Dwight Howard: Trade Me to the Nets or Lakers, or I'll Sign with Dallas in 2013
By Jason McIntyre
If the Magic aren’t able to trade him either place, sources tell Woj that Howard will sign with … DALLAS (!) in 2013.
The Mavericks? The gutted Mavericks who will be lottery-bad in 2012-2013? Perplexing. I almost wonder if this is Howard’s bluff. “Everybody stay away, I’m calling the shots, and if you don’t trade me, next July I’m going to the rich owner who is just 13 months removed from winning a title.” Woj writes that Howard is so adamant about Dallas, he’s warned Houston they’re going to get burned if it trades for him:
"Despite the Houston Rockets’ determination to trade for Howard and convince him to stay long term, Howard’s camp has repeatedly warned Houston owner Les Alexander and GM Daryl Morey that they will lose Howard to rival Dallas in free agency next July, sources said."
As we previously examined, even with the cap space Dallas has, why would Howard want to join old man Nowitzki? Is Howard that confident the Mavericks could quickly build another title contender? (Who knows, maybe he’s talked it over with Chris Paul and both will join Dirk in Dallas. Then again, we heard similar scuttlebutt about Deron Williams earlier this year. That never happened.)
Maybe Howard has this all figured out, and once his master plan is executed, everyone will be like, “oh, wow, nice move, D12.”
I guess I’m just the type of guy who would rather go to a team with a nice mix of youth and veterans (see Atlanta and Houston, which have the youth, and could acquire the veterans) to try and build something that lasts for 4-5 years, rather than chasing a ring in the next 1-2 years.
Previously: Charles Barkley Has Some Advice For Dwight Howard
Previously: Dwight Howard Won’t Sign an Extension Anywhere, His Agent Says. So Nobody Will Trade For Him, Right?
Previously: Atlanta Hawks Are Collecting Shooters, But is Dwight Howard Impressed?
Previously: Atlanta Hawks Chasing Dwight Howard: Pair Him with Josh Smith or Al Horford?