Dwight Howard would have happily played for the Nets if the team hadn’t insisted on a buyout, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Howard tried to force a trade to Brooklyn in 2012 before being shipped from the Magic to the Lakers, and he still likes the idea of living and playing in New York City, sources tell Lewis. However, Brooklyn’s front office had no interest in a long-term arrangement and was focused solely on creating cap space for next summer when it acquired Howard from the Hornets in exchange for Timofey Mozgov and two second-round picks.
“If you look at the way we’re trying to build a team and you look at going forward years out from now, this is something that helps us going forward for next year,” GM Sean Marks said. “Dwight’s a terrific player. He’s been a terrific player in this league for a long time. I think this is something that we mutually agreed on, to give him an opportunity elsewhere.”
There’s more tonight out of Brooklyn:
- The Nets have a large group of point guards on their roster, but Marks says there’s no urgency to do anything to resolve it now, including a trade of Jeremy Lin, Lewis writes in the same story. Injuries limited Lin to one game last season and 37 in his two years with the organization. “There’s absolutely no need for us to rush and go out there to do any particular deals to solve the so-called glut,” Marks said. “You look at the team now, that’s what we’ve got and that’s what we’re planning on. We’re planning on going into the season with that team.”
- Howard, who has already agreed to a two-year, $11MM deal in Washington once he clears waivers, gave back $5MM in his buyout with the Nets, tweets Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. That leaves Brooklyn with about $11.6MM in remaining cap room, according to Lewis (Twitter link).
- Marks was ecstatic to add former Trail Blazers big man Ed Davis in free agency at the bargain price of $4.4MM, relays Tom Dowd of NBA.com. Brooklyn suffered from a lack of size on its roster last season and didn’t have an effective backup to starting center Jarrett Allen. “We need an enforcer type,” Marks said. “We need toughness, and Ed brings a lot of that to our group. He’s been around winning organizations, so for him to come in and bring some of that expertise and experience will be great for our group and our younger guys.”
Marks sounds like a besuited BS-er. “something we mutually agreed on”. Yeahright.
Ed Davis signed too quickly.
Dwight wouldn’t have been keen on playing for a cellar dweller, and the Nets have no use for him currently. Why wouldn’t it be mutual?
More than anything, you sound clueless.
Marks decided for him and claimed it was mutual. Read the article where it says Howard would have been happy staying with Brooklyn. Indeed that’s the first sentence, so it won’t take you long to check.
Go ahead now, get the facts, and compare it to your assumption of what he wants. The article even provides the reasoning.
And no, neither Allen nor Okafor are better than Howard. Someday yes. Is anyone proposing the Nets tank right from the getgo?
Yeah I’m sure Dwight would have been happy coming off the bench…
Howard will fit better in DC than Brooklyn. New York fans would have him for lunch with his apathetic approach and lack of hustle. The politicians around the beltway don’t know any better.
DH12 would have been by far the best player in Brooklyn since D-Will. I think is a good move so they can develop Allen, but is a shame for DH12, he deserves better than been treated like an unwanted commodity.