NBA Free Agency: 10 players most likely to move this summer

1. Dwight Howard

This one shouldn’t be surprising in the slightest. The 2016 Rockets played lackluster, hopeless basketball, following James Harden’s useless defensive example. Beyond the general dire nature of the team, the lack of chemistry between Harden and Dwight Howard was the next glaring issue that fans got to despise all season long.

Now, after nothing happened at the NBA trade deadline in February to resolve the issue, everyone must be expecting the Rockets to let Howard leave for far greener pastures in free agency.

First off, Sean Deveney of Sporting News has reported that the Rockets’ top priority in free agency is getting their hands on a new All-Star center from the Hawks:

"A person familiar with the organization told Sporting News that landing Hawks star Al Horford is the Rockets’ top-line goal in free agency, and Ryan Anderson also would be a possibility."

Before even focusing on the problems with Howard and Harden, the idea of the Rockets’ top priority for free agency being a new center pretty much sums up how they want to address the situation. Rather than continuing with Howard’s discomfort about the team and his limited role in the organization (which has been well reported for some time now), not to mention the clash with Harden, it makes sense for the Rockets to end this ‘era’ now.

In fact, in a recent interview with ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan, Howard didn’t hold back when explaining the issues he’s had with the organization in the past:

"Howard: “There were times I was disinterested because of situations that happened behind the scenes that really hurt me. It left me thinking, ‘This is not what I signed up for.”’ ESPN: What specifically are you referring to? Howard: “I felt like my role was being reduced. I went to [Rockets general manager] Daryl [Morey] and said, ‘I want to be more involved.’ Daryl said, ‘No, we don’t want you to be.’ My response was, ‘Why not? Why am I here?’ It was shocking to me that it came from him instead of our coach. So I said to him, ‘No disrespect to what you do, but you’ve never played the game. I’ve been in this game a long time. I know what it takes to be effective.”’ [Morey declined comment.]"

The Rockets are looking elsewhere at center and Dwight Howard should be looking almost anywhere else as a free agent. He should be one of the most high-profile names to move this summer.

For more NBA coverage, make sure you check out our NBA hub page.