Dwight Howard, recently traded to the Hornets from the Hawks, discussed his excitement to be in Charlotte, relays Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Howard spoke glowingly about his new owner, Michael Jordan:
“I’d just done a 2 ½-hour workout. After I was done talking to him, I wanted to jump back into the gym. That’s how he motivated me. You’re talking about the greatest basketball player to ever play. For him to call you on the phone and say, ‘I believe in you!’ ”
Howard also discussed his reunion with head coach Steve Clifford, his disappointment of lasting just one season with him hometown team, and how he will make a difference in the Charlotte community.
Here’s more from the Southeast division:
- Hawks GM Travis Schlenk says that three or four teams were interested in trading for Dwight Howard, but the Hornets made the best offer, tweets Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal- Constitution.
- While the Cavaliers await a decision from Chauncey Billups, another team covets the former NBA Finals MVP’s wisdom in the front office: the Hawks, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Billups recently interviewed for a front-office position with Atlanta.
- Hornets GM Rich Cho says the team will be looking for a backup point guard and more overall depth in free agency, tweets Jordan Greer of The Sporting News.
- The Magic‘s new president of basketball operations, Jeff Weltman, explains why the team traded two picks in a deep draft, reports Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. Weltman explained: “We felt that at a certain point that the draft flattened out, and once we got past that point, we had three more picks, and we didn’t want to bring four rookies in. So what we did is we tried to identify kids that we thought could possibly be there later that we liked as much [as a] higher [pick]. And could we defer those assets [and] move them along to maybe turn them into future pieces and still come up with something that we liked?”
- The Wizards believe that Tim Frazier can contribute right away, reports Chase Hughnes of CSN Mid-Atlantic, in an interesting piece full of great quotes from Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld and head coach Scott Brooks.
- Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel writes that Dwyane Wade, who has come up often as a Heat target this offseason, is not necessarily leaving Chicago so soon despite the Bulls’ obvious entrance into rebuilding mode after dealing Jimmy Butler on draft day.
Wade would be dumb to stay in Chicago, and Orlando stole the draft with Isaac. He could be a 6’10 Kawhi 2 years down the line.
Wade wants that 24 million. Nobody will pay him that in the open market. Probably will be bought out and then it could be very interesting
You mean Chicago is dumb for signing him to that contract. They might as well burn that money, literally.
he’s getting 24 million dollar from Chicago…y would he leave?? he’d be dumb to leave!!!
He would just be taking away time from Lavine and Valentine, doubt Wade is that selfish. He’s still got game and can start on a team like Milwaukee and help them. Imagine him mentoring Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokoumpo.
How is playing for the team that gave you a contract selfish?
Selfish?
Yeah thinking about players mentoring other players is so exciting!
How would he be taking time away from Lavine? I doubt the Bulls are gonna run Lavine out there for a ton of minutes after coming back from his injury. And wade and his expiring contract might fetch a pick at the deadline, but he’s not gonna get $24 million from someone else and he likes being in Chicago because of his family. Or the Bulls will buy him out.
Wade is not a starter anywhere in the league.
I want to see the other offers made to Dwight because if the Miles Plumlee, Marco Belinelli, and moving down 10 spots in the 2nd round was the best one then the others must’ve been atrocious
Agreed.