Free Agent Market Officially Opens for Howard
The free agent market has officially opened in the NBA. The biggest name in the market this season is Dwight Howard, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers last season.
Howard is planning to sit down and speak with a minimum of five teams, with his main priority, according to inside sources, a team that will help him become an NBA champion.
The veteran of nine NBA seasons was in the NBA Finals four seasons with Orlando and is desperate to return. However, he wants a team that can help him win multiple titles not just one.
He was scheduled to meet with the Houston Rockets on Sunday night, followed then by the Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors in no specific order. He will then sit and talk with the Lakers.
He is not meeting the teams in order of preference, said one source, but did respect the wish the Lakers had of going last.
Los Angeles has already started its unofficial pitch to keep Howard. The team has erected multiple billboards in Los Angeles, urging the All Star to remain with a franchise that has 16 NBA Championship banners to its name.
A source close to Howard said the player has noticed the different billboards and is very flattered by them.
The Lakers do have one advantage on the other NBA teams and that is they can offer Howard the maximum five-year deal for $118 million, as opposed to four years for $88 million.
However, the request by Howard of championship or bust has brought the Lakers back down to a level playing field with the other teams looking to sign the defensive stalwart.
Some believe a new coach for the Lakers would help convince Howard to remain in Los Angeles. However, the source has said that Howard has not and will not ask the Lakers to replace Mike D’Antoni as a requisite to signing with them.
Lakers management it is rumored remained resolute that D’Antoni is their head coach, will remain in that capacity, and will be there as head coach regardless of what takes place with Howard.
Some believe Howard will re-sign with Los Angeles, while others are nearly sure he will leave. Thus far, D’Antoni has not signed any assistant coaches for next season, as much is in limbo waiting for the Howard situation to play out.
What many believe is Howard is interested in finding out what coaches the Lakers have in mind to be assistants and what personnel moves the team is willing to make so the Lakers can return to the form that won them back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.
The clock has started ticking and now it will be up to Howard to make the decision completely on his own.
Regardless of where he decides to play, he will bring to the lucky team that signs him one of the best defenders in the NBA and one of its hardest workers.
