Dwight Howard to Meet With the Lakers Last During Free Agency

The Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks will all get a chance to make their pitches to free agent superstar center Dwight Howard. The Los Angeles Lakers, Dwight’s current employer (but perhaps for not very much longer), will have the final word with the big fella. Per the LA Times: “The Lakers have been told they will be the final team to meet with free agent Dwight Howard, who will begin taking visits with other teams next week. Howard becomes an unrestricted free agent at 9:01 p.m. Pacific Time on Sunday and is expected to meet with at least three other organizations — Atlanta, Houston and Dallas. Howard will then sit down with his most recent team, the Lakers. They have not been informed yet of the time and place for that meeting. Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak has met several times with Howard’s representatives since the Lakers’ season ended abruptly in April. During those meetings, Kupchak has reaffirmed the Lakers’ interest in signing Howard to a five-year, $118-million contract. Other teams can offer only four years and $88 million.”