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By: rahat huq
via Unlike LeBron, Dwight Howard faces no derision after decision - CBSSports.com:
Quote:
At the time, the strong belief in league circles was that if Howard had kept the ETO in place, he would've been traded to the Brooklyn Nets -- his first choice and a team that could have delivered Brook Lopez, massive cap relief and multiple first-round picks in a three-team trade scenario. But Rockets GM Daryl Morey told CBS Sports Radio's John Feinstein recently that Howard might've actually been a Rocket at the 2012 trade deadline instead.
“We were sort of the ugly guy chasing the pretty girl for awhile,” Morey told Feinstein. “We [had tried] to trade for him twice. In fact, once we were allowed to talk to Dwight when free agency started off, he told us how – and we didn't know this for sure – but how Orlando basically told him he was going to get traded to us if he didn't re-up with them a couple years back when he resigned. He was almost a Rocket a couple times. Obviously in this business, you've got to be well-prepared, and you have to have some good fortune.”
League sources confirmed that the Magic and Rockets did, in fact, tentatively agree to a trade in March 2012 that both sides were prepared to follow through on had Howard forced the Magic's hand and kept his right to opt out after the season and become a free agent. It would've involved at least some of the young assets that were so attractive to Howard this summer when he chose the Rockets as a free agent. (Magic officials, according to sources, later told Rockets officials that they preferred Houston's deal to Brooklyn's.) Thus, while Howard gave up some money in the short term to leave LA, he wound up on a roster that didn't have to be decimated to acquire him.
This from Ken Berger yesterday, a confirmation of reports we had heard previously.
Interesting to think, sometimes, things work out for the best. Had the Rockets dealt for Dwight, there would be no Harden, and right now, maybe even no Dwight now that we've learned that he was willing to leave the extra fifth year on the table to chase contention.
