Dwight Howard recruited Jameer Nelson to Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets hoped to make a major move, chasing both New York Knicks’ free agent forward Carmelo Anthony and Miami Heat big man Chris Bosh and then match an offer sheet that forward Chandler Parsons would inevitably sign. However, Anthony and Bosh re-signed with their teams while Parsons signed an offer sheet with the Dallas Mavericks worth $46 million over three years.
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The Rockets then signed Washington Wizards’ free agent swingman Trevor Ariza to a four-year, $32 million contract and decided not to match the offer for Parsons, making Parsons a member of the Mavericks.
That wasn’t the last time the Mavericks would “beat out” the Rockets for a player.
According to Sham Charania of RealGM, former Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson, who agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal (with a player option in the second year) with the Mavericks was recruited to the Rockets by former Magic teammate and current Rockets’ center Dwight Howard.
Free agent Jameer Nelson has finalized paperwork on his deal with the Mavericks: $2.75M in Year 1, $3.25M in Year 2, source tells RealGM.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 24, 2014
Jameer Nelson balanced finances and winning in free agency. Dwight Howard made multiple calls recruiting Nelson to Houston, sources say.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 24, 2014
Howard and Nelson were both drafted in 2004 and spent the first eight years of their career together before Howard was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2012 offseason.
Nelson averaged 12.1 points, 7.0 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 39.4% from the field, 34.8% from beyond the arc and 85.7% from the free throw line last season. Howard put up 18.3 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 1.8 assists and 0.8 steals per game while shooting 59.1% from the field and 54.7% from the free throw line last season.