NBA Trade Rumors: 5 More Likely Teams for Dwight Howard Besides the LA Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers are going to have a hard time landing Dwight Howard and it's not all about basketball either. In fact it's all about the shoes. 

The more that things transpire in this situation the more convinced I am that Adidas is calling the shots. When you consider the details of where he's willing to go, it's all about the shoes. 

Consider the fact that while Derrick Rose just signed a $94 million extension with the Chicago Bulls, the rumored Adidas extension is $250 million. The shoe paycheck is what pays the bills. The NBA check just pays the taxes. 

New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets

The New Jersey Nets are the most likely place for him to land, even if they are struggling right now. Why? Because New York City is by far the largest market in the country. 

With the Nets' pending move to Brooklyn, and the New York Knicks not fulfilling the promise they showed, there's a good chance for Adidas to get a "foothold" (see how I did that?) on the New York market. 

Carmelo Anthony is a Nike/Jordan man. Having a star that can rival Anthony for ownership of the city would be a boon for Adidas. 

Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas metro area is the fifth largest in the country and has no real Adidas presence in the NBA. Dirk Nowitzki is clearly the team's biggest star and would still be even if the team added Dwight Howard and Deron Williams, which they are positioning themselves to do. 

Having said that, Nowitzki is closing in on 34 years old and is in his 13th NBA season. Sooner or later, the star of the team is going to be more Howard and less Nowitzki. That's going to help Adidas take the Dallas area. 

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers' biggest star is Kobe Bryant. The sky is blue. The sun rises daily. Gravity works. 

Some things don't really require argument, cutesy explanations about the color of the sky notwithstanding. 

Los Angeles is Kobe country. Dwight Howard has the Lakers down on his list because of that. If Howard went to the Lakers he wouldn't be the biggest player in LA. 

If Howard went to the Clippers he wouldn't be the biggest player in LA. 

Yes, LA is the second largest market, but it's Kobe's market. It's going to still be the Black Mamba's market after he retires. 

If Howard goes there though, it's going to be with the city's preeminent franchise. 

Atlanta Hawks

The next most likely team is the Atlanta Hawks. A return to his birthplace, and the eighth largest market in the country makes a lot of sense for Adidas. So does the fact that the team has what Orlando is asking back in a trade situation, veterans. 

Howard would easily take over the Atlanta market, though it's not nearly as large as the others. It makes more sense than going to LA, where he's playing third fiddle to Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, or second fiddle to Kobe Bryant.

Boston Celitcs

The Boston Celtics have an outside shot at landing Howard. They are also the seventh largest market in the US and they are more or less ripe for the taking. With Kevin Garnett leaving Adidas last year, the company has no one in the Boston area. 

The Celtics still have Paul Pierce, who they could offer in return for Howard (and remember Orlando says they want veterans). They also have the money to sign other players with both Allen's and Garnett's contracts expiring this year.