Dwight Howard Rumors: Houston Rockets Should Not Acquire Star Without Commitment
The Houston Rockets have been trying to find ways to acquire Dwight Howard from the Orlando Magic, but it would not be in the best long-term interest of the organization.
No team has been as active on the trade market in the past week as the Rockets. With the most recent trade of Samuel Dalembert, the team now owns the No. 12, 16 and 18 pick in the first round of the NBA draft.
These picks might not be high enough to acquire the star center, so Houston has been attempting to move into the Top 10 by possibly trading point guard Kyle Lowry, according to ESPN's Chad Ford and Marc Stein.
The team is hoping that is enough to convince new Magic GM Rob Hennigan to part with Howard. Unfortunately, it would be a poor decision for the future of the franchise.
According to David Aldridge, Howard has no intention of playing with the Rockets past this season. He states, "a source with knowledge of Howard’s thinking said Monday that there was 'not a chance' Howard would be persuaded to remain in Houston if traded there, and would leave next summer to sign elsewhere."
Does this seem like the player the Rockets should attempt to rebuild around?
On the court, Howard is as good as they come. He was first-team All-NBA for four straight years and won the Defensive Player of the Year three times. However, he alone would not be able to turn the team into immediate contenders. By the time the rest of the squad is ready, he could be gone.
A large number of people have already lost their jobs in Orlando, partly due to the uncertainty surrounding the star player. Houston would be smart to avoid this situation completely and instead build through the draft.
Otherwise, the team will be in worse shape one year from now with nowhere to turn.
