Something went badly wrong with this year’s Houston Rockets. The same group that went to the Western Conference Finals last season was a disaster from the jump in 2015-16, firing Kevin McHale two weeks into the season and battling recurring rumors of tension between James Harden and Dwight Howard. In a new interview with ESPN.com’s Jackie MacMullan, Howard all but confirms the team’s chemistry issues, and pins the source of his frustration on GM Daryl Morey’s desire to dictate his role on the court.
ESPN: You mentioned your season in Houston didn’t end the way you wanted. You have also admitted you were “disinterested” during parts of the year. Why was that?
Howard: “There were times I was disinterested because of situations that happened behind the scenes that really hurt me. It left me thinking, ‘This is not what I signed up for.’ ”
ESPN: What specifically are you referring to?
Howard: “I felt like my role was being reduced. I went to [Rockets general manager] Daryl [Morey] and said, ‘I want to be more involved.’ Daryl said, ‘No, we don’t want you to be.’ My response was, ‘Why not? Why am I here?’ It was shocking to me that it came from him instead of our coach. So I said to him, ‘No disrespect to what you do, but you’ve never played the game. I’ve been in this game a long time. I know what it takes to be effective.’ ”
The “you never played the game” argument can get tiresome at times, but Howard’s reaction speaks to an understandable frustration a player can have when it seems like people above the coach are the ones deciding on-court matters. Howard’s free agency was the biggest event of the 2013 offseason, and his decision to team up with Harden was hailed around the league as the creation of a new superteam. Even though Howard isn’t as physically dominant as he was in his Orlando days, going from being the focal point to barely involved in the offense overnight can be tough to swallow.
Howard hasn’t publicly said he’s going to opt out yet, but it’s a good bet that his days in Houston are over. He may not be able to command a max contract anymore, but there will still be a market for him, and he can be effective on the right team if he’s willing to accept a lesser role. If the Rockets hire Mike D’Antoni, as has been rumored, it’s all but a lock that Howard is gone.
(Via ESPN.com)
