Sources close to the respective situations "adamantly denied" reports of Dwight Howard being involved in a locker-room altercation with Kobe Bryant earlier this month, as well as reports that the Nets have discussed a three-team trade to acquire Howard. But Sam Amick of USA Today wonders if the return of these kinds of Howard-related stories are an indication that something is amiss in Los Angeles (besides the obvious). There aren't many real Howard trade rumors out there today, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of links from around the internet discussing D12's situation. Here are a few of them:
- Amick also notes within his piece that there are "very real indications" that Howard may be thinking about free agent options besides the Lakers. As Amick notes, the All-Star center was talking much more openly earlier in the season about a long-term future in Los Angeles than he is these days.
- The decision on whether to trade Howard or try to keep him will be one that could affect the Lakers for years, writes Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times.
- Eddie Sefko and Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News discussed the possibility of the Mavericks pursuing Howard, with Gosselin opining that "[Mark] Cuban has got to be on the phone talking" about it.
- If the Mavericks have the opportunity to land Howard via trade or free agency, they have to take that shot, argues Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPNDallas.com, even though he believes Howard has developed a "loser mentality."
- One NBA player to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (Twitter link), on Howard: "I wouldn't want to be Dwight Howard's teammate. Like, ever. Too much clowning for a guy with maybe one post move."
- In an Insider-only piece, ESPN.com's Kevin Pelton examines seven teams that could make realistic trade offers for Howard.