Howard Based Decision On Coaching Preference, Roster Age

[RealGM Wiretap]

Dwight Howard said Friday that he based his free agent decision on two factors: coaching preference and comparative age of rosters.

After a couple days of deliberation, Howard whittled his choices down to the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets.

"I just looked at both teams and I felt like Houston was going in one direction -- they got a lot of young players, they got a good coach in Kevin McHale, and I just felt like having him as a coach, he could really help me in the post and help me develop like I want to," Howard said. "That was mainly the big reason right there, and having the opportunity to grow with a team, a young team, like the Rockets. That's the reason why.”

Howard believes the Rockets will give him his best chance to win a championship.

"That's the priority," Howard said. "That's the priority. S---, I'm betting $30 million on it. That's the priority. That's what I want.”

Via Dave McMenamin/ESPNLosAngeles

[GrimeyKidd]

So you telling me a coach thats worked with Tim Duncan...whos basically as good as kevin mchale wasnt good enough. And our roster isnt young?

[DEEP3CL]

I get the coaching part. The hire of D'Antoni is going to be the vice squezzing the Lakers for a minute. A lot of players don't like the man or his system (which I always felt was a gimmick) or his coaching. But the minute Howard mentions age.....that's the linchpin to all this. The dude will surely try to be the locker room clown you can bank on that.

The age gap with the Lakers having a lot of guys that are in their 30's was the part that bugged him. He had nothing in common with them to speak about. That's just the way it is with guys in their 20's versus 30 somethings.

I'm a Lakers fan that can admit having MDA screwed us over. But even if he had stayed we still would've had to add more around him to win big especially because his post game is so limited.

[1Wagon4Wheels]

I get the coaching part. The hire of D'Antoni is going to be the vice squezzing the Lakers for a minute. A lot of players don't like the man or his system (which I always felt was a gimmick) or his coaching. But the minute Howard mentions age.....that's the linchpin to all this. The dude will surely try to be the locker room clown you can bank on that.

The age gap with the Lakers having a lot of guys that are in their 30's was the part that bugged him. He had nothing in common with them to speak about. That's just the way it is with guys in their 20's versus 30 somethings.

I'm a Lakers fan that can admit having MDA screwed us over. But even if he had stayed we still would've had to add more around him to win big especially because his post game is so limited.

I don't think it was about "nothing in common to speak about" more so than just having a young team that he can grow with. Say he signs a 5 year contract with the lakers, Kobe and Pau are not guaranteed for more than 3 of those years. Howard would rather sign with the rockets and be content with the young players he has around him, plus many of his team mates have not peaked in their abilities yet- so he can look forward to that too.