Dwight Howard doesn’t want be part of the 2012 free agent rumor mill, but just when he thought he was out... they pull him back in.
We mentioned earlier today that Deron Williams was going to be an eager recruiter for the Nets. The first target will be Dwight Howard, according to the Bergen Record.Deron Williams has spoken with principal owner Mikhail Prokhorov and general manager Billy King about their plan and who they will pursue as they prepare for their Brooklyn move after next season.
Orlando center Dwight Howard tops that list, sources said.
“He definitely talked about that and it gets you excited,” Williams said of Prokhorov. “When your owner says he’s going to spend the money and put people around you, that’s definitely appealing. There’s a lot of stuff that appeals to me as far as my future here.”
The two big summer of 2012 free agent names are Howard and Chris Paul (assuming D-Will ends up signing an extension with the Nets). For obvious reasons (except maybe to David Kahn) it would be foolish to pair Paul and Williams as both are point guards.
Every team seems to have designs — or at least their fans do — on Howard. For the Nets, Howard makes sense. Yes, the Nets already have the promising Brook Lopez at the five spot, but Howard would be an upgrade. If Orlando ends up in the situation Denver found itself in with Carmelo Anthony — where they have to trade him or lose him for nothing in free agency — then a trade package involving Brook Lopez could be very tempting.
But we’re a long, long way — and a new collective bargaining agreement that could radically change the landscape — away from that day.
For now, just know the Nets are thinking big. Very big.