Dwight Howard is headed to the Houston Rockets, sources told ESPN The Magazine’s Chris Broussard on Friday. Howard’s camp has informed the other four teams pursuing him that the free-agent center will not be signing with them, sources said Friday, leaving only the Rockets.
Howard has told the Los Angeles Lakers that he will not be re-signing in L.A., a league source told Broussard. A Lakers spokesman denied they have been told of Howard’s intentions. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban confirmed the Mavs are fully out of contention for Howard. The Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks also have been told they are out of the running for Howard, a source told ESPNLosAngeles.com.
USA Today earlier reported Howard’s final decision to join the Rockets. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey wrote on Twitter that they have yet to be contacted by Howard, and that no deal is in place.
Not everyone on the Rockets will be happy with Howard’s arrival. The addition of Howard would shift Rockets center Omer Asik to the bench.
Asik has no interest in being Howard’s backup or playing next to him, a source close to the Rockets’ center told ESPN.com. It is not yet clear if Asik will demand a trade.
