Dwight Howard's Potential Destinations and Their Best Selling Points
For the past two calendar years, the world has clamored in anticipation for the day in which Dwight Howard becomes an unrestricted free agent. On July 1, 2013, that day will finally come, as D-12 makes his long-awaited long-term commitment to one NBA franchise.
The question is, where are D-12's most legitimate potential destinations and what are their best selling points?
Certain teams will have the legitimate opportunity to sign Howard, while others will be dreamers with nothing more than an outside shot. Regardless of how real their chances may be, there will be countless teams in the hunt.
Here is who they are and what their platforms for approaching D-12 will be.
2012-13 W-L Record: 44-38
Key Players: Mike Budenholzer (coach); Al Horford
Selling Point: Hometown, Coach and Cap Space
Perhaps no team in the chase has as many selling points as the Atlanta Hawks. Even still, they remain one of the teams viewed as an underdog in their pursuit of Dwight Howard.
On paper, however, they're the most ideal destination of all.
For starters, the Hawks play in Howard's hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. Whether or not he would want to return home is another topic, but no other team can offer the value of familiarity when it comes to the city it plays in.
Believe it or not, that's not even the most significant pitch Atlanta has to offer.
The Hawks have mountains of cap space, which opens the door for them to pull out a Big Three move in the same manner as the Miami Heat. With Al Horford already under contract, that suggests that D-12 could team up with a superstar along the lines of Chris Paul and already have a star in place to establish legitimacy.
If that's not enough, Atlanta has a head coach with a long history of success.
The Hawks recently hired former San Antonio Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer as their new head coach. Budenholzer has won four NBA championships with Gregg Popovich, running through David Robinson and Tim Duncan in the process.
If Howard wants to win a title with the team being run through him, Atlanta presents the best possibility to do so.
2012-13 W-L Record: 41-41
Key Players: Rick Carlisle (coach); Shawn Marion; Dirk Nowitzki
Selling Point: 2011 NBA Championship
The Dallas Mavericks may not have made the 2013 NBA playoffs, but they're just two years removed from winning an NBA championship. The difference from 2013 to 2011 is the absence of a three-point marksman and a defensive anchor.
That certainly sounds like an ideal location for Dwight Howard to land.
Every team listed has a star for Howard to join, but few have one with as significant an influence as Dirk Nowitzki. Not only is Dirk one of the greatest players in NBA history, but he's the floor-spacing scorer who will enable Howard to work out of the post.
Most importantly, he's the selfless player who will allow Howard to thrive on either end.
Furthermore, the Mavericks are a team with an owner, Mark Cuban, who accepts nothing less than victory. Fortunately, they also have one of the top coaches in the NBA with Rick Carlisle at the helm.
Carlisle, notorious for his schematics, knows how to maximize a defensive center's ability—just ask Tyson Chandler.
2012-13 W-L Record: 47-35
Key Players: Harrison Barnes; Stephen Curry; David Lee; Klay Thompson
Selling Point: Rising Stars
According to Mark Medina of The Long Beach Press-Telegram, Dwight Howard is considering the Golden State Warriors as a potential destination. While the interest could be nothing more than speculative thought, we must acknowledge what has been reported.
Especially after the Warriors made an unlikely run through the postseason.
The fit certainly works from a basketball perspective, as the Warriors are the best three-point shooting team in the NBA. They shot 40.3 percent from beyond the arc during the regular season and are led by Stephen Curry, who set an NBA record for three-point field goals made in one season.
Curry's rising star is likely the reason for Howard's interest.
Outside of Curry, the likes of Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes and David Lee make Howard's interest believable. Thompson is a lights-out shooter, Barnes was exceptional during the playoffs and Lee is a nightly double-double threat.
The question is, what would come of Andrew Bogut?
As great as Bogut was when healthy, it'd be hard to imagine the Warriors passing over Howard if the interest is legitimate. After all, Howard is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year who has proven to be as physically tough as any other player in the NBA.
A young team filled with rising stars and a veteran power forward is certainly an attractive selling point.
2012-13 W-L Record: 45-37
Key Players: James Harden; Jeremy Lin; Chandler Parsons
Selling Point: Cap Space
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, the Houston Rockets are looking to shop Thomas Robinson in hopes of freeing cap space to pursue Dwight Howard. Seeing as the Rockets are already financially flexible enough to sign D-12, this sends another message.
Houston wants to bring Howard in and complement him with another star—a scary thought considering it already has one in tow.
James Harden went from the 2012 Sixth Man of the Year to an All-Star in 2013. Not only was he one of the league's top five scorers, but Harden is a dynamic playmaker who contributed at an elite level as a facilitator.
Pairing him and Howard together is beyond intriguing.
Furthermore, Houston was second in the NBA in scoring defense and ninth in point differential, despite failing to address their need of a rim protector. By adding Howard, their elite offense would have their shot-blocker and also find a way to slow things down and score out of the half court.
With all due respect to Omer Asik, his hands of stone simply did not permit offensive execution.
Perhaps most intriguing of all for the Rockets is that they thrive in the pick-and-roll, where Jeremy Lin and Harden are at their best. Lin may receive unparalleled criticism, but his prowess in the screen game is undeniable.
He and Howard could create a powerful offensive tandem.
2012-13 W-L Record: 45-37
Key Players: Kobe Bryant; Pau Gasol; Steve Nash
Selling Point: Championship or Bust
We can hear from fans that the Los Angeles Lakers are on the downswing, overreact to one season of lackluster play and acknowledge the presence of a coach who simply doesn't fit. We could also throw all of that out of the window and acknowledge the facts.
When it comes to the NBA, no franchise is more appealing to free agents than the Lakers.
For starters, the Lakers have won 16 NBA championships, 10 more than the third-ranked Chicago Bulls, who own six. While the Boston Celtics may have the most rings ever won, the Lakers just so happen to play in Los Angeles.
Like it or not, that does play a factor.
On top of it all, the Lakers boast a roster that includes Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Steve Nash. The Lakers may not have experienced the results expected of them, but their roster remains elite on paper and they closed out the season at 28-12.
Best of all, this is a one-year attempt at success—in 2014, Kobe, Gasol and Nash will all be free agents.
A change in management could be concerning, but the Lakers have molded the likes of Shaquille O'Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and George Mikan into championship centers. That may be a heavy burden of expectations, but it's also something else.
A sign of the Lakers' championship pedigree.
