Dwight Howard is going to be a free agent this summer. It’s done, official and it will happen. The big man will leave the Houston Rockets and with the team’s recent hiring of Mike D’Antoni, it’s unlikely he will return to the team. Howard and D’Antoni bumped heads during their time with the Los Angeles Lakers and despite the Rockets reported lobbying to keep him, he’s gone.
Now the questions about his future come as free agency arrives. Does Dwight get a max deal? If he does, will it be for a long-term deal or shorter terms? Can he convince a team to give him what he wants? Who actually wants Dwight?
It appears that two teams have already jumped on the opportunity to meet with ‘Superman’. The Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics will be the squads to get the first meetings with Dwight Howard.
Following from Marc Stein and Chris Broussard of ESPN.
The Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics are the first known teams to secure face-to-face recruiting meetings with free-agent big man Dwight Howard, according to league sources.
Sources told ESPN that Howard, 30, is likely to meet with as many as five teams in free agency, with a return to the Houston Rockets widely seen as unlikely after Howard declined his $23.2 million player option for next season.
Both teams could use a guy like Dwight. The only issue would be, is Dwight the type of player you want in today’s NBA? He’s only getting older and slower but his defense is undeniably effective and he can finish a couple lobs.
Dwight won’t be done here. Expect him to get a couple more meetings with teams like the New York Knicks, Miami Heat and even the Portland Trail Blazers.
