"Josh Howard's exit from the Mavericks went from amicable to a bit testy after he made his debut in Washington on Wednesday night.

Howard said after his first game as a Wizard that he looks forward to being able to "stick it to the Mavs" regarding the trade after six-plus seasons in Dallas.

The Mavericks took the high road, with owner Mark Cuban saying only, "I wish Josh nothing but the best."

The juicy piece of irony is that Howard ended up in Washington, which may well have been the site where he had the beginning of the end, according to several Maverick sources.

They say Howard had a long night of partying on Jan. 19, the night after the Mavericks had won in Boston and less than 24 hours before playing the Wizards.

The team officially said he missed the game against Washington on Jan. 20 with a stomach illness. But sources said team officials could not deny that it was a self-inflicted game off. "