NBA Rumor: Houston Is Trying To Sign Dwight Howard & Josh Smith

Dwight Howard won’t be enough for the Rockets this offseason. They want to bring Josh Smith to Houston as well, according to a report from USA Today. The two big men are friends from way back, having grown up in the Atlanta area while playing AAU together. The motivation here is obvious: get Smith and use him to lure Howard away from Los Angeles.

After orchestrating several cap clearing moves — waiving Aaron Brooks and Carlos Delfino, and trading Thomas Robinson to Portland — Houston can sign Howard outright. But Josh Smith would have to be involved in a sign-n-trade. CBSSports.com says the Rockets have made both Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik (both owed more than $16 million over the next two years) available in trades. Moving Asik makes the most sense. The team is growing increasingly confident they’ll get Superman. If they do, Asik immediately becomes expendable as a high-priced backup.

Because of his shaky play last season, Lin might be more difficult to move, but after repeatedly failing to land a superstar over the past few seasons (Pau Gasol, Chris Bosh, etc.), Houston has to be teeming with excitement right now.

How good would Houston be with these two?

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