Dwight Howard wants the Rockets to add a third star, and Josh Smith is Houston’s backup plan to Howard.
It was only a matter of time until these plans merged.
According to two people with knowledge of the situation, the Rockets’ Monday meeting with free agent forward Josh Smith in Los Angeles included a discussion about a possible partnership with him and his childhood friend from Atlanta in Howard.Smith has long been known to be on the Rockets’ radar, but he is not viewed solely as a backup plan to Howard should he decide to sign elsewhere and the possibility remains of another superteam being created with Howard and Smith joining franchise centerpiece James Harden.
The simplest way to get Smith to the Rockets would be a sign-and-trade, but the Hawks, who covet Howard themselves, probably wouldn’t agree to a deal that helps Houston until Howard has already signed with Houston.If the salary cap is set at the expected $58.5 million, the Rockets don’t even have enough cap room to offer Howard a max contract, which would start at $20,513,178. However, Houston could get there by waiving James Anderson