Report: Howard expected to leave Rockets, 4 teams in running to sign him
Dwight Howard has insisted that Wednesday night's elimination game against the Warriors in Golden State will not be the last for his Houston Rockets this season, but if he's wrong, it appears likely it'll be the last he plays in a Rockets uniform.
Howard is expected to walk when the team's turbulent season ends and he becomes an unrestricted free agent, ESPN's Calvin Watkins reports.
Four teams are currently considered favorites to sign him, according to Watkins: The Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Orlando Magic.
Howard was linked to both the Hornets and Bucks at this year's trade deadline, with Charlotte reportedly engaging the Rockets in discussions about a potential deal, and Howard reportedly expressing a desire to land in Milwaukee.
Orlando's inclusion here is a bit of a head-scratcher. Howard left the team, with which he played his first eight seasons, in acrimony in 2012; he doesn't really fit their timeline, given that their foundation is made up of guys in their early-to-mid-twenties; and they already have a center in Nikola Vucevic.
The Blazers haven't been mentioned in connection to Howard in the past, but they may be the most intriguing option. He fills a clear position of need, and the team's accelerated rebuild should have it ready to contend sooner than later.
Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons tried to pre-emptively pitch Howard on Dallas, though nobody else in the organization came out in support of the pitch, and ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that the Mavs wouldn't offer Howard anything close to the max deal he's said to be seeking.
One way or another, the writing is on the wall, and it says Howard's days in Houston are numbered. He and James Harden have struggled to coexist, even reportedly going so far as to try getting each other traded. According to Watkins, Howard lost respect from several other players for his passive-aggressive attitude and demeanor.
"If you want the ball, you need to speak up about it," one team source told Watkins.
The Rockets plan to undertake an exhaustive coaching search in the offseason, and Harden is expected to play a role in helping bring in a new head coach, on top of recruiting free agents.
Howard is reportedly not expected to have any such role.