Dwight Howard will become a free agent on July 1, and recent reports have indicated that he is unlikely to re-sign with the Lakers. Multiple theories have been shared to explain why Howard is not enthralled with the Lakers.
There have been reports that Howard is not a fan of the way coach Mike D’Antoni used him last season. There was a report (that was pulled by the publisher) saying Howard finds Lakers fans demanding and unappreciative. There is speculation that Howard does not feel like he can be the star of the team as long as Kobe Bryant is around. Now Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski is adding a few more theories.
Here is what Wojnarowski reports:
Two of the biggest hurdles facing the Lakers’ ability to re-sign Howard remain his disdain for coach Mike D’Antoni’s system and a belief that the Lakers not only aren’t a championship contender as constructed, but lack the assets and financial flexibility to become one in the near future, sources told Y! Sports.
Woj also says that Howard plans to meet with the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, and Golden State Warriors, in addition to the Lakers. According to the report, Howard wants to go to the best team, and he believes the Rockets are the only team that would instantly be a championship contender.
[Related: Dwight Howard reportedly frustrated with Mike D’Antoni]
The Lakers can offer Howard five years and $117 million, which is a year and $30 million more than any other team can pay the center. There is no state income tax in Texas, which gives the Rockets an advantage over other suitors. Plus, the team’s popularity in China thanks to Yao Ming — could lead to lucrative sponsorships and promotional opportunities for Howard, per Woj.
Wojnarowski paints a pretty strong case for the Rockets, whom he calls the frontrunners, to end up with Howard. However, keep in mind that Woj incorrectly reported around this time three years ago that LeBron James would be staying in Cleveland, which was the last time there was a free agent this big. Plus, Howard is so indecisive, he is fully capable of changing his mind five times over the next five days. But, for now, it looks like the Rockets are the favorites for Dwight, which is something that has been known since last month.
