Dwight Howard Friday Trade Decision: Free Agent to DetermineFuture With Los Angeles Lakers This Week
Dwight Howard will reportedly make a decision on whether or not he plans to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers this Friday.
Yahoo! Sports reported that the 27-year-old big man already met with several teams including, The Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks and Lakers. The teams made presentations on their iPads, during their pitches to Howard, in an attempt to sell the NBA center on their respective cities and franchieses.
Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and current players Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash, along with other members of the organization, met with Howard for about two hours this week.
''At the meeting, we told him how important he is to the Lakers team, franchise, fans and community, and why we feel this is the best place for him to continue his career,'' Kupchak said in a statement released by the team. ''We are hopeful that Dwight decides to remain a Laker.''
The New York Daily News reported that the Lakers even offered Howard his own television show with Time Warner, in addition to a $118 million contract.
Despite the Lakers' convincing offer, the Rockets are considered a front runner to land Howard, with the Hawks and Warriors aslo the mix, according to reports.
The Lakers can offer the seven-time NBA All-Star $30 million more than other teams.
Howard had an inconsistent season with the Los Angeles during the 2012-2013 season: the team barely made the playoffs and the NBA center averaged 17.1 points and 12.4 rebounds, while playing through shoulder and back injuries.
Howard can wait until July 10 to sign a contract with any team.
Meanwhile, Warriors' center Andrew Bogut is aware of a potential trade that would send him, and several of his teammates, to the Lakers in exchange for Dwight Howard, but he said he doesn't understand why LA would make that deal.
"There are better deals for the Lakers if they're looking at a sign-and-trade deal. I think it's less than one percent chance of going through," he said on Tuesaday, during an appearance on The Back Page, a Fox Sports TV show in Australia.
