Hakeem The Dream to help woo Dwight Howard (Also McHale, Hakeem, Clyde, Parsons and Harden)

After two years trying to land Dwight Howard to be the next in line of their franchise centers, the Rockets will finally sit down on Sunday for Dinner with Dwight.

The Rockets contingent, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting, will meet with Howard as soon as NBA rules allow, joining him and his representatives for dinner in Los Angeles where they will hope to do more than make their case about their potential to compete for championships if he joins them.

That will be a major part of their pitch, perhaps the point they will emphasize most. Rockets officials declined to comment about their plans, but they are expected to not only outline how Howard would be used, but also how the team could continue to grow, citing everything from their full collection of salary cap exceptions and first-round draft picks in the coming years, but also the young, talented assets that will either improve or could be turned into more veteran pieces.

Along with head coach Kevin McHale and general manager Daryl Morey, they will bring Hakeem Olajuwon, who has worked with Howard in the off-season, to make their case, along with fellow Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler. Chandler Parsons and James Harden, who have over the years developed friendships with Howard, will be there. Rockets owner Leslie Alexander, president Tad Brown and executive vice president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas will be part of the presentation.

The Rockets will make a pitch that will cover the potential of the team with Howard and specifically describe how he would be used in an offense retooled around his strength’s and McHale’s taste for inside play lacking on the Rockets’ roster in McHale’s two seasons. There will be discussions about how McHale would work on his game.

...

Parsons, who speaks often with Howard, said that Howard has often described competing for championships to be his primary goal when selecting his next team, a sentiment Howard has expressed publicly, as well.

...

The Rockets will try to leave him convinced that they are best for him “basketball-wise.” But Parsons said he has also emphasized the atmosphere and chemistry with the team.

“We have great guys,” Parsons said. “We don’t have any egos. We don’t have any cocky, arrogant guys. We have guys with the same mindset and same attitude. We genuinely all like each other and enjoy playing together.

“All of us text back and forth pretty much every day. Whether it’s us joking around or us talking about what we’re doing to get better or trying to get together in the same city for group workouts, we’re always looking for ways to get better and stay in touch and keep that relationship most teams don’t have. We’re all friends. We’re all thinking about each other.”

Beyond that, he said they are ready to win, and particularly to win if Howard chooses to join them, listing among other things similarities to Howard’s Finals team in Orlando, with the added benefit of a second top All Star in Harden.

[MORE]

 

Tad Brown is the business side of the Rockets. Marketing, advertising. Seems important to Dwight.

 

http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterockets/2013/06/rockets-sending-elite-group-to-entice-dwight-howard/

This article says Parsons, Harden, Hakeem, Clyde, Mchale, Alexander, Rosas, Brown and Morey are all going to be there.

 

Yeah. I trust Feigan knowing who will be there over CSN dummies.

 

What an article! I'm using this list for the group going to LA!

 

but the dummies didn't say Les wouldn't be there...

 

Lol....clearly.

 

O MY GOD. Can you imagine how hysterical it would be if Drexler just burst in at random times during Morey's pitch with classic Drexlerisms??? Totally unrelated to anything DM is saying .... I am laughing my butt off thinking about it right now.

 

Indeed. Don Draper is always busy.

 

Thanks for the share JR!

 

Im guessing the confusion has to do with the time change from the nba offices to LA. The rockets will obviously try to visit him as soon as possible, so that may be at midnight eastern time, which is still sunday in LA.

 

Ric Bucher: Correction to an earlier post: Dwight Howard will not visit the Warriors, but they have been granted the option to visit him and will take the opportunity to do so, league sources say. The rest of my previous post still stands -- having to acquire him via sign-and-trade makes it very problematic to get him, considering his other options.

Ken Berger: Meetings are set up or are in the process of being set up. He'll meet with the Rockets out of the box. Golden State will meet with him. Atlanta & Dallas too. He'll soak it for everything it's worth. It will be a circus. I don't know how to handicap it. Houston is an intriguing option for him because of James Harden, a young roster, a team ready to takeoff as opposed to the Lakers. It will be interesting what he emphasizes. Does he emphasize winning? Or being the guy in LA once Kobe retires and banking on the Lakers delivering in 2014? What does he prioritize? We'll find out.

 

Isn't it tampering to meet with him tomorrow? It isn't July 1st yet... maybe there is an exception?

 

should we send Trae Bun B and Slim thug and Paul Wall ?

 

It really begins at 9 on June 30 from what I make of it. July 1 is the first actual full day (I think).

 

In other words, we don't have....

Spoiler

 

time difference....they'll meet in LA at 12:01 AM ESTERN TIME Monday, which is still 10:01 PM in LA

 

Midnight Eastern Time(12AM) = 9PM Los Angeles time

 

errr 9:01 PM PDT

 

Didn't you know, he's getting traded. Your dreams come true