FRIDAY, 9:55am: The talk with other teams is more a matter of due diligence than not, Rockets sources tell ESPN’s Chris Broussard, who spoke in an appearance on ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” show (audio link). One NBA GM tells Broussard that the Rockets have been gauging interest in him for about a month but have been surprised that no team has put forth an overwhelming offer.
3:08pm: The Raptors showed no interest when the Rockets reached out to them about Howard, league sources tell Grantland’s Zach Lowe (Twitter link).
2:41pm: Neither Howard nor Fegan has asked the Rockets for a trade, Fegan said in a statement to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (ESPN Now link). The agent also said that he isn’t privy to what the Rockets are doing, which would seem to counter the idea that they were working together.
THURSDAY, 1:25pm: The Rockets have engaged teams in trade talk about Dwight Howard and are working with agent Dan Fegan to find a new home for the former All-Star center who intends to opt out of his contract this summer, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. Uncertainty surrounding whether either side wants to continue their partnership has prompted Houston to take action, Wojnarowski writes, noting that Howard is still expected to seek a max deal starting at a projected $29.3MM salary for next season once he turns down his roughly $23.282MM option.
Howard becomes the most significant name on the trade market, though the 30-year-old’s game isn’t what it used to be. He makes more than $22.359MM this season, a difficult salary to match for, and a 15% trade kicker worth about $600K further complicates the matter, as The Vertical’s Bobby Marks notes (on Twitter). Houston would have to pay him that amount in the event of a trade, but it would count as part of Howard’s incoming salary for whichever team would acquire him.
Howard, James Harden and GM Daryl Morey had an extended chat after Houston’s loss to Portland Wednesday, one that dropped the Rockets to ninth in the Western Conference, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN said in an appearance on ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” show (audio link), and as RealGM transcribes. Interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff was also involved, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, who notes that Howard made comments about the rest of the season with the Rockets (Twitter link), a hint that he doesn’t expect to be traded. Howard and Harden have no personal qualms, The Vertical’s Chris Mannix tweets, countering earlier reports, which Howard and the Rockets vehemently denied, that Howard was dissatisfied playing a secondary role to Harden.
The Celtics reportedly had a brief exchange with the Rockets about Howard within the past few weeks, but Houston’s asking price has been high, as Mannix reported earlier this month. Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald wrote then that the Rockets had made efforts to trade Howard, even if the Celtics talk didn’t go anywhere.
What should the Rockets seek in return for Howard? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.
How about a Howard-Horford swap? Atl would need to throw in more salary and Houston would need to attach an asset, but it would give Harden a great running mate and Atlanta could reconstruct its team around Howard, Millsap and whatever they get back for Teague.
i suggested that in a different post and got my head take off … i feel like its a win win .. i think they should do a howard,smith,jones, for horford,korver. something along those lines
I don’t think it’s a bad suggestion at all. Korver would love playing in that Rockets’ offense.
thanks arthur .. i mean i was jacked when we got dwight but i dont think he is a team leader… maybe if he is on a team with milsap and splitter and playing in his hometown with his BFF smith just might make him happy.
A frontcourt of Millsap, Splitter, Howard and Smith would be horrible. And did you completely forget that Josh Smith was previously on Atlanta and was terrible, so I highly doubt Atlanta would want him. Just because the trade would be good for the Rockets doesn’t mean its good for the Hawks. The reason your prior trade idea was ripped was because it doesn’t help Atlanta at all. Sending out washed up skeletons of players for a good player isn’t a good deal especially when the main hope is that maybe they’ll play better in their hometown. Seriously, if the rosters were flipped and the Hawks offered Howard for Horford, would you take the deal? If not its probably NOT A GOOD DEAL.
From a Rockets fan point of view, that might be good but that is terrible for Atlanta. Both are somewhat injury prone (although Horford has kicked that bug the past few years) and are free agents that will most likely seek the max. Howard has the higher ceiling, but his injuries are more concerning, is older and has little offensive game outside of dunks. Horford is younger and can spread the floor. I can see a Horford plus Korver going to Houston for Howard, but Houston would need to send much more.
I suppose you could see it that way I just think you put Howard in atl with milsap you could do a lot more damage in the east and shelfolosa would be the small foward not smith , smith would be the back up foward …
How would they do more damage? Howard is limited offensively to the paint essentially. Horford has extended his range to the three point line so if anything, a full lineup of shooters should do more damage (look at GS for a reference).
San Antonio has seemed to do well and they don’t play small ball or with all shooters etc every team can’t be golden state and I promise you take steph curry off that team and see how far they get its easy to say it’s their “style of play”that they are winning
Or maybe it’s because they have the best 2 players at their positions and another who is damn close to best at his position …but back to the trade Howard stil has a lot of game left if someone could get him lobs he could do a lot of damage its hard to get into the offense when your watching harden play hero ball and turning it over 5 times a game .. Horford is a fine piece but he has never taken a game over and put up 25 plus 15 plus Howard has last postseason he was a big reason why the rockets made it to wcf
Got to shake things up there, though trading for Howard is a buyer-beware scenario.
you got to blow team up … howard,brewer,jones,lawson.
Move Patterson into the starting lineup, Anderson with Bismack. Works perfectly.
Howard makes sense for the Celtics at the right price. It doesn’t look like they will be able to acquire a difference making, trans-formative type player in season, and Howard would at least be that low post, rim protecting presence they need. He’s a definite upgrade over Amir and Zeller. I’d imagine as a rental he would cost at least one 1st round pick, plus a player of variable worth (potentially more). That of course depends on how many teams are bidding, and what they are willing to pay. The news that he is looking to opt out for $30 million per makes him more rental than potential keep, cuz he isn’t worth $30 million per on a new deal. That I think neuters his price. The Celtics can’t use all their picks, or keep all their young players, so at the right price Howard could be a good fit.
Not like the Mavericks can go after Howard no way. Besides Howard is a bad free throw shooter the same thing with DJ. Maybe the celtics get Howard
Dwight Coward is a clubhouse cancer.
Exactly. If he isn’t coddled and presented as the centerpiece of the team he starts pouting and wants to go somewhere else where he gets the proper “respect”.
Howard-Horford doesn’t make Hawks better, stop with the “Hawks need a real center” crap. Also Smith/Atl had a horrible relationship, neither wants to give it another try. As a Hawks fan, I’d consider Milsap-Howard deal, as I think playing alongside a big like Al would help Howard tremendously, and if it fails, then both are FA and we can hit the reset button.
And ATL has nothing to show for it. That makes a ton of sense.
“The Raptors showed no interest when the Rockets reached out to them about Howard, league sources tell Grantland’s Zach Lowe”
I love you Masai Ujiri.
only problem with Howard he demands ball in lost, but has no post game. guy can dominate boards, run the floor, set picks and play great defense.
he could be a bigger, better Ben Wallace if he accepted it, and help any team win a championship.
Ha I have block buster trade for every one between the rockets , kings and wizards
I thing money it works and player it works to help right now and in future
Rockets get :
C/f nene- 13 million
Sf gay -12’403 million
Pg rondo- 9’7 million
Sf belinelli – 6’606 million
Total salaries -41’708’070 million
Kings get
c Howard- 22’359’369 million
Sf – Martel Webster trade reception -8’713’600
C/pf blair- 2 million
Sf – decker – 1’646 million
Pg – Beverly – 6’648’980
Total salaries – 41’286’769 million
Wizards get
C/f cousins- 14’748’840 million
Sg- McLemore – 3’156’186
Sf- ariz -8’200’milliin
Pg Seth curry 947′ thousand
Total salaries 27’032’026 million
That trade is equal saleries going out as coming in
So the Kings are giving up Cousins, Gay, Rondo to get Howard and spare parts. I’m going to guess they’d pass on such a generous offer.
So the Wizards would get cousins while giving up nene Blair Webster ? Me thinks that trade lopsided
Back to the drawing board mister.
link to espn.go.com Magic get Howard,Teague,Jones. Rockets get Horford,Smith,Fourier,Harris,Watson and Hawks get Brewer and Ariza
No way Dwight goes back to Orlando .. And the Hawks are getting boned in that deal
Kings aren’t trading Cousins…at least not without landing a young stud and draft picks.
Only way wiz get Howard is if the Rockets decide to just do a salary dump and tank.
Rockets, Rockets, Rockets, where does one start…I watch the Rockets quite often and my thoughts for changes would be to trade TJones, Ty Lawson, Brewer and DMo to Atlanta for Jeff Teague or Dennis Schroeder, Horford and Korver.
What if the cavs trade Kevin love and Timothy Moz for D-12 lol
Just looking at the landscape(and also i haven’t watched dwight play this year) would the Pacers make sense? They could trade Mahinmi, Hill, Budinger, and GRIII and a pick. Make Dwight the 3rd scorer after PG and ME. There’s also a chance, if they’re savvy enough, to pull off what the cavs did with Big Z. Once they trade Hill and Mahinmi to HOU, one of them will probably get cut and can resign with IND
The Pacers main hole is point guard, so there’s no reason to take guys away from the rotation to address an area of strength.
Two things to remember: Dwight does not like to be perceived as the bad guy publicly. And Fegan lies.
Whiteside trade for the Dwight they both can put up points and both rim protecters plus the heat can make there team with wade, bosh, Dwight. Rockets can have a good defense of team which they need with whiteside and capela
How bout Kevin love and Timothy Moz for D – 12
He can out out and get Cavs a chance at KD
Would a Roy Hibbert, Nick Young, and 3rd rounder for D12 back.
Kobe is retiring, exactly what he originally wanted.
Lol that’s trash value. While the Lakers are at it they should trade Sacre for Curry and World Peace for LeBron right?
Gasol + Noah for Howard might work,
OKCCCCC OKCCCC ! Two perfict fits for Howard ! /3allstars
link to espn.go.com