Free agent swingman Josh Howard is anxious to get back in the NBA as he trains in Dallas, and doesn't care which team gives him a shot, he tells Michael Lee of The Washington Post. The 6'7" 32-year-old has been linked to the Warriors, who will be without Brandon Rush the rest of the season, and Howard points to the Pacers, who are expected to be without Danny Granger for three months.
“I’ll be happy to play on any team that wants me. Indiana or anybody else, I’d be very appreciative to get there,” Howard said. “I mean, I think ultimately, most guys care where they end up. I just want to be some place where guys come in, night in, night out and play hard. That’s ultimately how I want it. Of course, I’d like to be on a championship team if that can happen, but I’m going to give it my all, no matter what.”
Howard's tone in Lee's report is similar to the one he took a couple weeks ago when an earlier story surfaced about his intent to return to the NBA. Howard told Lee his left knee is fully recovered after a loose chip was found in it, requiring surgery over the summer. It's the same knee in which Howard suffered a torn ACL in 2010.
Lee mentions the Nets, Bobcats, Sixers, Knicks, Spurs and Bulls as teams that had interest in Howard this past offseason, but Howard never received an offer, Lee writes. Howard averaged 8.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in 23.0 minutes per game for the Jazz last year. Howard was an honorable mention of sorts when Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors looked at free agents likely to sign for more than the minimum in September, but it seems likely the only deal Howard could get now would be for the minimum.