Report: Dwight has stong interest in Rockets and Mavs

[PowerPel]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/ke...ued-by-rockets

With six weeks to go before Howard becomes an unrestricted free agent, the team that is said to intrigue him the most is the Houston Rockets, according to multiple people briefed on internal conversations surrounding Howard's free-agent decision. The Rockets have a young star, James Harden, who has proved himself worthy of playing the leading role for the franchise; a budding 3-point shooting threat in Chandler Parsons; a defensive-minded coach in Kevin McHale; and Omer Asik, the kind of 7-footer Howard is believed to want next to him in the frontcourt.

The Rockets are a couple of minor moves away from having room to sign Howard; they have a team option on Francisco Garcia's $6.4 million and Carlos Delfino's $3 million is fully non-guaranteed, for example. If they chose to or needed to make a trade to create room, they have numerous attractive young players on tradable contracts, such as 2012 No. 5 pick Thomas Robinson. Such assets could be moved to a team or teams under the cap to create room or packaged in a possible sign-and-trade with LA -- if the Lakers became convinced Howard would leave and they'd receive nothing in return.

The Mavericks represent another franchise that intrigues Howard, and Dallas is a minor transaction or two away from having enough room to sign Howard outright as an unrestricted free agent. Howard plans to explore all such options, and a person briefed on his plans told CBSSports.com that there are "several" teams the free-agent center is "going to take a hard look at."

The Chronicle is also going goo goo


http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterocket...st-in-rockets/

After general manager Daryl Morey acquired James Harden and a feisty six-game playoff series against the Thunder, the Rockets’ stock appears to be rising across the NBA. Howard is among those paying attention.

[NMThreeMVP]

If the Rockets decide to give away players to create space for Howard and want to give away Robinson or Montiejunas, or even White, I'd find a way to take them if I was the Pelicans.

[HornetGuru]

Tell the rockets we'll take on a semi bad contract if we also get chandler parsons.

[NMThreeMVP]

Tell the rockets we'll take on a semi bad contract if we also get chandler parsons.

They'd probably make us take Linsanity. Which would be insanity because of they way his salary balloons in a couple of years.

[Eman5805]

Just haven't caught onto the Parsons thing. Just something I haven't seen in his game. Maybe cuz whenever I watch the Rockets I'm only looking at Harden be Harden.

[PELICANSFAN]

They'd probably make us take Linsanity. Which would be insanity because of they way his salary balloons in a couple of years.

Yeah, the Lin and Asik contracts are going to send them well into luxury tax land in two years. They will have 3 players (those 2 and Harden) eating up $44.5 million in cap space! If they were to add Howard, that would balloon to over $60 million for 4 players!

[Eman5805]

Good. Whatever saves us from the CP3, Howard, Harden team I fear.

[Eman5805]

I'd take Terrence Jones off their hands. They can keep the other guys.

[NMThreeMVP]

I'd take Terrence Jones off their hands. They can keep the other guys.

I forgot about Terrence Jones. Move him to the top of the list!

[Psalm 102.6]

I have suspected that Howard would be playing in Texas from 2013 and beyond for awhile now. With Harden, Parsons and Asik already in tow, Houston would be a mighty appealing option for Howard's title aspirations. Honestly, the Lakers are a declining team and his chances in Houston are better for the long term.

[cki3915]

How much money is Harden making?

In order to sign Dwight, you have to overpay. If you are Houston, you already overpaid Lin. If Harden is not already making a lot of money he will soon. If they sign Howard as well, you very well could be looking at New York Knicks Version 2.0.

[DroopyDawg]

Yeah, the Lin and Asik contracts are going to send them well into luxury tax land in two years. They will have 3 players (those 2 and Harden) eating up $44.5 million in cap space! If they were to add Howard, that would balloon to over $60 million for 4 players!

I was wondering about their cap with all those horrible contracts.

[nolaslim213]

How are Howard and Asik supposed to co-exist? I don't understand the acquisition.

[Emilio]

How are Howard and Asik supposed to co-exist? I don't understand the acquisition.

I assume they would get rid of Asik. If I had to explain the acquisition I would say that every time you have the chance to get a potential franchise player, you do it. Plus, Houston has a lot of cap space, they have to do something with it.

[IamQuailman]

But they make reference of Asik and Howard playing next to each other?? Can one or the other slide out to the 4?

[NMThreeMVP]

Asik would play the 4

[DroopyDawg]

Didn't want to start a new thread so I'll stick this here... here's Cuban buttering up CP3 this past week at a bowling event. I live in DFW, and its no secret Cuban has been saving his cap money for CP and DH.

[PowerPel]

Didn't want to start a new thread so I'll stick this here... here's Cuban buttering up CP3 this past week at a bowling event. I live in DFW, and its no secret Cuban has been saving his cap money for CP and DH.

Whoa, I wonder if nolaslim knows about this?

[NMThreeMVP]

Can Dallas get that far under the cap? CP3 and Howard won't be cheap.

[iNolaNightmare]

Tell the rockets we'll take on a semi bad contract if we also get chandler parsons.

ROFLMAO.

You do realize Parsons' contract is paying below a million a year? That's the only contract they luckily don't have to worry about.

[bradael]

Yeah, the Lin and Asik contracts are going to send them well into luxury tax land in two years. They will have 3 players (those 2 and Harden) eating up $44.5 million in cap space! If they were to add Howard, that would balloon to over $60 million for 4 players!

Actually, the Lin & Asik contracts are prorated over the three seasons equally. Even though they make 15 million in the third year, the cap hit for them is roughly 8.4 million per season.

[Emilio]

I love Cuban's passion for his team. It seems that he does anything in order to make it better.

[nolaslim213]

Asik would play the 4

Asik is one of the least mobile players in the league. There is absolutely no way he could play the 4.

[Pelicans78]

Asik is one of the least mobile players in the league. There is absolutely no way he could play the 4.

I agree. He's gonna get moved in a trade for Dwight.

[PELICANSFAN]

Actually, the Lin & Asik contracts are prorated over the three seasons equally. Even though they make 15 million in the third year, the cap hit for them is roughly 8.4 million per season.

Is it really? Someone should explain that to hoopshype because that is not how they show it.