Dwight Howard is guaranteed to have plenty of options when free agency officially begins during the NBA offseason. The All-Star center plans on taking fully advantage of the free agency process in order to make the best decision on where to sign for the 2013-14 season. The Los Angeles Lakers have already said they intend on attempting to re-sign Howard while the Atlanta Hawks are hoping he makes a return to his hometown state. Now, another team is throwing their name into the hat as the Golden State Warriors plan on pursuing Howard.
The Bay Area is becoming a melting pot for sports. The San Francisco Giants were World Series champs. The 49ers made an appearance in the Super Bowl. Now, the Golden State Warriors are proving to be one of the hottest young teams in the NBA. The team currently holds one of the most exciting young players, Steph Curry. The heavy shooter recorded 54 points in New York while breaking the NBA record for most three pointers made in a season. He carried that success as far as he could into the postseason before Golden State was eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs.
The Warriors also have another true shooter in Klay Thompson. He is quickly becoming one of the better ball handlers with his quickness and ability to shoot off the perimeter. Harrison Barnes is also another attractive piece to Golden State. He is a young player with a large amount of potential and athleticism that translates well on the court. Golden State has the supporting cast to lure Howard in.
Howard will enter unrestricted free agency in July and Golden State has the youthful yet talented roster to seriously pursue him. The only issue hindering the Warriors is their limited cap space. They would likely have to work out some sort of sign and trade with the Lakers in order to land the center. They could package together two younger player with either Andrew Bogut or Thompson since his contract is expiring.
Howard could be the difference maker the Warriors need to get over the hump and be a true title contender instead of a one and done fluke. His rebounding skills along with his physical play in the paint would pair well with Curry and Barnes.
Howard is going to go to a team where he has the best option of winning. The Lakers offered him the best deal last season and that did not work out in the long run. The All-Star wants a championship and he could help bring that to Golden State.