock for Lakers; interested in Rockets

Phil Jackson:

Will he re-sign? If not, chance he goes to Houston?

It's an obvious choice from the standpoint of best scenarios but then you have all the other things trailing behind you - you gave up on LA, he left Orlando, he didn't see it through with the Lakers and the financial issue. There are very few players willing to forgo the financial issues. We've seen Duncan take less money to bring better players on. We haven't seen many, I'm sure LeBron did, he took a little bit of a hit but he's probably making more money in endorsements than he was getting paid by the NBA contract so I suppose it wasn't a big hit for him. You have the draw of an agent saying this is best for financial, this is best for your scenario. Mike D'Antoni is a good coach. People disregard he's had success. He knows what he needs to have to put a team together. If they're minding their Ps and Qs in the organization, they're trying to figure this out. They can have Dwight as a screen and roll guy that pounds the inside ala Amar'e Stoudemire and get it on the move. He may not get as many post ups and decisive plays in which he's directing the traffic from the post but he'll have more opportunities to score, in a situation which Mike comes in, they have a training camp, and everything else can happen and has more personnel around him to support his system. He has a decision to make. It will be tough. The Lakers then have a decision to make with Pau. Is Pau a better player in a D'Antoni system than Howard? There's the Lakers side of it too. I'd like to see both players have the best possible chance to succeed and fulfill their best wishes.

Is LA the best place for him? What would you advise him to do?

I think staying with a franchise and hanging in there...I think he likes the life in LA. He has hopes for success and the monetary issues is considerable. I have more Laker blood in me than I do Houston Rockets blood, that's for sure. As part of this extended family that runs this organization, I hope he remains a Laker.

 

More opinion, blah blah blah.

Kenny Anderson

8:11

Spoiler

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Chances Dwight leaves the Lakers for a team like the Rockets?

I think they have a chance. Speculation is he might be leaning towards Houston. They have Harden & Lin. He wants to be featured, number one. I don't think he'll be that in LA. That took a spark away from him, playing with the Lakers. I can see him leaning towards Houston. He has a big ego. He was bruised this year playing with the Lakers. That's Kobe's franchise. It was difficult taking a back seat to Kobe, Gasol, and Nash. Too much for him. I think he would look very hard at Houston. Great perimeter guard in Harden and some other pieces that are pretty good. He can make that team a contender.

 

Ken Berger:

Realistically, what are the chances he leaves LA?

Realistic possibility. You mentioned the tax difference but the way I viewed the 5 year deal with LA and 4 year deal with everyone else, Dwight is 27 years old. Unless you're talking about a career ending injury, which nobody knows, for someone of his stature and age, at this point in his career, that difference is overblown. Easy for me to say but you do a 4 year deal with Houston or Dallas or whoever, and opt out after 3, he's a free agent again at 30 and he'll get his 5 year max then. As long as he doesn't have a career ending injury, he'll get his money. It's kinda overstated.

A decision made on July 1st?

I have no direct insight there but having covered the entire saga of Dwightmare, it would be crazy to say there would be any expeditious ending. I would expect it to drag out as long as possible and take as many twists and turns as you could imagine. It's a big decision for him. Do you stay in LA and try one more crack at it? Or do you try to set yourself up now, sooner than later, with the Rockets and young players that could be flipped, depending on the direction you want to go, and put yourself in position to win sooner than later? There are no guarantees either way, but with LA's window closing, vs. a team like the Rockets where the window is wide open and they have the ability to set themselves up for sustained success, that's a tempting situation if I'm Dwight Howard.

That sustained success, if the Rockets only have to move a few million dollars and not break up the team, I'm interested in how you think this team might look? I'm going to assume a starting back court of Harden & Lin, with Parsons, Howard, and Motiejunas in the front court with Asik, Delfino, and Garcia, and Beverley coming off the bench, what do you think?

Whether it's Motiejunas or Asik, it's a matter of what pairing McHale feels is a better pairing. Dwight wants to play with another big man. He does not want to be on an island himself as the only focal point in the paint. He wants someone else to occupy space down there. As much as he is a center in the traditional sense, he's also not. He's more of an athletic-on-the-move athletic almost PF type who is good in the PnR. In terms of Delfino and Garcia, those two guys may be on the outs if they are clearing space for Howard. If I remember correctly, 3 million for Delfino non-guaranteed. Garcia at 6.4 million, they have a team option they can decline. They can trade T-Rob to a team with cap space. The best deal they can get in terms of how high of a draft pick they have to give up to get that team to do the favor of taking the contract then they're set. It's going to be an interesting process for Dwight to consider all these options. It would be foolish for me to say what he's thinking or what way he's leaning. I won't get into that unless I hear from Dwight himself but he has some interesting decisions to weigh for sure.

Chris Paul - the story today about him being upset. Is Chris Paul looking too much into this?

I would leave it alone if I were him. I wouldn't worry about how it's being portrayed. It's clear that team took a step back this year. It was time for a change. No doubt in my mind that was going to happen. It's funny how these things are portrayed. Chris Paul is cautious about putting himself in controversy. The reality is, anyone who has a player that valuable to it's success, they have an important role in those decisions to one degree or another. I don't believe he demanded VDN be fired, but it had to be done. I can tell you for sure, he was high on Mike Malone as a head coaching hire. He had been with Michael in New Orleans. He of course has been hired by the Kings. They'll go on down the list - Byron Scott, Brian Shaw, they'll go down the line and pick the best coach for them. Of course they'll consult their best and most important player.

Lionel Hollins a hot name. Do you believe he'll leave Memphis?

I do believe he will. There is some feeling on his side and the FO side to work something out. It will depend on how strong the interest is on the outside. The Clippers, Nets and Sixers have not reached out to request permission. I wonder if they're aware his contract is up June 30 and they won't have to request permission and maybe they're assuming he won't have his contract extended. ... You have a new group with a different idea of how to build a team. They have more decisions to make. They want to have their own guy in place. I don't think it's a done deal he's gone but more likely than not.

[...Talking about LeBron...]

 

Brian Geltzeiler - HoopsCritic/SheridanHoops

Do you think Dwight returns?

It's still possible he does. He's comfortable in LA, don't underrate that but boy, they're doing everything they can to lose him. He doesn't want to play for Mike D'Antonio next year, I know that for a fact. He's pushing their buttons here. It may be a bluff, all this Houston stuff, but by the same token, no state tax narrows the money gap a little bit, he can win immediately. He has people close to him explaining to him if he puts winning first, go to Houston. It's winning vs. comfort. It'll be interesting to see what he does. You'll see a lot of "Dwight's staying, Dwight's leaving" between now and then.

Scale of 1-10 and how you think the situation is there for Dwight - all things considered.

Houston - 9
Lakers - 7
Dallas - 3, that's an old team. Old Dirk isn't that appealing.
Brooklyn - Great situation. Understand though both teams are above the tax apron, SnT not eligible. Only way to get to Brooklyn is if he stays with LA and forces his way to Brooklyn, which will be hard to do. Brooklyn is far fetched.
Atlanta - 4, maybe a 5. He doesn't want to go home. He'll be able to bring another star, question is who? I'll leave it at a low number because I know that's not appealing to him.