NBA Trade Rumors: Dwight Howard-Hassan Whiteside swap deal in the works
By David Rouben
Dwight Howard is expected to be moved by Thursday’s deadline and the Miami Heat have reportedly expressed interest.
Dwight Howard is averaging close to career lows in points and minutes, so it is no surprise that the Houston Rockets want to move on from him as they make a push for the playoffs. According to the New York Daily News, the Miami Heat have reportedly expressed interest in the Rockets big, and even have a player in mind for a potential swap deal:
Dwight Howard could be moved by Thursday's trade deadline. Miami is talking with Houston about a deal that would include Hassan Whiteside.
— Frank Isola (@TheFrankIsola) February 15, 2016
It’s unclear if there are any other pieces involved, but this would be a simple swap of centers.
Keep in mind that this is neither a Rockets or Heat beat reporter and that the
New York Daily News
isn’t always the most trustworthy of sources. But if this deal did go down, it would be fascinating. Howard has been on a steady decline since his Orlando Magic days, and he missed more than half of the season last year due to injury. However, he has proven that he can still come up big when needed to when he exploded for a 36 point, 26 rebound performance against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Hassan Whiteside is the much younger and more consistent player, and he made waves when he averaged a double-double last season with the Heat. Getting him would be huge for the Rockets, and his game would improve exponentially next to a player like James Harden. It’ll be worth keeping an eye on both players’ statuses as the trade deadline looms.