NBA Rumors: Rounding Up Latest Buzz on Dwight Howard's Free Agency

Dwight Howard is expected to make his long-awaited and much-anticipated decision on where he will sign in free agency Friday, but there is no guarantee with the notoriously fickle superstar.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the center is still “totally up in the air” in regards to where he wants to play but will hopefully end the speculation by reaching a verdict shortly.

ESPN’s staff notes that D12 has already met with every contender he is interested in signing with, including the incumbent Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets.

While Superman had the courtesy to hear a pitch and speak with representatives from each of these franchises, it seems that not all have an equal chance of landing the best remaining catch of free agency.

According to Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, the Lakers are fast-fading from contention and could be as low as No. 4 on the big man’s short list. Even though the club can offer him another year and approximately $30 million extra, Howard may not be interested in what L.A. is selling.

In fact, the massive banner that was on display outside the Staples Center has come down and the remaining advertisements from the “#STAYD12” campaign are set to disappear soon, as per ESPN LA's Arash Markazi.

It’s becoming clear that Howard’s heart lies in Texas, as Stein and Shelburne noted that Houston and Dallas are the two frontrunners to poach the nine-year veteran away from Tinseltown.

Both organizations could sign him to a maximum contract and have some key pieces in place to build a championship roster around the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 draft.

There’s also an increased chance Howard remains in California, jetting up the coast and joining the Golden State Warriors.

As per Stein and Shelburne, the Dubs are attempting to move Andrew Bogut, Richard Jefferson and Andris Biedrins’ expiring contracts in order to obtain the cap space required to ink D12 to a proper deal.

If the Warriors are somehow able to accomplish this, they would not need to work out a sign-and-trade with the hesitant Lakers, who would prefer to completely wipe the slate clean and not absorb salary in the event that Howard defects from the team this summer.

It’s certainly going to be interesting to see where Howard ends up, as the 27-year-old is certainly no stranger to drama and intrigue when making his highly publicized career decisions.