While Dwight Howard was meditating on the great mystery that was his future, NBA veterans were reminded of one of the tenets of free agency that comes in the form of a saying.
It is a little raw, even for a writer-friendly site like this one, but to paraphrase, the saying is: “Easy women and greed are undefeated in the NBA.”
To be fair, that is pretty much true for all sports, particularly as it relates to cash. Athletes often talk about how nothing is more important than winning a title, but ultimately they end up with whoever offers them the biggest contract.
Howard proved on Friday there are exceptions, but before we get too flowery with praise, it should be noted that in his career, Howard has already made more than $102 million. So even with the paltry $88 million he will get the next four years in Houston, he’s a lot closer to $200 million than most of us.
It also should be noted that the state tax in California is 13.3 percent and the state tax in Texas is zero. That doesn’t make up the entire $30 million, but there are some projections that ultimately, Howard will lose nothing. And he will be only 30 or 31 when he signs his next contract. If he stays in Houston, that five-year deal will be well over $100 million and by age 36, Howard will have collected more than $300 million in salaries.
At that level, there probably is a word better than “sacrifice” to describe the decision Howard made to jilt L.A. and commit to the Rockets. I would apply the same description to him that should have been applied to Miami’s Big Three when they signed with the Heat in the summer of 2010.
LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh each received a contract worth between $107 million and $110 million. Each could have signed somewhere else for about $15 million more over the life of the contract. So they were very proud of themselves for their “sacrifice.”
A more accurate term would be “less greedy.” That’s a positive trait, but when you have a contract in nine figures, using the same language that describes the works of Mother Teresa is probably not appropriate.
Howard’s decision to move to Houston is obviously good news for the Rockets and impactful for all their competitors. Consider:
— The decision by the Thunder to trade James Harden is looking even worse now. It was Harden’s presence that attracted Howard to Houston and created another playoff obstacle for a talented OKC team. You have to wonder if this is a team that will be good for a long time, but never great enough to win a championship.
— Three years removed from winning a championship, the Mavericks seem destined to not win another in the Dirk Nowitzki era. Owner Mark Cuban celebrated winning the 2011 championship but he also knew the Mavericks had overachieved. He chose not to commit to long-term contracts to Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea and gambled that Dallas could sign Deron Williams or Howard. They got neither — but they might get Andrew Bynum.
Dirk is now 35 and the Mavericks are a low-level playoff team at the best. For Cuban, it was a good gamble – somewhat like doubling down in blackjack on an 11. Unfortunately for Cuban, he was dealt a 2.
— The aura of greatness has at least momentarily vanished from the Lakers. This is a franchise that has always been a destination. Wilt Chamberlain wanted to come to L.A. at age 32 to play on the same team as Jerry West. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar forced a trade from Milwaukee, and although he would have been happy with the Knicks, the Lakers were at the top of his list. Shaquille O’Neal couldn’t wait to follow in the footsteps of Mikan, Chamberlain and Abdul-Jabbar.
With Kobe Bryant unlikely to start next season after surgery to repair a torn Achilles, the Lakers seem to be in the worst of situations – not good enough to compete for a title; not bad enough to compete for the No. 1 draft pick. Laker magic has worked in the past. They will need it again in a very large dose.
The Rockets are by no means a lock to win the West next season. With the expected return of Russell Westbrook, the Thunder will still be an elite team. The Clippers figure to take another step forward under the guidance of Doc Rivers. Young teams in Golden State and Memphis will be capable of winning a playoff series against anyone.
And the San Antonio Spurs, only 28 seconds away from a championship before wilting, will bring back the same group with the possible exception of Gary Neal. They will have to listen to and read comments about their advancing age during the season, but no one would be surprised if they again went to the NBA Finals.
Houston, however, has become a legitimate contender and the addition of Howard is the reason for that. Although he is responsible for the reputation he has built as flighty and foolish, Howard ultimately was crystal clear in what he wanted to do – deciding that a little less greed has the potential to go a long way.
CHECK OUT JAN HUBBARD’S ARCHIVE FROM SHERIDAN HOOPS.COM. TERRIFIC STUFF ON THE NBA, PAST AND PRESENT.
Jan Hubbard has written about basketball since 1976 and worked in the NBA league office for eight years between media stints. Follow him on Twitter at @whyhub.