Dwight Howard had long wanted to be top dog but at the rate things are going, it will not happen with the Rockets.
That is at least while James Harden is around.
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Right now, Howard seems to be in the same situation he was in three years ago. At that time, the Lakers wanted to keep Howard but the apparent issue was that he had problems co-existing with Kobe Bryant.
And his performance and overall popularity have dipped since then.
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Injuries are partly to blame, but the fact is that Howard is not the go-to-guy right now and that he needs to play second fiddle to Harden. Despite the observations rendered, Howard vehemently downplays the recent trade rumors, calling them all lies.
"I chose this place, you know what I'm saying? And I want to make this thing work here. Obviously we haven't been playing great basketball, and personally for myself my numbers don't seem like I've been playing great, but the only thing on my mind is trying to grow as a man and grow as a teammate and a leader,” Howard said via USA Today.
Earlier reports from Sheridanhoops.com claimed Howard was pretty unhappy with the Rockets
Howard's numbers speak to that. So far, he has managed only 12.6 points and 8.3 shots per game, a big dip if you compare his performance for the past two seasons in Houston. And then there is the contract issue.
Howard is playing out his third year with the Rockets and it is expected that he will opt out after this season, as reported through NBC Sports. Though he is set to earn a guaranteed $23.2 million, the reason for opting out could be to look for another team or get higher pay.
It is understandable that Howard would be in the denial stage. There could be some truth on his claims of staying put with the Rockets, but as far as getting a bigger pay, he may want to prove that he deserves one starting now.
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