NBA Rumors: Atlanta Hawks Gaining Inside Track On Dwight Howard After Two Share Productive Meeting

The NBA rumors surrounding Dwight Howard have taken a sharp turn as NBA free agency begins, with the Atlanta Hawks going from the back of the pack to a major contender for the big man.

Leading up to Friday’s start of free agency, the Hawks were seen as just one of a number of teams looking at Howard. The 30-year-old center is expected to talk to as many as five teams after declining his $23.2 million player option with the Houston Rockets, and a return to Houston is now likely out of the question. Howard and new Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni butted heads during their time together with the Los Angeles Lakers, hastening Howard’s exit from the team.

Dwight Howard will be holding meetings on Friday in Atlanta and in Las Vegas on Saturday, a league source told ESPN. It’s not clear yet when he plans to make a decision.

In the days leading up to the start of free agency, the Atlanta Hawks were rumored to be more focused on another big-name free agent, the ESPN report noted.

“ESPN reported earlier Tuesday that the Hawks, while still trying to convince Kevin Durant to grant a face-to-face sitdown, have been weighing a run at Howard to pair him with Al Horford in their frontcourt. Howard, a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, is a native of Atlanta.”

But new NBA rumors indicate that the Atlanta Hawks could be climbing higher on Howard’s list. Adrian Wojnarowski of the Vertical reported that Howard and the Hawks had a very productive meeting on Friday, making them a stronger contender. The Hawks play in Howard’s hometown, though Howard has never said if coming home was a priority for him.

Atlanta Hawks and free agent Dwight Howard made a strong connection in meeting today, sources tell @TheVertical. There's traction there.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2016

There is still some concern about exactly which Dwight Howard teams will be getting in free agency. It appears that the days of the dominant center whose athleticism overpowered opponents are now gone, as a number of injuries have slowed him and led to a drop in output. He has also failed to improve his free throw shooting or expand his low-post game despite having access to two of the best post coaches of all time in Kevin McHale and Hakeem Olajuwon in Houston.

Howard’s asking price could be another impediment to his NBA free agency chances. He is reportedly seeking at least $24 million annually and could potentially get up to $31 million a year in a max deal.

Bleacher Report found that there was a lot of doubt around the league, with team executives saying Howard can at times be disengaged and sees himself as a primary scorer when he’s something closer to a third option and defensive specialist.

“‘I wouldn’t sign him,’ said an executive with a Western Conference playoff team, expressing a view that’s more common than one might expect.

“‘A gamble,’ said a veteran Eastern Conference general manager.”

Dwight Howard’s chances could be going up as other free agents shake out, however. There have already been outsized contracts for centers Timofey Mozgov and Hassan Whiteside, which could push the market up for Howard a bit.

“I think when you see what some other big guys are going to get, people won’t be complaining about Dwight Howard anymore,” one general manager told the Sporting News. “His deal is going to look pretty damn reasonable in the end.”

The report added that Howard’s preferred asking price — a four-year, $80 million deal — doesn’t look so outlandish anymore given the market for centers in the NBA.

There are other NBA rumors surrounding Dwight Howard beyond the Atlanta Hawks. He will also be meeting with the Boston Celtics, though league sources said Boston would only sign Howard if he would consider a shorter contract.

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