Fansided

5 teams dumb enough to give Dwight Howard a max contract next year

By Rucker Haringey

Nov 4, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) scores a basket against the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 4, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) scores a basket against the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 21, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Sacramento Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins (15) looks for a passing lane during the first quarter of a basketball game against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 21, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Sacramento Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins (15) looks for a passing lane during the first quarter of a basketball game against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Sacramento Kings

When you start to think of NBA franchises that are dumb enough to do something it doesn’t take long for Sacramento to leap to mind. They have a history of puzzling personnel decisions so it’s only natural that they’d be one of the teams that might chase Howard in free agency.

This, of course, operates on the assumption that DeMarcus Cousins finally gets moved. There’s just too much chatter about potential trades for their franchise big man to believe he’ll still be on Sacramento’s roster next season. I don’t know if he’ll be dealt during this season or afterward, but I can’t see him stomaching another season for the laughable Kings.

If he’s gone, the Kings will be in need of a center to take his place. Last year’s lottery selection Willie Cauley-Stein isn’t ready to play the position full-time so they’ll be in the market for a big. They’ll also have a ton of cap room depending on the exact deal they make with Cousins so they’re almost a certainty to chase D12.

Adding him to an already volatile locker room might be considered cruel and unusual punishment for whomever their coach happens to be when next year begins. Their locker room is already such a mess that adding Howard might not even serve to make it noticeably worse. The other alternative is that he becomes the leader of a disgruntled crew and makes the situation even worse.

Either way, the Kings would be smart to stay away from Howard, but being smart isn’t exactly their current reputation.

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