6 July 2013

Dwight Howard Breaks Laker's Hearts, Signs With The Houston Rockets

Superstar free-agent center Dwight Howard spurned the L.A Lakers and informed Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey that he plans to sign a four-year, $88 million contract with the Rockets. 

Howard's contract with the Rockets can't officially be signed until Wednesday.

Howard called Morey on the phone Friday night after informing Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak he wouldn't re-sign with the franchise.

"I screamed," Morey told Yahoo! Sports. "I wasn't very presidential." "On the phone, he told me, 'I'm focused on just working, that everything is going to be about winning,' " Morey said. "He said he had a tough decision to make about salary, and that he was coming here for a chance to win."

Howard later announced his decision on his Twitter account and replaced his Lakers avatar photo with one of him in a Rockets uniform.
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 could have given him – on the negotiating table, sources told Y! Sports.

The decision is a devastating blow to the Lakers and transforms the Rocket. The following statement has been issued by Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

"We have been informed of Dwight's decision to not return to the Lakers. Naturally we're disappointed. However, we will now move forward in a different direction with the future of the franchise and, as always, will do our best to build the best team possible, one our great Lakers fans will be proud to support. To Dwight, we thank him for his time and consideration, and for his efforts with us last season. We wish him the best of luck on the remainder of his NBA career."

Source and NBA.com

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