NBA Rumors: Mavericks interested in Dwight Howard if money is right

According to a report, the Dallas Mavericks will be interested in free agent center Dwight Howard if the money is right.

If there’s one safe bet to be had for NBA Free Agency in 2016, it’s that Dwight Howard will be leaving the Houston Rockets and pursuing opportunities elsewhere. With the Rockets taking a nosedive down the standings and Howard and James Harden not getting along, Howard is one of the big names that will most likely be on the move.

Add in the fact that the salary cap is rising and Howard could get in excess of $30 million a year from a team that is in need of a start player, then it makes all the sense in the world that Howard’s days as a Rocket are slowly coming to an end.

While his time in Houston hasn’t gone as planned, there will be no shortage of suitors looking to add Howard to their roster. He’s a piece that is still a very good center in this league and by adding him, he effectively locks down one position on the roster.

One team that is believed to have interest in Dwight Howard this summer is the Dallas Mavericks. According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas, the Mavericks are indeed interested in adding Howard to their roster this summer, but if only they can make the numbers work out financially.

"“Sources says the Mavericks’ interest in Dwight Howard as a free agent this summer will be dependent on the price. The Mavs do not intend to be in on the bidding for Howard if it’s in the neighborhood of a max contract, which would have a starting salary of more than $30 million. The Mavs made Howard their primary target and offered a max contract in 2013, when the center signed with the Rockets. However, concerns about the 30-year-old Howard’s durability and desire have caused the Mavs to decide that he isn’t worth a nine-figure investment over four years at this point.”"

Howard on the Mavericks makes all the sense in the world for Dallas. They went after the top center in free agency last year in DeAndre Jordan, but were spurned by Jordan. Their need for a long-term center option is still there and adding Howard would give the Mavericks another piece to put next to Dirk Nowitzki in the final years of his career.

He’s also the type of player that Mark Cuban likes to go after. The Mavericks have done a great job of taking players who maybe aren’t viewed as superstars anymore in the game and then they come to Dallas and flourish under head coach Rick Carlisle.

The big question is if Howard is willing to take less to play with the Mavericks. It’s hard to envision because some desperate team in need of a star and selling tickets will surely offer him the max contract that he wants or close to it. However, if he wants to play for a winning organization and an owner that takes care of his players, than Dallas might just be the destination that Howard needs.

With the salary cap also going up, Howard could choose to take a short term deal and continue to rebuild his value and strike again down the road in free agency. If Dallas comes calling in free agency, Howard would be wise to give them a listen.

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