NBA Rumors: Clippers Right To Exit from Dwight Howard Sweepstakes

As quickly as the fire of a Dwight Howard to the Clippers rumor started, it was extinguished. And Los Angeles was right to do so. 

It seems the Clippers have called off the hunt for a star big man and the reasons are clear. Howard is uncertain if the Clippers would win a title with a gutted team and the Clippers, for their part, are eager to build around Blake Griffin. 

ESPN's Ric Bucher reports, "the Clippers aren't after him, nor does he want to play for the team." He goes on to write the following, per ESPN.

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That mutual understanding is one reason why the Clippers have aggressively looked to re-sign restricted free agent center DeAndre Jordan...With the Clippers committed to building around power forward Blake Griffin, acquiring Howard simply isn't realistic...Howard does not see himself as a championship-caliber fit right now next to Griffin. 

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Bucher goes on to cite various reasons for Howard and Griffin not working as a powerful tandem without an outside threat; they both struggle from the line and can hardly stretch the floor with out mid-range jump shots. 

This all amounts to Howard not wanting to come to the Clippers. That is the real reason they should back away from the Dwight Howard table. They hardly want to put themselves in the same situation the Magic find themselves in. 

The best star player is the kind that wants to stick around. It seems that DeAndre Jordan is keen on staying with the Clippers. 

The team recently offered Jordan a five-year, $40 million contract. Jordan will no doubt wait until free agency opens Friday to decide if there is more lucrative fare to be had. 

Clippers fans should cancel their hopes for Howard to descend on their team. But that's fine as they seem willing to finally build a winning squad around Blake Griffin, and that is a welcomed change indeed.