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Dwight Howard To Sign With Rockets

July 5th, 2013 at 10:01pm CST by Luke Adams

10:01pm: Howard, as promised, took to Twitter (or Twitlonger, to be precise) to reveal his choice of the Rockets.

"I've decided to become a member of the Houston Rockets. I feel its the best place for me and I am excited about joining the Rockets and I'm looking forward to a great season. I want to thank the fans in Los Angeles and wish them the best."

9:36pm: It appears Howard has picked the Rockets once and for all. The Lakers have released a statement from GM Mitch Kupchak:

"We have been informed of Dwight's decision to not return to the Lakers. Naturally we're disappointed. However, we will now move forward in a different direction with the future of the franchise and, as always, will do our best to build the best team possible, one our great lakers fans will be proud to support. To Dwight, we thank him for his time and consideration, and for his efforts with us last season. We wish him the best of luck on the remainder of his NBA career."

Of course, nothing's official until July 10th, when the league's July Moratorium is up, but presumably, Howard will be headed to Houston.

9:33pm: HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy hears from a source close to Howard that he's decided to join the Rockets after all (Twitter link).

8:46pm: On ESPN's SportsCenter, Chris Broussard is reporting that Howard has told the Lakers he's changed his mind, and both the Lakers and Rockets have 50-50 chances, according to multiple reports (All Twitter links).

6:32pm: Howard is flying from Colorado to L.A. to speak with Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak tonight, Bresnahan tweets.

5:47pm: Asik has no interest in backing up Howard if D12 does indeed come to Houston, and that could force a trade, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. The Hawks would listen to a sign-and-trade proposal involving Smith, Windhorst adds (Twitter links).

5:41pm: If Howard does sign with the Rockets, Mannix expects the team to try to flip Omer Asik, possibly as part of a deal for Josh Smith (Twitter link). Pincus believes the Rockets may still need to create a little more cap room to sign Howard outright to a max deal, though that won't be official until the salary cap is set next week, when the July Moratorium ends (Twitter link).

5:36pm: Houston GM Daryl Morey tweets that while he is "excited & cautiously optimistic" that Howard might choose Houston, he and the team have not been informed of his decision (hat tip to HoopsWorld's Eric Pincus).

5:31pm: As it stands at the moment, Fegan appears to be the one putting the brakes on the story, telling Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times that, "Based on my most recent conversation wirh Dwight, it’s inaccurate" that he has chosen Houston (Twitter link). Howard had been leaning toward Houston, but with his back issues, he's wondering if leaving $30MM is the right idea, Bresnahan tweets.

5:21pm: Multiple sources tell Wojnarowski that Howard has chosen the Rockets, but that he is still finalizing details of the agreement (Twitter link). Chris Mannix of SI.com says that he's been told Howard is wrestling with the idea of passing up the extra $30MM or so that the Lakers could offer, but if all things were equal, he'd go to Houston (Twitter link). Kennedy echoes that sentiment via Twitter. The Lakers and Rockets are the only two teams that haven't been notified they're out of the running, Wojnarowski notes (on Twitter).

5:15pm: A decision is coming tonight or tomorrow, tweets Kennedy.

5:12pm: A source close to Howard tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld that no decision has been made, although it's unclear whether that source spoke to Kennedy before or after news broke that he would sign with the Rockets (Twitter link). While Berger and TNT's David Aldridge both confirm Howard will sign with the Rockets (Twitter links), agent Dan Fegan tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that "Dwight has not finalized his decision" (Twitter link).

4:55pm: The most-discussed free agent of the summer has finally made his decision. After spending the week meeting with five different teams and weighing his options at a Colorado resort, Dwight Howard has opted to sign with the Rockets, reports Sam Amick of USA Today.

Howard has begun personally calling teams to tell them of his decision, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. The Warriors have already received one of those calls from Howard, according to Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group (Twitter link). The Hawks and Lakers appeared to be the other teams in the running at the very end, with the Mavericks having been officially eliminated earlier.

Chuck Myron contributed to this story.

Omer Asik Wants Out Of Houston; Pelicans In Mix?

July 5th, 2013 at 8:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

8:01pm: There's no question Anderson would intrigue the Rockets, but the Pelicans are wary of giving him up without getting more than Asik in return, Wojnarowski tweets.

7:29pm: The Pelicans have shown strong interest in Asik, and are likely centering their offer on Ryan Anderson, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

5:53pm: A source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that Omer Asik wants out of Houston, and other teams are already making pitches (Twitter link). Once a deal between the Rockets and Dwight Howard is finalized, Asik could be sent to the Hawks for Josh Smith, though the Mavs are also making a push, Berger adds via Twitter. I presume he means the Mavs are making a push for Asik and not Smith, but that's just my speculation. Chris Mannix of SI.com and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com reported earlier details on the story, with Windhorst noting that the Hawks would sign to a sign-and-trade offer for Smith.

A destination that would appeal to Asik is the Bulls, where he began his career, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. That would reunite him with coach Tom Thibodeau, who'd also be interested in such a deal. That might be more difficult for the over-the-cap Bulls to pull off than it is for the Hawks or Mavs, however. Asik has $16,749,292 left on his deal over the next two seasons. The Hawks won't rush in to any deal, according to TNT's David Aldridge, who says the team won't be making moves just to be "active," and any move would have to fit with the team's culture (Twitter link).

Even if the Hawks aren't interested in Asik, several other teams, including the Warriors, are, tweets Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game. Late last month a report surfaced indicating the Rockets were looking to unload Asik and Jeremy Lin, though Houston GM Daryl Morey backtracked from that story. Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors wondered if Morey's comments were simply to try to make sure Asik and Lin would still be on board if Howard passed on signing with the team, but it appears at least that Asik has been turned off. Lin would be tougher to move than Asik, Bucher points out, noting that many front offices view the point guard as a backup.

Windhorst raises the possibility of Asik heading to the Lakers in a Howard sign-and-trade, and notes that Asik doesn't want to play in any twin-tower Rockets lineups alongside Howard, either. While Asik's cap hit for the next two seasons will be around $8MM, he's actually owed more than $20MM total because of the way his deal with Houston was structured, per the Gilbert Arenas Provision.

Odds & Ends: Celtics, Smith, Billups, Martin, More

July 3rd, 2013 at 8:37pm CST by Alex Lee

The news that the Celtics have landed Brad Stevens to be their next coach has shocked the NBA world. Sean Deveney of the Sporting News points out, via Twitter, that of the twelve new head coaches hired this offseason, eight have now been first timers, adding that the Sixers will probably make it nine of thirteen. The Stevens hire has also led to some speculation that Rajon Rondo will be on his way out of Boston. The Pistons have explored the possibility of trading for both Rondo and/or Rudy Gay, according to HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy (via Twitter). For what it's worth, Rudy Gay tweeted tonight that he hopes to play a full season in Toronto this year.

With the NBA offseason in full swing, let's look at some of the news churning out of the rumor mill:

After meeting with several teams in Los Angeles the past few days, unrestricted free agent Josh Smith will return to his home in Atlanta today to contemplate his future, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports.
It might be tough for the Clippers to keep Chauncey Billups after their acquisitions of J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley, reports Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears. Billups, 36, has drawn interest from the Cavaliers, Spurs, Mavericks, Kings, Nets and Wolves.
Per ESPN's Chris Broussard on Twitter, unrestricted free agent Kenyon Martin is drawing interest from the Lakers, Clippers, Spurs, Knicks and Nets. However, Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York tweets that no offers have been made.
After visiting with the Cavs for two days, Earl Clark was impressed with what Cleveland had to say, writes Sean Deveney of Sporting News, who spoke to Clark's agent. Deveney has been all over the Clark rumors, and really likes how he would fit in Cleveland now that they took Anthony Bennett No. 1 overall.
Considering the withdrawal of the Kings' offer to Andre Iguodala, the Nuggets are now in a much better spot if they are aggressive in trying to re-sign him, writes Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post. Like many of the top free agents, Iguodala's options hinge on Dwight Howard's destination and in the meantime, Dempsey writes, now is Denver's opportunity to strike.

FA Updates: Evans, Josh Smith, Pekovic, Clark

July 3rd, 2013 at 1:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Tyreke Evans has been one of the most intriguing stories in free agency so far, with the Pelicans having extended a four-year, $44MM offer to the 23-year-old. Still, Evans has yet to agree to sign that offer, and there's no guarantee he'll do so, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets. The situation remains fluid, and Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link) believes if the Kings make Evans a comparable offer, he'd prefer to sign it and stay in Sacramento.

Let's round up a few more of today's free agent updates….

As they continue to explore the possibility of making a big splash, the Warriors are trying to set up a meeting with Josh Smith, according to Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group (via Sulia). However, Smith doesn't seem as interested in the Warriors, who Thompson says "aren't going to jump as high as others to get him."
Don't expect a whole lot of movement in talks for Nikola Pekovic until after Dwight Howard makes his decision, says Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (via Twitter).
Sean Deveney of the Sporting News says (via Twitter) the Cavaliers are being extremely aggressive in their pursuit of Earl Clark, meeting with him yesterday and again today, though no offer has been extended yet.
Dorell Wright met with the Thunder yesterday and was presented with one- and two-year contract offers, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, adding that Wright received a similar proposal from the Trail Blazers. The Spurs, Grizzlies, and Mavericks also have interest in Wright, says Spears (via Twitter).
Australian forward Joe Ingles is drawing interest from four NBA teams, reports Shams Charania of RealGM.com, listing the Pacers, Grizzlies, Bucks, and Clippers as possible suitors for the 25-year-old.

Central Rumors: Pistons, Rondo, Pacers, Bucks

July 3rd, 2013 at 8:36am CST by Luke Adams

With new general managers taking over for a handful of NBA franchises this offseason, there's a chance that organizational philosophies or approaches could shift drastically in some instances. The Pistons are hoping that's the case with the Raptors, offering up a package of expiring contracts to Toronto in exchange for Rudy Gay, who was acquired by old head of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo.

However, Grantland's Zach Lowe tweets that he'd be "blown away" if the Raptors accepted Detroit's offer without a significant sweetener. And as Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun notes (via Twitter), just because an offer is on the table, it doesn't mean the Raptors have to take it, as several teams have made "unimpressive" proposals for Gay.

Here's more on the Pistons and their Central Division rivals:

Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News tweeted yesterday that the Pistons would be at the front of the line if the Celtics make Rajon Rondo available. While Boston GM Danny Ainge continues to insist he's not interested in moving Rondo, despite plenty of incoming calls, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com also reports that the Pistons have made their interest clear in case Ainge changes his mind.
Within Berger's piece, the CBSSports.com scribe says the Pacers have explored potential trades involving Danny Granger and/or Gerald Green. However, they're finding "no market" for either player so far.
The Pistons remain interested in Josh Smith and Andre Iguodala, but are reluctant to engage in a bidding war, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
The Bucks may be emerging as the leading suitor for J.R. Smith, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post, pointing out that deals for J.J. Redick and Kevin Martin could set Smith's market value at $7MM+ per year. That would be more than the Knicks are able to offer.
Prior to reaching an agreement with Mike Dunleavy, the Bulls viewed him as their top priority in free agency, tweets Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times.

Rockets Want Both Josh Smith & Dwight Howard

July 2nd, 2013 at 9:44pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rockets' Monday meeting with free agent Josh Smith in Los Angeles included a discussion about a possible partnership between him and childhood friend Dwight Howard, two sources with knowledge of the situation told Sam Amick of USA Today. Smith has been known on the Rockets' radar, for some time, but he's not just being looked at as a Plan B if Howard goes elsewhere.

Combining Howard and Smith with James Harden would give the Rockets a formidable Big Three. In fact, Howard and his reps asked the Rockets in their meeting this week if they could find a way to sign another player to a max deal, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

The Rockets would have to clear some serious hurdles to get a deal done but they could conceivably try and work a sign-and-trade with the Hawks to help make things easier. Center Omer Asik and point guard Jeremy Lin will each earn $8.3MM in each of the next two seasons and could be moved to help free up space. Both players are reportedly being shopped around the league.

Rockets Will Offer Smith Deal If D12 Pursuit Fails

July 2nd, 2013 at 7:47am CST by Luke Adams

During their meeting with Josh Smith yesterday, the Rockets told the free agent forward that they would make him a contract offer if their pursuit of Dwight Howard fell short, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Spears adds that Smith understood the team's position and wasn't offended by being a Plan B.

With just enough cap space to make Howard a maximum-salary offer, the Rockets will have plenty of room to pursue other free agents if they're unable to sign D12. Smith's maximum salary won't be as high as Howard's, and Smith is unlikely to receive max offers anyway, so Houston could potentially sign Smith and still have cap space to use on another player, should the team miss out on Howard.

There are also rumblings that the Rockets could explore acquiring Smith via a sign-and-trade even if they're able to sign Howard. Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin would be probable trade chips in that scenario, though Spears notes that Smith has yet to meet with the Hawks, so a sign-and-trade hasn't been discussed yet.

In addition to meeting with the Rockets, Smith also had a "productive" meeting with the Pistons, who are said to be preparing a "substantial offer" for the longtime Hawk.

Latest On Josh Smith

July 1st, 2013 at 8:38am CST by Chuck Myron

Josh Smith met with the Pistons overnight, and TNT's David Aldridge reports that the forward didn't emerge with an offer from what was nonetheless a "productive" meeting, as a source characterized the affair to Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter links). The meeting was geared toward each side "feeling out" the other, according to Aldridge, who isn't surprised the Pistons would hold off on making an offer for now, given their interest in Andre Iguodala as well (Twitter link).

Smith is set to talk today with the Rockets and Hawks, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Like the Pistons, both teams have plenty of cap room, but Atlanta and especially Houston likely view Smith as a fallback option in case Dwight Howard signs elsewhere.

The Hawks have Smith's Bird rights, allowing them to offer a five-year deal for a total of about $25MM more than he could sign for elsewhere. GM Danny Ferry may not need to go that far for the Wallace Prather client, though, since the Pistons don't appear willing to offer him the max. Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors estimated this morning that Smith could wind up with a four-year, $60MM deal.

Pistons Preparing Substantial Offer For Josh Smith

July 1st, 2013 at 1:12am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier on Sunday, we heard that the Pistons were one of a few teams expected to target Josh Smith in free agency this week. However, while some of those other suitors may view Smith as a Plan B if their pursuit of Dwight Howard or another top-tier free agent is unsuccessful, the Pistons appear to be prioritizing Smith.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, GM Joe Dumars and the Pistons plan to make Smith a "substantial four-year offer" when they meet with him today. Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News reported earlier tonight Detroit "absolutely" won't make Smith a maximum-salary offer, but the team still has plenty of room to offer a lucrative deal.

When I explored Smith's potential maximum salary back in March, I estimated that rival teams may be able to offer him something close to $74MM for four years. That figure isn't official, and if Detroit doesn't intend to offer the max, the team will probably come in several million dollars below that figure anyway. Something like four years and $60MM may not be out of the question though.

The Pistons also plan to meet with Andre Iguodala, but it's doubtful they'll be willing to outbid the Nuggets for him, says Wojnarowski.

Free Agency Notes: Smith, Evans, Blazers, Kaman

June 30th, 2013 at 11:18pm CST by Zachary Links

It's officially the start of free agency! Here's the latest as we enter July..

A source tells Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News (Twitter link) that the Pistons will absolutely not offer Josh Smith a max deal. We learned earlier today that Detroit is among the teams targeting the Hawks free agent.
The Pelicans will have a sizable offer sheet ready for Tyreke Evans when they meet with him tonight, tweets David Aldridge of NBA.com. We learned earlier tonight that New Orleans was set to be the first team to meet with the Kings guard. Meanwhile, sources tell Marc J. Spears of Yahoo (Twitter link) that while the Pelicans got the first meeting with the 23-year-old, he will still do his due diligence on teams and the Kings are still in the mix.
The Blazers and the reps for center Chris Kaman are expected to meet face-to-face now that free agency is underway, tweets Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. Both the unrestricted free agent and the club feel that it would be a "great fit" (link).
The Jazz and Lakers were the first two teams to inquire on Knicks free agent Chris Copeland tonight, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.