Houston Rockets: Talks Have Escalated To Trade Dwight Howard
The Houston Rockets are a hot mess!
You know and I know that this team should be playing a hell of a lot better than what they’re doing right now.
Their effort is characterless, their soul is ineffectual.
It’s painfully obvious that some moves need to be made in order for this team to get back to respectability.
We’ve been waiting for this point all season and it just hasn’t happened.
J.B. Bickerstaff has said this team “is broken.”
Jason Terry colorfully raised his concerns about the team chemistry.
So the heat in regard to a solution to this horrible dilemma has now dropped into Daryl Morey’s lap.
I know this is an unfortunate situation that he’s in as he usually makes shrewd decisions in regard to how to make this better.
But this is his first true test of wits as a general manager as the bar of expectations have been raised.
There is now louder chatter that the Rockets will make a move before the NBA’s trade deadline of Feb. 18.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Rockets have escalated talks with potential suitors to trade Dwight Howard.
Woj indicates that the team is working with Howard’s representation, Dan Fegan in regard to possible landing spots for the big fella.
Chatter had already been commonplace that he’d opt-out of the last season of his four-year, $88 million deal which is actually a player option.
The 2016-17 portion of his contract is worth $23.2 million but with the league’s salary cap expected to raise next season when the multi-billion dollar television deal kicks in, Howard could be looking at one more huge payday before he retires.
More from House of Houston
- Are you the 2021 FanSided Sports Fan of the Year?
- Houston Texans: 4 reasons Romeo Crennel is right coach right now
- Astros-Twins Wild Card Series: 5 things to know as MLB postseason begins
- Houston Texans: The Most Underrated Sports Drought Ever
- Houston Texans: J.J. Watt’s early case for NFL Hall of Fame
The draw back to that is that Dwight may walk and the Rockets may not be able to get anything in return for him.
Morey is now moving forward with trying to trade him now so he can get a ton of assets in exchange.
As we know, Dwight has had his issues with injuries as he ages but his numbers are still quite reputable and he still is a Top 3 big man in the Association.
It’s also apparent that Howard has become quite disgruntled with his role on his team.
More from Houston Rockets
- Houston Rockets and Texans: Two different coaches with one glaring similarity
- Houston Rockets: Dig in, make threes, win series
- Houston Rockets: The time to make a statement is now
- Houston Rockets: Rest Russell Westbrook for remainder of the OKC series
- Houston Rockets: G2: What has put the team in driver’s seat against OKC
I don’t have to tell you that his latest string of technical fouls with a recent suspension is not somehow indicative of that.
I’d love to have Dwight here as I’ve always admired his pure athletic ability and the way he conducts himself in the Houston community but Morey has to make this deal not only to save face but to possibly save this season as well as his job.
Talks had surfaced with the Boston Celtics in regard to a trade scenario but those have waned as the days have gone by.
I wonder if those have heated back up again.
Next: Should The Rockets Trade James Harden?
We’ll have to see.
Howard, 30, is averaging 14.6 points, 12.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks through 44 games this season. He is also shooting 61.2 percent from the field thus far.
Go Rockets.