http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/ken-berger/22270956/howard-no-lock-to-return-to-lakers-to-explore-fa-options-intrigued-by-rockets

Mike & Mike were talking about the possibility of him signing a 3y deal with the Rockets, then trying to reup for the max in three years.

Obviously he is an upgrade over Asik, but it isn't like those two play games where you would have them on the court together. They are both down low guys, not high post low post.

Why would that stop you from signing him. Howard has actually said Asik is the jind of big man he'd like to play next to, ie the kind that sets screens and doesn't clog up the paint.

If it doesn't work, Asik has great trade value. A really reasonable contract for a guy who is a top post defender and a double double guy.

Why exactly couldn't Howard and Asik play at the same time?

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If it doesn't work, Asik has great trade value. A really reasonable contract for a guy who is a top post defender and a double double guy.

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But does his weird ballon contract blow up the trade value like it would have if Chicago had signed him?

Chicago didn't match it because that last year would have put them way over the lux tax, but Houston gets to average it out over the whole contract. What happens if he is traded?

Asik doesn't clog up the lane in a sense that you don't run plays for him down there because he isn't that good. But he isn't the guy you want playing at 18-22 feet either so Howard has space like you would with Pau, ZBo, David West or Duncan (playing with Dwight, Gasol, Hibbert, Robinson in the block.)

I think Houston is the best possible landing spot for D12. They are set up long-term to be competitive.

I'm sure they would find a way for Asik and Howard to be on the floor together but it does seem like they would occupy the same space.

He still averages out to 9mm per year for the next two years, so a pretty massive deal.

Asik spends a lot of time on offense out by the three point line, because he sets screens on every play. You'll rarely see him in the paint unless he's rolling on the screen or going for a rebound.

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He still averages out to 9mm per year for the next two years, so a pretty massive deal.

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But if he is traded, do they get to average it or do they get the balloon payment against the cap+luxtax like Chicago would have if they matched him? It was a weird contract, so whether it is averaged or ballooned affects his trade value a ton.

Someone laugh/cry this for me please. It's a comment by a Laker's fan on the CBSsports link. Seems like the Lakers aren't just striving to be like the Clippers, they are also experiencing Golden State envy:

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If by chance you can sign him, then PLEASE trade him as fast as you can & get him out of LA. I would much rather see this future Laker team a team of Steph Curries, Clay Thomppsons, Barnes & Lee's type players then this childish jerk.

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Mark it down. Howard is going to take the most money available and then begin whining and complaining for a trade within the first year.

Way to steal my link hotard

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If it doesn't work, Asik has great trade value. A really reasonable contract for a guy who is a top post defender and a double double guy.

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Easy on the "he's a double-double guy" talk just yet. While he may have averaged a double-double last season, his career averages are 5.5 ppg and 7.0 ppg; not exactly what you'd call a double-double guy.

Are we really counting his first two seasons in the league where he played 12 and 14 minutes per game respectively?

Seeing as Asik wasn't a starter in Chicago looking at per 48 minutes would be more indicative than career averages.

Or his 1 year as a starter.

There is no way the Rockets will keep Asik if they get Dwight Howard. That's way too much money to put into the center position. Asik will be traded.

I think they would try to trade Asik for a PF upgrade.

twin towers part 2!!!!

I think you really want a David West/Chris Bosh type that can set pics, hit mid range shots and you don't have to bother them with crashing the boards.

No question about that, which is why I said Asik can be a valuable trade chip if you sign Howard and you can hope one of DMo, TRob, and TJones develops to the kind of complementary player you need, with DMo being the most likely candidate.

If we've learned anything, its that morey isn't afraid ti churn the roster!

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I think you really want a David West/Chris Bosh type that can set pics, hit mid range shots and you don't have to bother them with crashing the boards.

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I'd rather have Josh Smith than David West personally. Assuming we get Howard so Josh isn't a focal point on offense.

Howard followed Harden on twitter.

Enjoy him for the next 5 years amirite?

Josh smith waaaaaaaay before David west. Youth and a waaaaaaaay better defender. Question now is: sign and trade to LA or sign and trade to Atl

With Atlanta, Houston wouldn't have to deal with matching salaries. Just clearing enough space for Smith and Howard. I think they do have some leverage in that it doesn't matter which team accepts what they're offering, which isn't always the case for sign and trades. If one team accepts first, the other could get left with nothing. So the biggest issue is getting the players to accept less money to leave their current teams, although the 3rd year opt out could help that.

**** this picture.

I would not want that child on my team if I were a Rockets fan. Locker room poison.

It's funny how winningis the difference between poison and eccentric. Kobe Bryant mopes, demands trade, quits on team when in bad situation, but isn't characterized as a cancer because he's largely had great supporting casts that were championship caliber. Michael Jordan fights and demoralizes teammates and its called leadership. Lebron quits in the playoffs against Boston and "takes his talents to south beach" and was widely crticisized for not being clutch or a winner until he won with wade, Bosh, etc and now nobody says a peep about him.

If Howard comes to Houston and he wins, all his past issues will become a blip in the radar and he will go back to being known as only the most dom inating big man in the league.

Except Howard sucks and has nowhere near the multi-dimensional talent as the other players you mentioned.

He has freak athleticism, but the only thing he can do is dunk and get rebounds. He can't hit FTs or make mid range jumpers. His defensive rotations are incredibly bad. And he lacks having multiple moves in the post to score. That doesn't even take into account the fact that he never seems to be happy with anything. I wouldn't want him on my team.

Howard is a top 3 player when healthy.

Give me a fu**ing break.

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It's funny how winningis the difference between poison and eccentric. Kobe Bryant mopes, demands trade, quits on team when in bad situation, but isn't characterized as a cancer because he's largely had great supporting casts that were championship caliber.

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From about 2003 until Pau Gasol joined the Lakers and they were good again, everyone talked all the time about how Kobe broke up the Lakers, how he was selfish, immature and a cancer.

Hell, Phil Jackson even wrote in his book how he thought some of those same things even into 2004 after the rape trial.

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Howard is a top 3 center when healthy.

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Probably true.

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Howard is a top 3 player when healthy.

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Hilarious.

I know Simmons isn't end all, but this is a lot closer to the truth.

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18. Dwight Howard
Remember when Mike Tyson came out of prison and wasn't the same boxer anymore, even though he looked like the same guy? That's Dwight Howard since 2011's NBA lockout. He's not a force of nature anymore. The Eye Test backs it up, and so do the results: Howard dragged a 219-102 record from four half-decent Magic teams from 2008 to 2011, then went just 75-55 in these past two seasons once his body started breaking down. There's been a not-so-subtle dip in his offensive numbers …

2011: 22.9 PPG, 14.1 RPG, 59% FG, 60% FT, 227 dunks, 26.0 PER (second in NBA)
2013: 17.1 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 58% FG, 49% FT, 187 dunks, 19.4 PER (38th)

… and defensively, Dwight isn't the NBA's most impactful player anymore. You would rather have Marc Gasol or Joakim Noah, both of whom are just better at anchoring a defense. Throw in the undeniable injury risks, the maturity issues, and the words "not even a hint of any leadership whatsoever" and, um, why would I want to give him $118 million again? We'll tackle this in detail before free agency kicks off.

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Give me a break DC. Dwight is relentless and will not be denied a basket. He's one of the most physically dominating players the NBA has seen. He's not afraid to keep 100% aggression towards someone who can't guard him in the post. He's got great moves and a great spin move in the post that nobody can defend and he knows how to finish. The free throws are the only problem with me, but didn't he start out at like 60% as a rookie?

You are thinking 2009-2011 Dwight. Relentless is not something anybody would use to describe Dwight of the last few years. Heartless would be better.

[This message has been edited by Diet Cokehead (edited 5/21/2013 8:42p).]