Larry Brown Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers would like to re-sign Dwight Howard and build their franchise around him. The team has made that abundantly clear since the end of the season, but Howard has made it equally clear that he would like to explore all of his options first.

If LA is going to lose Howard in free agency, they might be best off working out a sign-and-trade involving the 27-year-old center. That way, Howard could get a max contract and the Lakers would get something in return. But does any team have the resources needed to pull off a deal of that magnitude? The Los Angeles Clippers might.

As talks remain ongoing between the Clippers and Boston Celtics for a potential deal that would send Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett to LA in exchange for DeAndre Jordan and draft picks, the Clippers have been hesitant to include point guard Eric Bledsoe in a trade. That does not mean they would not include Bledsoe and Blake Griffin in a potential swap for Howard.

“If the Clippers do indeed decide to formally offer Griffin and Bledsoe in a sign-and-trade package for Howard, indications are that it’s a proposal the Lakers will certainly not dismiss outright,” ESPN.com’s Ramona Shelburne reported over the weekend. “Blake Griffin is about as untouchable with the Clippers as you can be, but you have a chance to go after Dwight Howard with the idea of having Howard and Chris Paul along with Kevin Garnett and (possibly) Paul Pierce.”

Shelburne went on to say that it is “hard to believe” the Clippers would part ways with Griffin, but LA understands that it will have to talk big names if it wants to acquire a player like Howard.

Of course, there’s always a possibility that none of this happens and all of the aforementioned stars stay with their current teams. Doc Rivers may even have another career path in mind aside from basketball, so his situation remains up in the air. Still, the thought of Howard in a Clippers uniform and Griffin in a Lakers uniform is one that will make NBA fans’ heads spin.

Dwight Howard and Shaquille O’Neal have never had anything nice to say about one another. Comparisons between the two because of their career paths come naturally, and neither big man seems to like being compared to his counterpart. Most recently, Shaq called Howard out for not being mean enough on the floor.

“He’s too nice,” O’Neal told The Max and Marcellus Show on ESPNLA 710 Tuesday. “I’m a connoisseur of giggling and playing and all that and making you laugh and playing with the fans, but when I cross that line, I’m ready to tear your face off. I don’t care who it is. You could put one of my aunts or uncles out there, and I’m going to give him these elbows in their chest and I’m going to throw it down in their face. That’s what you have to do. … He’s just too nice. If I was him, I would get into the same mood I was in.”

Kobe Bryant said something very similar about Howard during the season when he mentioned how Shaq used to be a goofball off the court but an a-hole on it. Shaq has been critical of Howard in the past on numerous occasions, but he insists he only does it to inspire Dwight to become a better player.

“I think it’s my duty to help this young man become one of the best big men in the league,” O’Neal said. “I’m from the old school. I’m not doing it nicely. I’m pushing buttons, I’m talking about you and I’m doing it like this. … I think it’s my job as a former big man to get him to play up to par.

“When I was in L.A., Kareem and Wilt never spoke to me. They never said two things to me. I took that as a, ‘OK, you all don’t think I’m as good as you yet. Well, watch this.’ That’s what it was — motivation. Everything I say should be taken as motivation. He’s the best big man in the league, and it’s my job to make sure he plays that way. Period.”

Howard does like to goof around a lot, which can give off the impression that he doesn’t take the game seriously enough. Some players just prefer to approach the game with a looser attitude, but Howard would look a lot better doing so with a championship ring on his finger.

Dwight Howard and actor/comedian Kevin Hart both attended Spike TV’s Guy’s Choice Awards over the weekend, and they even took a picture together. As Questlove, the drummer for The Roots, noted when he tweeted the photo, somebody had to get sacrificed. In this case, it was the 6-foot-11 NBA center, not the 5-foot-2 funnyman.

By the way, what is it with Lakers getting their heads cropped out of photos?

H/T Lakers Nation via That NBA Lottery Pick
Photo: Twitter/Questlove Jenkins

Dwight Howard has approached his upcoming free agency the exact way we expected him to thus far. The 27-year-old has made it clear that his return to the Los Angeles Lakers is hardly a foregone conclusion and that he intends to explore every option. Once he is done doing that, Kobe Bryant would like a word.

“For me, you kind of let him do his due diligence and then move in and talk to him and figure out if this is a place he wants to be,” Bryant told ESPNLosAngeles.com’s Dave McMenamin on Tuesday. “We all want him here. But then that’s when the selling begins [after Howard is courted by other teams]. You don’t start the selling process right before he goes and does all this stuff. You want to get the last word. You want to have the final word and the closing argument.”

Earlier this week, a report indicated that the Houston Rockets feel they have a legitimate shot to land Howard. While the Lakers can pay him $30 million more than any other team with a max contract, tax laws in certain states like Texas help close the gap. There is also the possibility of Howard opting out of any new deal he signs before the final year, which would give LA less of an advantage.

Other teams are also planning to give Howard an enticing sales pitch, with some like the Atlanta Hawks starting a bit early and potentially violating the rules because of it. But once all those teams have chimed in, Kobe is hoping to leave a lasting impression.

“I’ll give him a little opening statement, but then I have to make sure I have the final word,” he said.

Bryant is coming off a major injury and is getting toward the end of his career, so he understands having a player like Howard on the team gives him a better chance to capture another title. They may have had their differences during their first season as teammates, but Kobe and Dwight can still anchor a contending team. Whether or not Howard is open to giving it another try remains to be seen.

The Atlanta Hawks may have jumped the gun a bit by using the names of impending free agents in an attempt to boost their ticket sales, and the NBA could make them pay for it. A recent letter that was sent to prospective ticket buyers hyped up the possibility of Atlanta making a run at Dwight Howard and Chris Paul this offseason. Both Howard and Paul are under contract with other teams.

Per NBA rules, teams are not permitted to speak publicly about players who are under contract with other teams until they officially become free agents on July 1.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the letter was headilined “Hot New Player news: Chris Paul and Dwight Howard.” The opening statement read as follows: “The buzz around our offseason is more than heating up. With massive cap space, 4 draft picks, and free agency rapidly approaching, we sit in the best position in the NBA. Player interest is skyrocketing as the possibilities of landing Chris Paul & Dwight Howard become more and more of a reality.”

The letter also included a link to a story about Paul being unhappy with the Clippers over the notion that he forced the team to fire former coach Vinny Del Negro. It told fans to snatch up tickets before the Hawks make their “signings” and “there will be no seats left.”

Hawks president Bob Williams issued a statement on Tuesday acknowledging that the team has in all likelihood committed a rules violation, but stressed that it was a team employee who authored the letter on his own.

“The letter that has been referred to was written by one of our season-ticket reps of his own volition,” the statement said. “While certainly he is a member of our business staff, his specific reference clearly does not represent how our basketball operations or our business staff have consistently communicated about free agency. It is unfortunate that this mistake, by a single ticket rep with no ill intent, occurred.”

You would think the team would proofread outgoing letters a little more carefully for reasons like this. In any event, the Hawks will probably be looking at a hefty fine. Paul may be upset with the Clippers and Howard may be leaning toward leaving LA, but Atlanta should have waited another month or so to start using that speculation as a marketing tool.

The fact that Dwight Howard did not fully enjoy his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers is not a secret, but would he really leave $30 million on the table to make it his last? Howard has made it clear that he will explore all options when NBA free agency begins in a month, but the Lakers can offer him a five-year deal worth $120 million. Any other team could offer only four years and $90 million, giving LA a clear advantage — right?

Maybe not. As always, tax talk has come into play. According to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein, the Rockets have received “hopeful signals” that Howard is legitimately considering signing with Houston over the Lakers next month. Howard has reportedly expressed serious interest in teaming with James Harden, who said earlier this offseason that he would be active in recruiting free agents to come to Houston.

Now, back to the taxes. Stein pointed out that there are no state taxes in Texas, which narrows the gap between the contracts the two teams could offer. In addition, it is likely Howard would opt out of any five-year deal he signed with the Lakers before the fifth year anyway, making him a free agent before their “advantage” over other teams even comes into play.

On ESPN’s First Take Friday morning, Stephen A. Smith described it as a “50-50 shot” that Dwight Howard is going to leave the Lakers. It is believed that the Rockets have been shopping Thomas Robinson, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2012 draft, to create the cap space they would need to sign a player like Howard.

Of course, we’re still talking about Dwight Howard. The big man was reportedly frustrated with Mike D’Antoni this past season, but for all we know that could have been resolved with a five-minute phone conversation. Howard loves the spotlight and loves changing his mind. Even if he does decide to return to LA, there’s no way he would do it without making the team sweat.

The latest news surrounding Dwight Howard and the Los Angeles Lakers should come as a surprise to no one. While most people feel that Howard will return to LA next season if for no other reason than the Lakers can offer him over $30 million more than any other team, the decision may not be that simple.

According to ESPNLosAngeles.com’s Dave McMenamin, Howard is reportedly frustrated with Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni. Howard  was one of several Lakers to hold a personal meeting GM Mitch Kupchak after the season, during which sources say he discussed his relationship with D’Antoni.

According to sources with knowledge of the situation, part of the discussion between Howard and Kupchak centered around Howard’s frustration with D’Antoni — particularly how the center felt marginalized as the coach looked to (Kobe) Bryant and Steve Nash for leadership and suggestions and discounted Howard’s voice.

Kobe Bryant is obviously the leader of the Lakers, but apparently Howard felt that his influence over the team was undervalued. That could be one of many reasons he has decided to clear his head before making any decision about his future.

McMenamin also pointed out that Lakers assistant Steve Clifford, who spent five seasons with Howard in Orlando, could potentially leave to take a head coaching job with another team. One source said Clifford’s departure would “remove the buffers” between D’Antoni and Howard and could result in clashing.

The Lakers obviously want Howard to return and the max contract they can offer him gives them a major advantage, but a certain former NBA coach could tell you all about how difficult Howard can make things when he doesn’t get along with the people who are calling the shots. If Howard is planning on staying in LA, the best thing he could do is hammer out the contract before the media makes things ugly.