Superstar center Dwight Howard is finalizing a deal to sign with the Houston Rockets and leave the Los Angeles Lakers, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
A formal agreement is expected to be in place soon, sources said.
“He hopes to finalize his decision [Friday night] or [Saturday] morning,” Howard’s agent, Dan Fegan, told Yahoo! Sports.
Howard is eligible for a four-year, $88 million maximum deal from the Rockets unless they negotiate a sign-and-trade deal with the Lakers. His final hesitancy centered on leaving a fifth guaranteed year and $30 million – which the Lakers can give him – on the negotiating table, sources told Y! Sports.
Howard himself still hadn’t informed the Rockets of his choice, sources told Y! Sports.
The decision would be a devastating blow to the Lakers and transform the Rockets – with Howard joining All-Star guard James Harden and a strong supporting cast – into legitimate Western Conference championship contenders.
The Rockets next move will be to discuss a sign-and-trade agreement with Atlanta centered on free agent Josh Smith that would likely include center Omer Asik. Asik has made clear to the organization that he has no interest in playing a backup role to Howard, sources said.
In addition to the Rockets and Lakers, Howard seriously considered the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors. He informed the Mavs and Warriors earlier Friday that they were no longer in the running.
USA Today first reported Howard’s decision.
(source-Yahoo!Sports)
