Dwight Howard may or may not be happy with the Rockets.
But does he want Houston to trade him?
Happy players sometimes want to be dealt, and unhappy players sometimes want to stay. These are often complex situations.
Of course, it’s not Howard’s call whether the Rockets trade him.
Houston reportedly believes he’ll opt out this summer, and as much decline as he has shown, he’ll likely still draw major – maybe even max – offers. Do the Rockets want to tie up that much money over the next several years on a center who’s already on the wrong side of 30?
They’d surely be more inclined to keep him now if they were winning. Whether he walks or re-signs this summer, maybe he’d help them achieve something significant this season first.
But that ship is sailing as Houston continues to struggle, and Howard’s potential replacement – Clint Capela – looks good.
If Howard wants out, the Rockets should probably try to trade him and get something in return before he hits free agency.
But even if Howard isn’t pushing for a deal now, Houston still ought to explore the trade market.