n what seems to be the never ending saga that is Dwight Howard, this past week has seen the superstar center’s preferred destination, the Brooklyn Nets, eliminated from the equation. The Nets agreed to a max contract with center Brook Lopez this week, thus eliminating them from the Howard sweepstakes this summerbecause Lopez cannot be traded until January 15th. If the Orlando Magic were to hold onto Howard until then then there is a definite possibility that the Nets can reappear in the Howard race. But it is widely believed that the Magic are set to move on from Howard, especially after Magic GM Rob Hennigan talked to Howard on the phone, asking him to reconsider his trade request, whereupon Howard let Hennigan know that the trade request still stands.
So now the question remains, where will Howard begin the 2012-2013 NBA season? Well after the Houston Rockets went into full Howard mode, essentially gutting their roster to acquire draft picks, cap space, and a few players to send the Magic’s way, they were the popular choice to land Howard. But, according to some rumors that have just surfaced, the Rockets are simply a “smoke screen” that is hiding the team that Howard will really land on, and that is the Los Angeles Lakers. Now I know Lakers fans have heard this before so if you are aLaker fan reading this, and you are a little skeptical, I can understand.
It seems, though, that these new rumors have some real legs as it states that the Howard to L.A deal is “all but done”. If the Lakers do wind up landing Howard via trade, and the deal winds up being between only Orlando and the Lakers, then I think that someone in Houston, by the name of Daryl Morey, might be on the hot seat. The Rockets have essentially gone all out just to land Howard, without the assurance that he will re-sign long-term, if they whiff on Howard their season will be a complete disaster and a few people just might get fired within the Rockets organization.
