It doesn't make any financial sense for Dwight to opt in, unless he is facing a career threatening injury that will inhibit his ability to sign a long term contract elsewhere. Even a drastic paycut would make more financial sense for him if he can get enough years in his contract. With all the money being thrown around though I highly doubt he'll need to take much of a paycut anyway. Especially because the Center market is thin this year. After Drummond resigns, you're looking at Whiteside, Al Jefferson, Ezeli, Joakim Noah and if you think he' s a center, Al Horford. Some team will get desperate and offer too much money to Howard, get a minor bump in short term, and an albatross long term.
The Rockets and Dwight will work together on this. I'm sure Morey will tell Dwight that if he opts in, he's going to be traded. I'm sure both parties have this understanding. Dwight is better off seeking more money elsewhere to whatever stupid team thinks he's worth it.
FWIW, if Dwight opts in, there is a possibility - albeit unlikely - that the Rockets could operate OVER the cap this summer. If you add up all salaries, cap holds and salary cap exceptions (MLE, BAE, etc.), the Rockets could be just barely over the salary cap. Of course, they can easily shed a ton of that by simply renouncing free agents and cap exceptions. I point this out merely as salary cap trivia more-so than because I think the Rockets would actually do this. Carry on.
I think the whole point of the rumors at the deadline were to push Dwight to opt out while having no real intention of trading him.
He did opt in unexpectedly in Orlando, which is scary... and the new CBA has fewer incentives for a sign-and-trade...
This - it's better for us in regards to tradeability of Dwight, but I doubt he opts in. He will probably get a better offer somewhere else and go through the whole rigmarole again, but not with us.
