Dwight Howard is scheduled to become a free agent this summer, and the Lakers are hoping to lock the NBA star down to a long-term contract. However, it seems that other teams may have an interest in the 27-year-old center.
A CBS Sports report this weekend stated that Howard is “far” from re-signing with the Lakers. The report also sparked rumors that Howard is intrigued by the possibility of signing with the Houston Rockets.
Citing unnamed “multiple people briefed on internal conversations surrounding Howard’s free-agent decision,” the report points out that Houston’s line-up could easily be adjusted to make room for Howard. The sources also stated that Howard could be very interested in the Dallas Mavericks. In addition to that, an unnamed “person briefed on [Howard’s] plans” also told CBS that Howard will be taking “a hard look” at several different teams.
Despite Howard’s apparent interest in Texas, the Lakers still do have the advantage over other teams when bidding for the star. As CBS points out, the Lakers will be able to offer Howard a five-year deal with a 7.5% annual salary increase, which exceeds the 4.5% annual salary increase other teams will be offering.