Once Upon A Time: Chris Paul a Maverick?

by Damian Jackson on May 10, 2013 in Mavs 09 comments

The Los Angeles Clippers won 56 games and their first Pacific Division title in the regular season.

Postseason play produced only two wins before losing four straight and elimination to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Not quite the conclusion the little brother in Los Angeles expected. More importantly, Chris Paul becomes are free agent July 1st and the early ousting may affect his decision to stay or leave.

Here are some quotes from his exit interview (VIDEO: Complete Version) on Saturday May 4th:

A long, great season hits a brick wall:

“I have nothing to do, this is unreal, like I had no idea this season would be over…we only played two weeks longer than everybody else who didn’t make the playoffs. It sucks.”

You recruited players last summer, will they (LA Clippers) now be recruiting you?

“I don’t know…we’ll see, we’ll see. I don’t know how this whole thing’s gonna go or play out. I’m gonna pray about it.”

Asked to compare the 17-win streak in December and the playoffs:

“December and May, they don’t go together…at all.”

What does ‘built for the playoffs’ mean to you:

“Built for the playoffs means you have to have a little bit of everything. You have to have shooting, defense…all that different stuff.”

Whether it’s difficult or not to watch the rest of the playoffs:

“Yeah. No question…and I watch ESPN, SportsCenter all day…everyday, but not now.”

On liking LA, West Coast guy now? Part of the equation for you, family?

“Did I like it, yeah I liked. I loved it out here – Of course, if everybody hated it…you know what I mean? My family is very easy going, what’s not to like. It’s far away from home, but fortunately I’ve been blessed to be in a situation where my parents, my wife’s parents and my family we always got people in town.”

Paul talks about taking his time to decide on his future in what will be his first true all-out free agency frenzy. A Clippers return on a 5-year max contract worth $107 million appears the probable route.

However, since CP3 isn’t ready to make an official announcement nor should he prior to the July 1st free agent floodgates, we can take some time to at least consider other options for the NBA’s best point guard – with focus on our Dallas Mavericks.

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Once upon a time Chris Paul was ready to be a Dallas Maverick. Reported early in the 2012-2013 season by CBSSports’ Matt Moore which originally derived from Yahoo! Sports NBA writer Marc Spears’ article titled ‘What stopped Dwight Howard and Chris Paul from playing together as Dallas Mavericks?‘.

Inside you’ll understand that this idea spanned over a couple years and would have involved the cooperation from BOTH Paul and then Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard. Howard’s indecisiveness deflated the opportunity to join forces at that point.

If I take anything away from their failed execution to partner up, it’s the fact that Paul was ready to work for Mark Cuban and the Mavs organization just last summer. Events didn’t materialize then, but now Paul (and Howard) are on the brink of becoming unrestricted FA a year later.

Dallas or any team with cap space could only offer Paul a 4-year max contract worth about $80 million. On the surface that’s a glaring disadvantage, but in reality with some mathematical breakdown of all known money/tax details involved the numbers aren’t far off.

This with the thought process that Paul or Howard would both try for one last max deal which involves them opting out of a fifth year with their respective Los Angeles squad. At that point Paul will be 32 years-old and Howard 31.

For more in-depth coverage on this check out the material from Mike Fisher and David Lord at DallasBasketball.com or this article (Dollar Differences) by Tim MacMahon on ESPN Dallas.

A section in Moore’s report on CBSSports from November 2012 intrigues as it relates to the current situation:

 - Dallas continues to be the “almost but not quite” destination for superstars, and it leaves them both in the running for Paul and Howard in 2013 should their stints with their respective teams go catastrophically wrong, and still huge underdogs despite being really the only other team on the board.

Catastrophically wrong? Both Paul and Howard were ejected in their final games of the season. Howard used ‘nightmare’ to describe his lone year as a Laker, while CP3 was clearly not satisfied playing only six more games than non-playoff teams.

In other words, neither concluded their seasons with a fairy tale ending.

Dallas may not have the most attractive roster to alone lure Paul away from his highlight reel big men Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. The Mavs have veterans in Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion and Vince Carter, but the Clippers have some too in Caron Butler, Jamal Crawford and Chauncey Billups.

The Mavs do have positives in their favor.

Mark Cuban – Owner with unmatched passion for his team, savvy and involved.

Donnie Nelson – GM that’s advantageous, bold and beyond diligent in his work to always make the Mavs better.

Rick Carlisle – An upper-echelon coach in the league today. Respect. Relentless to get the most of his players.

Dirk Nowitzki – He’s going to be 35, we know, but let’s get that out of the way. Dirk’s work ethic combined with his unique style of play should grant him three or four more solid years in his legendary career, a couple still at an elite level. Dirk isn’t Blake, but more importantly Blake isn’t Dirk. 41 is an accomplished player, future first ballot Hall of Famer and NBA champion – a winner.

It’s not fair to say Paul has the best shot at winning a title with Dirk and the Mavs, because a player of CP3′s caliber could go to most teams and morph them into title contenders.

The point here is more about visualizing his short-list options IF he surprised people and decided to move on from the Clippers. On that list you probably have Dallas, Atlanta and Houston.

Each has its reasons to attract Paul. I already went over Dallas, but what about the Hawks and Rockets?

With the Houston Rockets, you envision CP3 merging into an already rich environment of untapped youth potential and a superstar in the making – James Harden. Chandler Parsons elevated his game this season which would provide Paul with two sweet treats on the wing. Houston has always wanted Dwight Howard and may be able to entertain the idea of Paul and Howard finally joining forces as Rockets.

Atlanta owns plenty cap space to sign both Paul and Howard, similar to the Rockets. They have their own star free agent in Josh Smith who isn’t sure about his future either. The Hawks would LOVE to sign Chris Paul, the point guard they passed on in 2005, drafting Marvin Williams instead. Paul running the show with Al Horford, a re-signed Josh Smith and other solid free agents has appeal.

It all comes back to the Mavs and playing alongside Dirk though. Chris knows something when it comes to German father-to-be…

He is a problem, Chris. Now imagine Paul and Dirk working pick and roll/pop. Dirk and Terry had formed themselves into quite the impressive two-man game, but it would not compare to the deadly duo of 3 and 41.

One thing you see in Chris Paul – he’s hungry. Paul wants to win more than anything and at 28 the time in now. It’s safe to say that realistically looking at the options available to him, Paul cannot join a better superstar than Dirk in this moment.

James Harden exploded this season and is on the verge of superstar status, but Dirk is still the better option and fit. Dwight Howard and Paul would be fun to watch and it could happen, in what city though? Not LA. After those two, no one is close to Dirk’s level.

All in all, we must continue to wait this process out until the new season officially begins on the first of July. We already know Mark, Donnie and staff are in the battle room devising multiple plans and scenarios, prepping for what they would like to be the best summer in Mavericks history (2011 was pretty good, Champs!).

It starts with Chris Paul.

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Feel free to comment with your thoughts and questions!

Follow and contact me on Twitter @thedfactor and @TheMavsFanatic

 

 

 

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The Wrap Up: Mavs Get Revenge, Keep Slim Playoff Hopes Alive

by Terence Huie on March 7, 2013 in Mavs 09 comments

The Mavs came into the second of a two-game series against the Houston Rockets at home. Dallas looks to seek vengeance after an embarrassing 36-point loss in Houston on Sunday night.

Coach Carlisle added Mike James and Brandan Wright to the starting lineup, putting Darren Collison and Chris Kaman on the bench to begin the game.

OJ Mayo started off with great first quarter with 5 assists, giving the Mavs a 12-3 run. The Mavs shot 15-of-21 from the field the entire quarter, including Shawn Marion’s 12 points (6-8 FG) and Dirk’s 8 points. Houston Rockets’ point guard Jeremy Lin recorded 15 points, but the Rockets shot 9-for-23 (39.1%) from the floor.

The Rockets began the second quarter with a 15-5 run, led by four three-pointers from Carlos Defino and Chandler Parsons. The Mavs’ 11-point lead to begin the second quarter slimmed down to just a 3-point lead halfway through the period. The Mavs ended the quarter on a 9-2 run with a 4-point lead going into halftime.

At halftime, Marion was the game’s scoring leader with 16 points. The Mavs were 25-for-40 from the field while the Rockets shot 19-for-46. OJ Mayo had just 5 points but with 7 assists. The Mavs had the advantage of Fast Break Points (12 to 4) and Points in the Paints (36 to 16). Rockets’ James Harden led his team with 14 points (3-11 FG, but 7-7 from the free throw line). Also, Chandler Parsons had 13 points including 3 three-pointers.

In the third quarter, the Mavs shot 11-25 from the field. The Rockets were 10-for-16 from the floor. The Rockets got within a 1-point lead after a 15-3 spur towards the end of the third period. Dallas replied from a clutch three-pointer from Vince Carter to begin the fourth quarter with a four-point lead.

The fourth quarter became real aggressive towards the end of the game. Dirk Nowitzki recorded his fifth personal foul and a technical foul after arguing with referees after knocking Carlos Defino during a fast break. Rockets’ gained momentum with 5 points from James Harden to hold a 2-point lead. OJ Mayo gave the Mavs a huge 7 straight points. In the final minutes after two Harden free throws, the Rockets went 0-for-4. That gave the Mavs’ three free throws to end the game.

The Mavs defended their home court and got revenge on the Rockets winning this game 112-108.

Shawn Marion and Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavs in team scoring with 22 points. OJ Mayo displayed a fantastic performance of 12 points and a career-high 13 assists. James Harden shot a total 5-for-17 but 16 for 16 from the free throw line. Harden recorded 28 points and 9 assists. Rockets’ center Omar Asik had a double-double, 12 points and 15 rebounds.

The Mavs look forward to a 4-game road trip, including a big game against the Spurs next Thursday.

GO MAVS!

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Mavs Get Out Fueled By Rockets In Blowout

by Terence Huie on March 5, 2013 in Mavs 09 comments

The Dallas Mavericks traveled to Houston coming fresh off a win against the Brooklyn Nets to take on the Rockets. This is the first out of two games this week versus Houston this week.

Chris Kaman, with his second start since his concussion, scored the Mavs first 6 points of the first quarter. The Mavs went on a 10-3 run to jump out with a 6 point lead. Dallas shot 13-26 from the field including 5 three-pointers during the quarter. Shawn Marion and OJ Mayo were tied as the quarter’s leading scorers with 7 points. The Rockets’ forward Chandler Parsons was the team’s leader with 9 points. Jeremy Lin score 8 points and logged 4 assists.

The Mavs jumped out to a 7-3 run to begin the second quarter. Mike James was a huge impact off the bench scoring 6 points in the quarter with two huge three-pointers. Dallas led the game by 9 points, their biggest lead of the first half. Houston gained momentum going into halftime ending on a 19-7 run.

There has not been much improvement by the Mavs in third quarter performances as the Rockets outscored them 44-17. The Rockets broke out on a 15-0 run while the Mavs went scoreless for nearly 6 minutes, until a layup by Brandan Wright. The Rockets showed no signs of slowing down. James Harden took advantage of OJ Mayo in the third. Harden forced Mayo in foul trouble with his fourth foul. Harden from there scored 11 points, giving the Rockets a 30 point lead. The Mavs shot a terrible 33% from the floor and the Rockets shot 70%. The score before the fourth quarter began was 108-78.

In the fourth quarter, the Rockets closed out the game giving their bench some quality minutes. Former Kings’ rookie forward Thomas Robinson led the Rockets in scoring with 7 points.

The Mavs lost to the Houston Rockets 136 to 103.

OJ Mayo was the team’s leading scorer with 18 points and 4 assists, but his 5 personal fouls were detrimental for the Mavs trying to regain a lead after halftime. Dallas had three of their bench players in double figures: Wright with 12 points, Vince Carter with 12 points, and Mike James’ 11 points. Dirk scored just 8 points (2-8 FG) and 4 assists.

The Rockets had five players in double figures. Rockets’ center Omer Asik recorded a double-double, 10 points and 10 rebounds. Jeremy Lin and James Harden both scored 21 points. Huge performance of the night goes to Chandler Parsons. He scored 32 points, 12-of-13 from the field including 6 three-pointers.

Coach Carlisle said in his post-game interview, “We just couldn’t guard those guys”.  The Mavs have a chance to redeem themselves on Wednesday night at home taking on the Rockets again this week.

Go Mavs!

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Mavs Game Night: Mavs Aim to Build Momentum in Houston

by Damian Jackson on March 3, 2013 in Mavs 09 comments

Two days after winning just their 10th road game of the season, the Dallas Mavericks aim to keep that momentum when they visit the Houston Rockets. The first of two consecutive meetings between the interstate rivals, they hold significant playoff implications for the Mavs who currently trail the Rockets by four in the loss column.

A win today would give Dallas the season series as the Mavs have already defeated the Rockets twice this year. A shooting guard duel went down in the first meeting when O.J. Mayo and James Harden combined for 79 points.

“I mean Houston’s a great team and (James) Harden’s having a phenomenal year,” said Dirk Nowitzki. “They’re a tough team, we have our hands full, but we’re gonna push the pace as well. We’ve had some really fun games in Houston over the years, so we’ll just go in let it all rip, play as a team…should be fun.”

The Mavs will have more fun if they keep a few concepts in mind. As Coach Rick Carlisle and Nowitzki stressed, the team needs to continue enforcing areas that have built leads in an effort to sustain them and close out ball games.

“All these games are going to count, especially if we want to make the playoff push,” Harden said. “We try not to (think about it), because we try not to get sidetracked by thinking about too many other things.”

By all means this ought to be an up tempo game with plenty scoring. Dallas and Houston both score and surrender over 100 points per game.

Dirk has scored in double figures in 25 straight games he’s played and the past five have been stellar statistically despite only winning two of five.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Mavericks shoot for their 10th straight win against the Rockets tonight and an opportunity to creep one step closer to their playoff goal.

Game time at 6:00 p.m. CT and will air on FSSW and CSN Houston.

Make it two straight, Let’s Go Mavs!

 

 

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Mavs Game Night: Rockets Short On Fuel?

by Ryan Wilson on January 16, 2013 in Mavs 09 comments

It’s been over a month’s time since the Dallas Mavericks had the opportunity play for a fourth consecutive victory. The Mavs host the Houston Rockets tonight in what will be the third game in a row they catch an opponent on its second night of back-to-back games.

The Mavs have done their part in taking advantage of some favorable scheduling. The first two contests of the four-game homestand witnessed the Mavs look like they did early in the year, smart and successful.

Chemistry between Darren Collison and O.J. Mayo fuels the team. As we’ve seen in the recent stretch, when this 25-year-old backcourt duo has it together, the Mavs look awesome. Pushing the tempo is their mojo and it has led Dallas to average 111.3 PPG over the past three.

Imagine this, valuing the basketball and execute proper ball movement equates wins.

It’s true! Okay, no one is surprised. We all knew if Dallas could stop being sloppy and giving the opponent more possessions, things ought to be better. Well during the three-game win streak the Mavs have 79 assists and just 30 turnovers. Makes sense.

Another juicy stat from the Minnesota game on Monday is the Mavs had three players score 20 or more points and Dirk Nowitzki was NOT one of them. Collison led the way with 23 points while Elton Brand and Mayo added 20 apiece. It’s the first time this season that has occurred and as ESPNDallas’ Tim MacMahon stated, the first time a Dirk-less trio achieved the feat since last season when Vince Carter, Shawn Marion and Delonte West did it in Phoenix.

The Rockets come into this one on the heels of a home loss to the Chris Paul-less Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers took control in the second half and really never felt threatened the rest of the way to a 117-109 victory.

“You can’t (lose at home),” James Harden said. “We’ve got to be better, especially on the defensive end. We’ve got to guard in order to win games. It’s simple.”

Harden and Juice Mayo meet for the second time and if it’s anything like the first tussle, we’re in for a treat. The starting shooting guards went bonkers for their respective teams, totaling 79 points in a 116-109 Mavs win. Harden lost both the points (Mayo – 40; Beard – 39) and game battle with Mayo now seeks to get revenge and push the Rockets back into the win column.

Is a breakout game in store for Dirk? As mentioned in the previous Mavs Game Night, the comfort level between Dirk and his teammates has been coming along nicely. However, we haven’t yet witnessed one of those typical Dirk nights where he completely dominates a game. His last game against the Rockets he dropped 35 points. Let’s see what the Big German has for us tonight. I’m expecting 20 or more from him.

The Mavs and Rockets get started at 7:00 p.m. CT and will be broadcasted nationally on ESPN and locally on FSSW.

Make it 4 in a row, Go Mavs!

 

 

 

 

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Mavs Game Night: Kings(7-12) @ Mavs(10-10)

by Ryan Wilson on December 10, 2012 in Mavs 09 comments

Several rarities surround the Dallas Mavericks following the 116-109 win against the Houston Rockets. For starters the Mavs played their 20^th regular season game without Dirk Nowitzki. The team won consecutive road games inPhoenix and Houston. O.J. Mayo splashed a 40 spot on the Rockets. You have to go back to Roddy Beaubois’ rookie season and his promising night in GoldenState to find the last Maverick not named Dirk to score 40 points.

If for some reason you missed the Juice Explosion Saturday night, missed the highlights or simply want to see them again…and AGAIN…well here you go. Video of OJ’s big night:

Then there’s this from ESPN’s Marc Stein on just how especially rare Mayo’s 40-point outburst was for a Mavericks starting guard:

“According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Mayo assembled just the second 40-point game from a starting Mavs guard in the last 18 — yes, 18 — seasons.

 Before Mayo’s 40-point eruption that enabled the Mavs to pull out a 116-109 victory on the Rockets’ floor, Dallas hadn’t seen a 40-point game from a backcourt starter since Michael Finley’s 42 points against Detroit on Nov. 27, 2002.”

When the Mavericks take the court tonight and aim for their third consecutive victory, they will be facing a team riding a three-game win streak of their own – the Sacramento Kings. The Kings are just 7-12 and 13^th in the conference, but anytime you string together wins your confidence level elevates.

The Kings defeated the Portland Trail Blazers on the road 99-80 Saturday night. DeMarcus Cousins led the way with 19 points and 12 rebounds. John Salmons added 19 points with 11 helpers.

“It feels good,” Salmons said. “Especially coming off two home wins, to go on the road and get that third win. Hopefully, we can continue doing that.”

Winning in Dallas will be a daunting task for the Kings who have lost to the Mavs 16 straight times in the American Airlines Center. This may be their best opportunity with Dirk not in the lineup, but Mayo and the Mavs are just trying to win ballgames. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is, seven wins or 17 wins.

“O.J. [Mayo] is definitely on the kind of roll where he’s putting the team on his back,” said Derek Fisher. “He’s playing at an unbelievable level. It sounds simple, but I think O.J. just wants to win.”

A lot is going right for Mayo this year in Dallas and he’s more comfortable than ever. He himself stated how much he just understands his role as a Maverick and the coaching staff and locker room supports him 100%. It’s showing on the court as Mayo continues to play at career-best levels.

In the shadows of the heroic performance put on by Juice Mayo in Houstonwas the effort given by Mavs center Chris Kaman. Most the evening Kaman was laboring, clearly limping on his badly bruised ankle. Then we found out Kaman’s ankle was indeed purple. Yet, somehow he battled through the pain to score 20 much need points in only 19 minutes of action.

“Kaman showed a lot of guts even being out there,”Carlisle said. “He went out there and gave us everything he had.

It’s unclear whether or not Kaman will be able to play tonight and Shawn Marion’s status also is questionable as he nurses a groin strain. You’d want the Matrix out there, but it’s best to be cautious with any type of groin issue.

The Mavs and Kings tip 7:30 p.m. CT and the game airs on FSSW and CSCA.

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Mavs Game Night: Mavs(9-10) @ Rockets(9-9)

by Ryan Wilson on December 8, 2012 in Mavs 09 comments

The Dallas Mavericks conclude their three-game road trip with the first divisional contest against the Houston Rockets. The Los Angeles Clippers steamrolled the Mavs Wednesday night and the following evening saw our guys narrowly escape Phoenix with a victory over the Suns. The Mavs will look to end the trip with two wins when they leave the Toyota Center late tonight.

What to look for as Dallas breaks the Southwest Division ice and takes on their interstate foe Rockets. James Harden is now the face (or beard) of the franchise. Jeremy Lin didn’t last long in that position, but is having a suitable season thus far with his new backcourt mate. Mavs shouldn’t need worry about any “Linsanity” this time around as that phase has long past.

Houston has the NBA’s youngest roster, but still talented enough to be a .500 team in the deep Western Conference. Chandler Parsons and Patrick Patterson are both starters now and have made progressive improvements to their games. Along with Lin, the Rockets signed former Chicago Bulls reserve center Omir Asik this summer to round out the starting group.

In the midst of a personal tragedy, Rockets head coach Kevin McHale has been away from the team. McHale’s 23-year-old daughter Sasha passed away after a lengthy battle with lupus. In his absence Kelvin Sampson has been on the sidelines as acting head coach. Reports say that McHale might make his return to the team and coach in tonight’s matchup with the Mavs. Our condolences and continued prayers are with the McHale family and friends.

The Mavericks survived “Satisfaction Guaranteed Night” against the Suns, but at this point you take any win you can get. The goal is to just have as many victories by the time Dirk Nowitzki finally makes his grand return. Dallas currently sits in 10^th place and out of the playoffs with its 9-10 record.

Not one Mavericks player has been steadfast with consistency, although O.J. Mayo still remains a pleasant addition with his much needed production offensively without Dirk. Vince Carter has been a major player off the Dallas bench, providing scoring and leadership when it’s needed most. His bright green light trigger draws the ire of fans at times, but I think most fans now appreciative his contributions.

The Matrix (doubtful) could sit this game out with a groin strain that he aggravated in the game Thursday night. Center Chris Kaman (questionable) may also be iffy after sustaining an ankle injury the same night. If both miss the game, the Mavs would be thin in the front court with only Elton Brand, Brandan Wright and rookie Sarge James available.

One Maverick player of note is Jae Crowder. His struggles the last couple weeks have been evident. The shots are not falling and he hasn’t been attacking more either. Crowder has not connected on a three point shot since the November 24^th game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The cure for a grueling shooting stretch would be attack and see the ball go in at the foul line. I would like to see Crowder do just that in the minutes he may or may not play tonight.

The Mavericks and Rockets tip tonight at 7:00 p.m CT and airs on FSSW and CSH. Let’s go Mavs!

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Omer Asik Signs With Houston Rockets

by Ryan Wilson on July 2, 2012 in Mavs 09 comments

The Houston Rockets have reached a verbal agreement with Chicago Bulls restricted free agent Omer Asik on a three-year deal worth $25.1 million, according to sources close to the talks.

Asik can’t formally sign the deal until July 11, which is the first day new players can sign NBA contracts for the 2012-13 season.

The Bulls will then have three days to decide whether to match the offer or let Asik go.

Bulls general manager Gar Forman has made it clear that one of his top priorities was to re-sign Asik, but the structure of the deal could hurt Chicago’s ability to keep him. The Bulls are close to the luxury tax and are wary of wading too deep into that territory.

However, Forman said after the draft on Thursday that the Bulls would be making basketball decisions, not financial ones, in reference to the salary cap.

Adding the 7-foot, 255-pound Turkish native would mark the latest move in what has been a busy offseason for the Rockets and general manager Daryl Morey.

The offensively challenged Asik averaged 3.1 points but pulled down 5.3 boards while averaging 14.7 minutes in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season.

Information from ESPNChicago.com’s Nick Friedell contributed to this report.

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Rockets Trade Budinger To Wolves

by Ryan Wilson on June 26, 2012 in Mavs 09 comments

The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed, pending league approval, to send the 18th pick in the 2012 NBA draft to the Houston Rockets for Chase Budinger and the draft rights to Lior Eliyahu, two league sources confirmed to ESPN.com.

The Houston Chronicle earlier reported the trade agreement.

The Rockets have been discussing deals with several teams in the top 10 about moving up in the draft. Adding the 18th pick should give them even more ammunition.

Although sources stressed that no deal is imminent, the Rockets have had substantive discussion about sending their other two first-round picks (No. 14 and No. 16) to theSacramento Kings for the No. 5 pick. The Rockets have also been exploring moving point guard Kyle Lowry to a team in the top 10 to acquire another pick.

Sources say the Rockets are hoping to acquire enough assets to entice the Magic to trade Dwight Howard to them.

The Rockets’ willingness to trade for Howard — even without the All-Star center’s signature on a contract extension — is an open secret around the league. But it’s believed that two top 10 picks, assuming Houston managed to complete trades with both Sacramento and another team, would seriously pique the interest of new Magic general manager Rob Hennigan, who could then quickly start following the same sort of roster-building blueprint relied on by his previous employers in Oklahoma City.

Acquiring those early lottery picks, though, only represents half of Houston’s challenge if Howard is indeed the Rockets’ target.

The other hurdle is convincing Hennigan, who hasn’t even been on the job for a week, to part with Howard so quickly. As much as he’s been schooled in building through the draft while working alongside Thunder GM Sam Presti, Hennigan could opt to take a more measured approach, make one more run at trying to convince Howard to sign an extension before entering the final year of his contract and then trade him later in the summer if those efforts go nowhere.

Although several rival teams now believe that the Rockets are determined to stockpile a fistful of first-round draft picks to offer Orlando for Howard, sources say there are other established players they’re interested in acquiring. One of them, sources say, is Atlanta Hawks swingman Josh Smith, who also happens to be one of Howard’s closest friends.

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