NBA Trade Rumors: Rockets' Asking Price For Dwight Howard Too Steep?
Over the past few months, Houston Rockets big man Dwight Howard has been involved in loud trade rumors.
The 30-year-old professional basketball player has been reportedly unsatisfied with his current team, which in turn had other teams starting to negotiate a deal to sign him.
In a report by Marc Stein for ESPN, seven teams had shown interest to sign Howard: the Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, and the Dallas Mavericks.
The report adds that Rockets management were unwilling to let go of Howard just yet, potentially shutting down any possible deals. But on the flipside, these certain teams were also hesitant to shell out that much money for Howard, considering that he already becomes a free agent by July 1st.
Howard's current contract with the Rockets for the current season has him earning $22.3 million, and a player option worth $23.3 million for the 2016-2017 NBA regular season. According to Howard's agent Dan Fegan, many teams have already called to express "great interest".
"The obvious stumbling block to a trade was how could a team justify giving up important assets for a player who was about to become a free agent in a few short months?" Fegan told ESPN.
Fegan adds that Howard was offered a good deal, but in turn, he needed to agree to play the last year of his contract and forego free agency. Howard, he said, declined the offer.
Stein adds that Howard denied making any trade demands, adding he knows perfectly where he stands.
"I have a great life, blessed beyond measure," he said. "Doesn't matter. People can talk as much as they want, but I know how hard I've worked to get to where I am today, and I'm grateful for that."
For the current season, Howard has played in 45 games so far and is averaging 14.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 1.1 steals, through 32.2 minutes of playing time per game.
