Rockets: Would Dwight Howard Truly Be A Good Fit?

[Killakobe81]

Dwight Howard is like a Ben Wallace with more offense, but he thinks he's Shaq.

His defense, when healthy, is one of the best due to his athleticism, however, as he ages, his athleticism will drop, and so will his defense. His defense actually seemed to have peaked in 2011, and is slowly declining. I don't expect this trend to reverse.

His offense is ball dominant and ineffective, to say the least. He is the type of player who can be relatively easily stopped with a good defensive scheme, as he doesn't seem to have the ability to understand the intricacies to read what the opposition gives him. He is also a poor passer, and can only be somewhat effective with a whole bunch of 3 point shooters surrounding him.

His at ude, as SVG can attest to, is poisonous. A recent Grantland article says it best, in that Howard is neither a leader nor a follower. He also cannot handle pressure or criticisms well. In the NBA, there are two major ways of handling criticisms, one is to take them in, process them, filter out the crap, and improve upon your game based on the legit ones. The second one is to ignore them, and impose your will, shutting the critics up in the process.

Howard doesn't do either, he pouts and whines, which is about the worst way to handle the situation.

To summarize, Howard is damaged goods. He is too good of a talent to settle for anything less than a max contract, but not enough to be a franchise player.

Gotta agree with my boy Amb, here (wait, what?! ...joking Amb is the goods)
Part of me honestly is concerned about the LAkers future with Achilles out and Dwight walking ...
But paying him max money and making Dwight our franchise players scares me more. I doubt we ever see 2009 Dwight again ...EVER.
People are expecting that when most likely we will see 2012 Dwight or at best post ASB Dwight while still very good defensively was atrocious on offense.

[Rogue]

theoretically he would be a good fit for dallas because dirk would always thrive playing alongside a defensive big like big daddy TC, but i doubt most dallas fans would like the drama queen. his personality fits LA better than anywhere else tbh

[Richie]

I agree with your post, but one thing to consider is that Asik is only been paid $5 Million of his $25.1 Million deal. So whoever takes him actually has to pay about $3 Million more in cash than he will cost in cap space. That third year of $15 Million is going to be a killer for whoever has to pay it.

Pretty sure that isn't the case. Since he moved to the Rockets, his salary is evenly split between each season. If he had stayed in Chicago then his salary would have been 5/5/15, but in Houston it's 8/8/8.

[djohn2oo8]

Pretty sure that isn't the case. Since he moved to the Rockets, his salary is evenly split between each season. If he had stayed in Chicago then his salary would have been 5/5/15, but in Houston it's 8/8/8.

Actually, 5/5/15 is still what Asik and Lin deals are set up to be, they just count 8/8/8 against the salary cap. If anyone were to trade for Asik or Lin, their deals would count against their cap the same as it does for the Rockets now. 8/8/8.

[djohn2oo8]

Anyways, Yes he would be a good fit. I just think he's trying to leverage the Lakers into firing D'antoni. Either way, he's got the Lakers by the balls until mid July, possibly longer.

[Mugen]

the Rockets could easily flip Asik for a better fitting 4, PG, or bench depth. And yes, Howard is a better fit on the Rockets than he is with the Lakers. Achilles is going to be on a mission to prove doubters that he can still score at a high level, so Howard once against has to take a back seat. Playing with Gasol is a bad fit and Nash will be broken down again.

Rockets have a more natural facilitator in Harden and better perimeter shooting than LA, so yeah Howard fits in well and makes the Rockets Top 3 in the west next season tbh.

[Chinook]

Pretty sure that isn't the case. Since he moved to the Rockets, his salary is evenly split between each season. If he had stayed in Chicago then his salary would have been 5/5/15, but in Houston it's 8/8/8.

Actually, 5/5/15 is still what Asik and Lin deals are set up to be, they just count 8/8/8 against the salary cap. If anyone were to trade for Asik or Lin, their deals would count against their cap the same as it does for the Rockets now. 8/8/8.

Yes, I understand the cap hit is evenly spaced for both Houston and whomever Houston trades him to. But I was just saying that in cash, the other team would have to pay more than $20 Million for two years of Asik, which may not be as worth it as the Rockets, who had agreed to pay only an $8 Million or so average. Funnily enough, even if Houston moves him for nothing, they would have gotten a great year out of him for only $5 Million which would have been a steal had they been able to sign him for a one-year deal for that much.

[Richie]

I imagine a package of Lin/Asik could perhaps get them a quality point guard.

[BatManu20]

Rockets Trying to Trade Thomas Robinson to Clear Cap Space for Dwight Howard

The Houston Rockets are determined to trade forward Thomas Robinson – the fifth pick in the 2012 NBA draft – to create salary-cap space for the pursuit of Los Angeles Lakers' free-agent superstarDwight Howard, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
The Rockets have made clear to multiple rival teams that they plan to accept the best offer to move Robinson and eliminate his $3.52 million salary for the 2013-14 season.

Without Robinson's salary, the Rockets will have the space to offer Howard a maximum deal starting at approximately $20.5 million a season.

Houston is competing mainly with Dallas – and possibly Golden State – to lure Howard once free agency commences on July 1. Howard has become increasingly intrigued with the Rockets as a possible destination, sources said. Houston's supporting cast, including James Harden and Chandler Parsons, is one of the reasons.

The Rockets are targeting teams with the cap space to absorb Robinson's contract. The Rockets are trying to cobble together a package that could include assets such as a trade exception, a draft pick or non-guaranteed contracts that they can be unloaded, sources said.



http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--ho...215915027.html

[TD 21]

I'm not even certain if the Lakers can still be involved in sign and trades, but if they can, Asik and Robinson for Howard, then Asik and Robinson to the Hawks for Smith. Makes sense for all three teams.

The Rockets would still be weak at PF in the interim, but at least they've got two solid prospects who both project as stretch four types, in Motiejunas and Jones.

[djohn2oo8]

Rockets Trying to Trade Thomas Robinson to Clear Cap Space for Dwight Howard

The Houston Rockets are determined to trade forward Thomas Robinson – the fifth pick in the 2012 NBA draft – to create salary-cap space for the pursuit of Los Angeles Lakers' free-agent superstarDwight Howard, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
The Rockets have made clear to multiple rival teams that they plan to accept the best offer to move Robinson and eliminate his $3.52 million salary for the 2013-14 season.

Without Robinson's salary, the Rockets will have the space to offer Howard a maximum deal starting at approximately $20.5 million a season.

Houston is competing mainly with Dallas – and possibly Golden State – to lure Howard once free agency commences on July 1. Howard has become increasingly intrigued with the Rockets as a possible destination, sources said. Houston's supporting cast, including James Harden and Chandler Parsons, is one of the reasons.

The Rockets are targeting teams with the cap space to absorb Robinson's contract. The Rockets are trying to cobble together a package that could include assets such as a trade exception, a draft pick or non-guaranteed contracts that they can be unloaded, sources said.



http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--ho...215915027.html

I'm not even certain if the Lakers can still be involved in sign and trades, but if they can, Asik and Robinson for Howard, then Asik and Robinson to the Hawks for Smith. Makes sense for all three teams.

The Rockets would still be weak at PF in the interim, but at least they've got two solid prospects who both project as stretch four types, in Motiejunas and Jones.

Rockets really don't have any incentive to do a SnT when they can just trade Robinson to a team like the Bobcats for a first rounder to clear cap space, unless Dwight would only come if he had the fifth year.

[djohn2oo8]

[TD 21]

Rockets really don't have any incentive to do a SnT when they can just trade Robinson to a team like the Bobcats for a first rounder to clear cap space, unless Dwight would only come if he had the fifth year.

Yeah, but Howard does. And if you're him, why not have your cake and eat it too?

Besides, Asik would be rendered expendable with Howard and Smith is a more than adequate backup.

Of course, if you're the Rockets, you'd prefer to not surrender Asik in a Howard trade and instead trade him for an upgrade at PF.

What the is Lowe talking about? I question is Robinson is anything more than a far more athletic version of Shelden Williams too, but in fairness, the guy has played one season, was drafted by as dysfunctional a franchise as there's been in the league and didn't actually get to play all that much. He was a possible, if not probable number 2 pick last season and one year later he'd be surprised if he fetched a 1st? When it comes to NBA prospects, people act like, unless you immediately show that you're going to be a significant player, then you're a bust.

[spurraider21]

Bonner's non-guaranteed contract for Thomas Robinson?

[djohn2oo8]

Yeah, but Howard does. And if you're him, why not have your cake and eat it too?

Besides, Asik would be rendered expendable with Howard and Smith is a more than adequate backup.

Of course, if you're the Rockets, you'd prefer to not surrender Asik in a Howard trade and instead trade him for an upgrade at PF.

Howard, by signing a 4 year deal with Houston, would make 8 million more vs a 4 year deal with L.A. And if it's a 5 year deal, Dwight would pay 15 million in taxes over 5 years compared to 600,000 in Texas over 4 years.
So, a 5 year deal (for 118 million) where he would make 103 million, and a 4 year deal with Houston he'd make 88 million, $15 million difference, which he can make up over his next max. Oh and Dwight's endorsements in L.A. are only 2.4 million, decreased substantially from his days in Orlando.

[djohn2oo8]

[TD 21]

Howard, by signing a 4 year deal with Houston, would make 8 million more vs a 4 year deal with L.A. And if it's a 5 year deal, Dwight would pay 15 million in taxes over 5 years compared to 600,000 in Texas over 4 years.
So, a 5 year deal (for 118 million) where he would make 103 million, and a 4 year deal with Houston he'd make 88 million, $15 million difference, which he can make up over his next max. Oh and Dwight's endorsements in L.A. are only 2.4 million, decreased substantially from his days in Orlando.

Fair enough. Say they sign Howard outright then; what about Asik for a signed and traded Millsap? He doesn't make sense for the Jazz, but that's irrelevant. The point is, they'd be getting a quality piece back, that they can re-route for back court help.

That would leave the Rockets with: Millsap, Parsons, Howard, Harden, Lin, Beverley, Delfino, Smith and one of Motiejunas/Jones, as their rotation. Contenders? To me, it would depend on whether Howard is at least close to pre injury form.

[djohn2oo8]

Fair enough. Say they sign Howard outright then; what about Asik for a signed and traded Millsap? He doesn't make sense for the Jazz, but that's irrelevant. The point is, they'd be getting a quality piece back, that they can re-route for back court help.

That would leave the Rockets with: Millsap, Parsons, Howard, Harden, Lin, Beverley, Delfino, Smith and one of Motiejunas/Jones, as their rotation. Contenders? To me, it would depend on whether Howard is at least close to pre injury form.

I agree that Asik would need to be traded, but for who is the interesting part. His return should be great.