OAKLAND, CA – And NBA Free Agency starts… NOW!
This off-season’s biggest free agent target is former Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard. After a season of disappointment in Hollywood, Dwight is finally testing the waters. The Big Man has already condensed his short list to the Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors (Why? Idk. Maybe Steph Curry?,) Houston Rockets, and the LA Lakers. Here’s where I would choose to play if I were Dwight and why.
Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks bring a lot to the table this off-season. Aside from the Lakers, who can offer $30 million and one more year than any other team, the Hawks can offer Dwight the most lucrative contract. The Hawks are the only team in the NBA that can offer two max contracts this off-season and their dream scenario is to land Chris Paul and Dwight Howard, forming a Big Three with Al Horford. A Big Three with D12, CP3, and Big Al would be the best Big Three in the game by far. All players are at there prime and would mold well together. However, it looks as though Paul will resign with the LA Clippers, nixing the idea. But the Hawks could resign Josh Smith and bring in a player like Andre Iguodala and well-a! You have a pretty great starting five with rookie Dennis Schroeder, Andre Iguodala, Josh Smith, Al Horford, and Dwight Howard. Not to mention… but Atlanta is his hometown. Grade: A-
Golden State Warriors: One reason, STEPH CURRY. The Warriors are a young, talented team, with a lot to offer Dwight. Stephen Curry is a rising star in this league, and with a big man like Dwight Howard, the sky’s the limit. Not mention the Warriors have a great core of young players besides Curry, with Klay Thompson, Festus Ezeli, Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green. Add a healthy David Lee to that core and you have a pretty appealing squad. Watch for the Warriors to be a dark horse in the Dwight sweepstakes. Grade: A-
Los Angeles Lakers: Rome wasn’t built in one day. It took two years for the Miami Heat to win their first title in the Big Three Era. With two future Hall of Famers already in the starting five, plugging Dwight back in would make the Lakers once again favorites to finish atop the West. I know Kobe Bryant has a few tricks up his sleeves and won’t let Howard slip away easily. And if Dwight was smart he’d stay in LA because the Black Mamba has already won multiple championships with different big men (Shaq and Pau Gasol) so there’s no reason he can’t do it again. There’s a reason the Lakers are meeting with Dwight last. Grade: B+
Folks I understand that Dwight met with the Rockets first, but honestly I don’t see the appeal. There’s a reason the Oklahoma City Thunder let James Harden walk. Watch for it to come down to the Hometown Hawks and Young Guns in Cali!
And for something completely different:
Fake Sandy Alderson, tomorrow.
