With the NBA trade deadline passed, the "Dwightmare" may be at an end for the Los Angeles Lakers, at least until the offseason that is.
Howard is expected to become a free agent at the conclusion of the season and many teams have taken notice to that.
One team in particular is the Houston Rockets. Though the Rockets haven't been one of the teams first rumored into acquiring Howard, they've certainly made their case as a team to watch for with their recent upgrades to their roster.
NBA analyst Ric Bucher stated that the success of James Harden could certainly help lure Howard to Houston, but the team first has to clear room to offer him a max contract. With core component like Harden, Jeremy Lin, and the recently acquired Thomas Robinson, it appears that the Rockets are definitely putting the pieces in place to entice a free agent like Howard. The team is already way under the cap for next season as well, even though it will become much tougher after next season for the team to lure free agents.
Given the Lakers' struggles this season en route to a 27-29 record and ninth place positioning in the Western Conference playoff picture, if the Lakers miss the postseason you can expect the Howard rumors to heat up once again.
Currently the LA Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and Atlanta Hawks are all in the bidding war for Howard next season. The Lakers are currently the frontrunner because they can pay him $30 million more than anyone else at season's end.
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