Report: Houston Rockets to keep Dwight Howard
After much speculation, it seems the Houston Rockets will not be moving Dwight Howard.
One of the most talked about names before the NBA Trade Deadline was Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard. There were rumors floating around about him and James Harden not seeing eye to eye and the looming possibility of the former No. 1 overall pick opting out of his contract.
Teams like the Pelicans, Hornets, and Heat were all discussed as a possible destination for Howard. It made it seem like he would be on the move. However, this will not be the case.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Rockets will not be moving Howard.
Dwight Howard will stay with the Houston Rockets, league source tells @TheVertical. No trade.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 18, 2016
Howard will now remain with the Rockets for the rest of the season before likely becoming a free agent this summer. It’s possible he could get a max contract given the expected salary cap increase following the end of this season.
It may come as a surprise that the Rockets chose to not make any serious moves despite names other than their star center being on the trade block. Ty Lawson and Patrick Beverley were names that teams called on, but nothing happened as the NBA Trade Deadline closed. Any moves for the Rockets may come this offseason if they choose to go in a different direction.