Dwight Howard Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers Notes: Howard, Nash, Peace, Clark

April 29th, 2013 at 5:35pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lakers' season ended in unspectacular fashion last night as the Spurs completed their first round sweep with a 103-82 victory in game four. Dwight Howard was ejected along the way and headed back to the Staples Center home locker room, possibly for the last time. Here's the latest out of L.A as we look ahead to what should be a

No one knows if Howard will be back with the Lakers next season, but Steve Nash sounds optimistic about it, writes Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld. “I’m very hopeful that Dwight will be back,” Nash said at his season-ending press conference. “I think this is the place for him. He’s in the prime of his career, with his best years ahead of him. Playing for one of the greatest franchises in sports and an amazing city. I hope he sees it that way and hopefully as teammates we can be there to support him and find [him] back with us July 1."
In his season-ending interview with reporters, Metta World Peace said that he'd like to be back with the Lakers next season, but declined to talk specifics about his player option and contract, tweets Mike Trudell of NBA.com. The forward holds a $7.27MM option for 2013/14 and as unpredictable as he may be, it's hard to imagine him turning it down.
Earl Clark said that GM Mitch Kupchak told him that many teams would be interested in him this summer, Trudell tweets. For his part, Clark hopes to stay with the Lakers. The Louisville product enjoyed his best season to date in 2012/13, averaging 7.3 PPG with 5.5 RPG in 23.1 minutes per contest.

Lakers Rumors: Howard, Clark, Gasol, Payroll

April 29th, 2013 at 8:49am CST by Luke Adams

After being ejected and seeing the Lakers swept out of the first round, Dwight Howard called this season a "nightmare," an interesting choice of words given the "Dwightmare" label applied to last year's constant Howard trade rumors. Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times proposes one way to end the nightmare, suggesting that the Lakers don't re-sign Howard this summer when he hits free agency. It certainly figures to be an interesting summer in L.A., given Howard's free agency, Kobe Bryant's recovering Achilles, and Pau Gasol's expiring contract. Here's an early look at the next steps for the team:

Howard told reporters, including Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, that he expects to "step away from everything for a couple of weeks" to clear his head before he seriously considers his free agency. One source tells Spears that, given the uncertainty in Lakerland, Howard is expected to do his due dilegence when it comes to free agent options.
Spears' source on Howard: "He's going to sign a long-term deal. It has to be the right spot, the right commitment. There is no clear choice. The Lakers choice has longevity. They've won a lot of championships. But at the same time, that's not where they're at any more."
Earl Clark tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News (Twitter link) that he'd like to re-sign with the Lakers, even if the team can't offer the same amount of years or dollars as other teams.
Gasol doesn't believe his future with the Lakers necessarily hinges on what happens with Howard, as he tells Medina.
Gasol deserves to be able to play out the final season of his contract with the Lakers without constant trade rumors swirling around him, suggests J.A. Adande of ESPN.com. However, as Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times writes, it's also possible Gasol has played his last game with the club.
Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times examines the Lakers' payroll options, including potential amnesty candidates.

Lakers Rumors: Dwight, Brown, Goudelock

April 27th, 2013 at 4:57pm CST by Chuck Myron

Teams facing an 0-3 deficit have never won an NBA playoff series, and the Lakers appear to face even longer odds than usual. Steve Nash, Metta World Peace, Steve Blake, Jodie Meeks and, of course, Kobe Bryant, will all miss Game 4 against the Spurs. Even those who will play aren't necessarily healthy, as Pau Gasol is considering an offseason procedure to address a degenerative condition in both knees. As the Lakers season crash lands, here's the latest on the purple and gold:

Dwight Howard's future will be a central topic in the coming months, but Howard told reporters, including Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com, that he hasn't given thought to where he'll sign next season (Twitter link).
Wherever he winds up, the Hack-a-Howard fouling strategy figures to follow, though NBA president of basketball operations Joel Litvin wishes it wouldn't. Litvin expressed distaste for the rules that allow teams to intentionally foul players away from the ball, but commissioner David Stern seems to favor the status quo, as Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times observes.
In the same piece, Bresnahan provides more details on the set-off rights the Lakers have on their contract with Mike Brown now that he'll be coaching the Cavs. Brown was slated to receive about $7MM from the Lakers over the next two seasons, but L.A. could recoup anywhere from $1.5MM to $3.5MM of that. As we've heard before, the precise amount of the relief for the Lakers won't be known until the league finalizes Brown's contract, which could take a month.
Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com chroncles the journey of Andrew Goudelock from getting waived in training camp to winning the D-League MVP award to starting in the NBA playoffs.

Odds & Ends: Dwight, Expansion, Thunder

April 26th, 2013 at 10:45pm CST by Chuck Myron

The storyline on the Lakers tonight is their makeshift starting backcourt of Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock, but as soon as their season ends, the attention will no doubt shift back to marquee names, and Dwight Howard in particular. HoopsWorld's Bill Ingram, with an assist from colleague Eric Pincus, breaks down the numbers to show that Howard would make more money in the first four years of a contract with the Rockets than he would in as many seasons with the Lakers, thanks to differing tax rates. Still, L.A.'s ability to offer a fifth season, enhanced endorsement opportunities and the cachet of the purple and gold provide varying levels of motivation for Howard to re-sign with the Lakers.

As we wait for yet another Dwight decision, there's plenty of news from around the league:

Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com suggests David Stern's stance on expansion may be softening somewhat (Sulia link). Stern had been adamant that the league won't try to solve the Kings dilemma by adding a team, though Spurs owner Peter Holt, chairman of the Board of Governors, said the issue isn't off the table.
In an Insider piece, Tom Haberstroh of ESPN.com argues the Thunder shouldn't regret the James Harden trade in the wake of Russell Westbrook's injury as much as the deadline move that sent Eric Maynor away.
A team executive who saw Greek swingman Giannis Adetokunbo practice tells Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News that while he's a project who probably won't see significant playing time for two or three years, he's still worth a first-round pick (All Twitter links).
Martell Webster is open to coming off the bench if he re-signs with the Wizards, notes J. Michael of CSNWashington.com. The Wizards and Webster, whom I tabbed one of the season's best mid-level exception signees, appear to have mutual interest in a return.
Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv wonders what would have happened if Kenyon Martin were on the other team in the Knicks–Celtics series. Martin was close to a deal with Boston earlier this season.

Pacific Links: Dwight, Lakers, Warriors, Kings

April 17th, 2013 at 9:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

Congratulations to the Lakers, who, after a season of nearly non-stop turmoil, have clinched a playoff spot with the Grizzlies' win over the Jazz tonight. That comes as no surprise to many Hoops Rumors readers, as the Lakers were the top choice when we asked two weeks ago which Western Conference team would grab the final playoff spot in the West. You were also right on about the Jazz, tabbing them in early March as the team most likely to miss the playoffs among a group that also included the Lakers, Warriors and Rockets. Now, as the Lakers attempt to move up to the seventh seed with a win over Houston tonight, here's more on them and a couple of their Pacific Division rivals.

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak told Jim Rome of CBS Radio that he expects to re-sign Dwight Howard, echoing a pair of sources who said the same to Sam Amick of USA Today a few days ago.
Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld concludes the Lakers can't win a title as constituted this year or next, and lays out three options for the team: a full rebuilding effort, a quick rebuild for next season, and the most likely option, a push for free agents in 2014. Regardless of what happens, re-signing Howard figures to be the first item on their offseason agenda, as Koutroupis writes.
Dwayne Jones will be with Golden State when the playoffs begin this weekend, but Scott Machado will remain with the Warriors' D-League affiliate for its postseason run, tweets Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle. The Warriors signed deals with both today for the rest of the season.
Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com figures the NBA's decision to delay a vote until next month on the future of the Kings is a positive for Sacramento, arguing the city will benefit from more time in its tug-of-war with Seattle (Twitter link).

Dwight Howard Expected To Stay With Lakers

April 14th, 2013 at 8:57pm CST by Zachary Links

Could our long national Dwightmare reach a drama-free conclusion this summer? Two sources close to Lakers center Dwight Howard told Sam Amick of USA Today that they fully expect him to return to L.A. even though he has kept mum on the subject. In fact, the organization expected Howard to take over the Lakers even before the season-ending injury to Kobe Bryant.

Of course, Howard is notorious for changing his mind, meaning there's always a chance his outlook could change by the time July rolls around. The Mavericks, Rockets and even the Suns, who could make room for D12 with a few moves, are hoping that's the case.

Howard could definitely have a change of heart if he is not factor in the Lakers' offense sans Kobe in these final two games and they fall short of making the playoffs. Financially, the smart move would be to stay in L.A. as Howard's max extension with the Lakers would be for five years and $117.9MM while the rest of the field could only give him something in the vicinity of a four-year, $87.6MM ontract, as calculated by our own Luke Adams.

Pacific Rumors: Lakers, D’Antoni, Kings, Marshall

April 6th, 2013 at 4:40pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Lakers held on to their half-game lead for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference with a two-point win against the Grizzlies last night, and if L.A. makes the postseason, they could get some reinforcements. Coach Mike D'Antoni revealed that Metta World Peace could be back by the end of the month, knocking two weeks off the original six-week timetable for his recovery from a left knee injury, tweets Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. Jordan Hill tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News he's seeking medical clearance to return at about the same time, though D'Antoni is skeptical about that. Either way, there's reason for optimism in a season that's left Lakers fans with little of it. Here's more on the purple and gold and other news from the Pacific:

Most signs, including the three years left on D'Antoni's contract, point to him returning to coach the Lakers next season in spite of the team's disappointing play, writes Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Stein also suggests that while Dwight Howard may have sway over D'Antoni's future if the big man threatens to sign elsewhere, Howard won't have nearly the clout that fellow soon-to-be free agent Chris Paul will wield on the Clippers' coaching situation.
Regardless of who's in charge of the Kings next season, the "leaguewide presumption" is that neither GM Geoff Petrie nor coach Keith Smart will return, Stein adds in the same piece.
Kendall Marshall wasn't among the 10 players I mentioned yesterday when I examined 2012 first-round picks who've seen limited action this season, but his 568 total minutes would make him the 11th player on the list. He's been seeing more action of late with the Suns, and Marshall tells Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic that he's finally starting to feel comfortable.

Rockets Believe They Can Clear Space For Dwight

April 6th, 2013 at 1:53pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Rockets aren't currently in line to have the cap space necessary to offer Dwight Howard a maximum-salary contract this summer, but the team is confident it can swing trades to clear room for his max deal if he's willing to sign with Houston this summer, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Sources tell Stein an "obvious option" would be to trade Thomas Robinson for a future draft pick.

Salary Cap FAQ author Larry Coon this week broke down the Rockets' ability to make a run at Howard, pegging their available space for this summer at between $16.7MM to $18.2MM, depending on how high the league sets the salary cap in July. Opening up that much room without making a trade would require the team to decline its option on Francisco Garcia and waive seven others whose contracts aren't fully guaranteed for next season, including starting small forward Chandler Parsons, whose deal is partially guaranteed for $600K.

Dwight Howard's maximum first-year salary would check in at $20,513,178, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors detailed. Howard's max is larger than any other free agent this summer because the collective bargaining agreement ensures a player can always sign for 105% of his previous salary, and Howard's $19,536,360 salary this season is the largest of anyone hitting the open market.

In order to give Howard the max, the Rockets would have to make a trade. Giving up on Robinson, the 2012 No. 5 overall pick whom the team acquired at the trade deadline from the Kings, and Parsons, perhaps the NBA's best bargain, would be difficult to stomach, but I don't think the Rockets would hesitate to do so if they knew they were getting Howard.

Stein also writes that, even as the play of James Harden is making Houston an increasingly attractive destination, the Mavericks have long been considered the greater threat to sign Howard. Coon looked at the Mavs' ability to land D12 as well, noting that they're set to have less cap space than the Rockets this summer. That means Dallas, too, would have to swing a trade to fit a max contract for Howard under the cap. Both the Mavs and Rockets could also try to work out a sign-and-trade with the Lakers for Howard, Coon adds, noting that while the CBA bars taxpaying teams like the Lakers from receiving a player via sign-and-trade, it doesn't preclude them from sending players out in such a deal.

Lakers Rumors: D12, Gasol, World Peace, D’Antoni

April 4th, 2013 at 5:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Although the Lakers' short-term focus is on finishing the regular season strong and earning a playoff spot in the Western Conference, the team will face a number of questions this summer and beyond, with luxury-tax penalties set to increase starting in 2013/14. Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com spoke to a number of agents, executives, and players about the Lakers' cap situation, so let's round up the highlights:

One general manager on free agent big man Dwight Howard: "No matter what, they have to re-sign Dwight. Even if they don't want to move forward with Dwight, you gotta re-sign him because he's a tradable asset no matter what he makes…. You can always move him, but if you don't have him under your control, then you've got nothing."
The general belief is that if Howard is re-signed, the Lakers will look to move Pau Gasol, but there are mixed opinions on how much trade value he would have, and how strong a package the Lakers could acquire. Said one GM: "He'll have value as a super expiring contract. There are 12 teams with $12MM or more in [cap space] this summer. Multiple teams will be open to doing an uneven deal to acquire him…. They would probably have to take back a multiyear deal at a lower number. Say, somebody with two or three years left at 6 million a year. They can't incentivize a deal because they have no assets — no [draft] picks and no young players of value."
Gasol could also be amnestied, which would significantly lessen the Lakers' tax burden, but it would be a purely financial move rather than a basketball one. Rival GMs are skeptical that the team would make such a move in what could be Kobe Bryant's last year.
Metta World Peace is a more likely amnesty candidate, though if he decides to opt out of the final year of his deal, Steve Blake could be amnestied as well. World Peace told NBA.com last week that he'd consider declining his '13/14 option, and the knee surgery he underwent since then hasn't changed that stance, according to Shelburne.
One Lakers player said he believes World Peace would like to secure a two- or three-year contract rather than exercising his one-year player option.
There were also varying opinions among GMs on coach Mike D'Antoni's future with the Lakers. One GM's thoughts: "I like Mike D'Antoni, but if I was them, that's the move I'd make (letting him go). You can talk about amnestying players and trades, but players are still assets. Coaches are different."

Pacific Notes: Howard, World Peace, Kings, Clips

April 4th, 2013 at 3:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, the Clippers signed DaJuan Summers for the season, and we passed along word that Grant Hill is likely to retire at season's end. Here are a few more Thursday items from out of the Pacific Division:

Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Insider-only link) expects Dwight Howard to re-sign with the Lakers, but notes that there are other potentially attractive destinations in play. Broussard breaks down the pros and cons of three likely Howard suitors, the Hawks, Rockets, and Mavericks.
Metta World Peace's rehab from knee surgery is off to a good start, though his future is still uncertain, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
As Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld explains, when the NBA Board of Governors votes on the future of the Kings, the decision won't necessarily come down to Seattle vs. Sacramento, since the Board can't force the Maloofs to sell to the Sacramento group. The Board of Governors will simply be voting on whether or not to approve the sale to the Seattle group, so if the sale is to be declined, there will need to be real cause.
In his latest column for the Los Angeles Times, T.J. Simers argues that the immaturity of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan is dragging the Clippers down, and says Jordan "blames [head coach Vinny] Del Negro for burying him on the bench."