Untitled Page

Josh Howard News & Rumors

Jazz believe reward worth risk of giving Josh Howard a second chance
"By taking a risk on signing Josh Howard, the Utah Jazz showed they're willing to give people second chances. But what about Howard's well-publicized negative incidents, you wonder? The marijuana admission? Drag racing? Reported (and refuted) hangover-related game absence? National anthem disrespecting? The dirty laundry's been aired out. Skeletons are no longer in the closet. Having done their homework on the 31-year-old, the Jazz are willing to get past his checkered past. Howard's fresh start begins today. He's scheduled to practice with the Jazz this morning and should dress, maybe even play a few minutes, in tonight's intrasquad scrimmage. "It's an opportunity for him to continue"
Josh Howard headed to Utah
"Josh Howard ended an injury-plagued 1½ year stint in Washington on Thursday, agreeing in principle to a one-year deal with the Utah Jazz. Howard played just 22 games with the Wizards after arriving in deal that shipped Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson to Dallas at the trade deadline in 2010. Howard tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in his fourth game with the team, then signed a one-year deal to come back. Complications with tendinitis his knee contributed to him moving in and out of the lineup, and averaging a career low 8.4 points on 35.8 percent shooting. "We wish him the best," Wizards General Manager Ernie Grunfeld said. "Unfortunately, we really"
Wizards' Josh Howard may have offer from Utah Jazz
"Placards for Nick Young, Josh Howard and Maurice Evans continue to hang in the Wizards' locker room, just in case one or all are able to re-sign with the franchise. But as the Wizards held their second day of training camp on Saturday, the three players continue to wait. Howard is considering a "firm offer" from the Utah Jazz, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations. Jazz General Manager Kevin O'Connor, however, told reporters in Salt Lake City on Saturday that he has engaged in serious discussions with Howard but no formal offer has been extended to the 31-year-old swingman. "I haven't made an official offer, no. That's incorrect," O'Connor said. "Have we talked about"
Josh Howard back in D.C., still undecided on free agent destination
"Josh Howard barely had time to greet the kids at Paul Charter School in Northwest on Wednesday before one of the students asked him, "You're a free agent, right? Where are you going to play this year?" Howard laughed and explained that he hadn't made up his mind, but was considering returning to Washington, going to San Antonio or maybe leaving for Chicago. The 31-year-old veteran swingman hasn't been able to avoid the questions about his future since the free agent courting period began and had a similar encounter the day before when he made a visit to the Spurs' practice facility and bumped into all-star guard Manu Ginobili."
Josh Howard drawing interest in free agency
"Josh Howard may have struggled with a left knee injury the past two seasons in Washington, but he has attracted considerable attention with the free agent signing period set to begin on Friday. The Wizards and "five to six" playoff contenders have expressed interest in Howard, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Another person close to Howard confirmed that Boston, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, San Antonio, Denver, New Orleans and New Jersey have all made obligatory calls, with the Wizards, Bulls and Spurs engaging in more frequent conversations."
Kevin Durant in Josh Howard's game
"Kevin Durant's exhibition tour of the country will bring him to Dallas on Saturday night as a surprise late entrant in the Josh Howard Celebrity All-Star Basketball Game. Durant adds significant star power to the charity event previously headlined by Dallas native LaMarcus Aldridge of the Portland Trail Blazers and Washington Wizards guard John Wall and Howard. The Oklahoma City Thunder superstar has crisscrossed the United States to appear in various players' charity games, perhaps more than any other NBA player during the lockout. According to Howard's publicist, the addition of Durant had been in the works for some time and recent conversations between Howard and Durant finally got the"
Josh Howard to host charity game in Dallas
"While explaining his decision to participate in Chris Paul's charity game in his home town of Winston-Salem, N.C., earlier this month, Wizards free agent forward Josh Howard joked that "people still want to see me play." But being around that thrilling, high-flying environment convinced Howard that he should organize his own event in Dallas, the city he still considers home since being traded to the Wizards in the deal that shipped Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson to the Mavericks at the trade deadline in 2010."
Wizards' Josh Howard on road to recovery
"Josh Howard didn't need to seek confirmation, do a Google search or check driver's licenses when he participated in Chris Paul's celebrity all-star game nearly two weeks ago in Winston-Salem, N.C. All he needed to do was watch John Wall, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant and the other stars flying around the court, running and dunking with abandon, to realize that he was "the oldest guy out there." Age and injury have led to Howard playing a more close-to-the-ground game, but the 31-year-old wasn't going to look completely out of place in his hometown. Though most of his eight points came from easy layups, he did throw down one breakaway slam."
Josh Howard viewing championship run of former team with interest
"With his former team one victory away from the championship that he was unable to capture five years ago, against the same team that kept him from winning the ultimate prize, Josh Howard said he could only have a cursory interest in the outcome in the NBA Finals. He is rooting from afar for former Dallas Mavericks teammates Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Jason Kidd and Erick Dampier, now of the Miami Heat, more than a particular team. The wounds of his unceremonious departure haven't fully healed, but Howard is getting there. He can actually watch the games, which is progress. Howard admits he would've had a difficult time handling the situation a year ago, just a few months the Mavericks"
Ex-Maverick Josh Howard finds it tough to watch former team
"Josh Howard is still hurt by his departure from Dallas, but he says he is feeling better about it. "There's emotion, because I feel I could still be here, contributing with those guys," Howard told the Washington Post. "But now that I'm not here, I look at it as a fan." Howard helped Dallas to its first NBA Finals trip in 2006, but a series of off-court mishaps and injuries led Dallas to trade him to the Washington Wizards in February 2010 for Caron Butler, DeShawn Stevenson and Brendan Haywood. "I think I moved past it," Howard said. "I learned from my mistakes. I can't really take back what was done. I just have to apologize to those I offended and keep going." He still calls Dallas"
Josh Howard remains positive despite "rough season"
"If he could have a do-over, Josh Howard might have waited a month or so before making his season debut. He could've held out until he was completely confident and comfortable in his surgically-repaired left knee, which may have kept this season from being a frustrating series of false starts. "But I think either way, as far as the tendinitis coming, with that piece being taken out of your patella tendon, it's prone to happen. It's neither here nor there," Howard said on Friday morning. Howard appeared in 18 games with the Wizards this season, averaging a career-low 8.4 points, and was never able to develop a rhythm during this stop-and-go season -- until nagging tendinitis forced it to"
Josh Howard making a difference for the Wizards
"Josh Howard's stint with the Washington Wizards has been a sweet temptation, with him showing up like an ice cream truck driver playing a nifty little tune, providing treats during his brief visits and leaving those touched wanting more, waiting for his return. Howard doesn't want it to be this way, but his left knee has refused to cooperate. He offered another reminder of the difference he can make on Sunday, when he came back from a 19-game hiatus to help the Wizards finally end a 26-game road-losing streak - dating from April 9 - with a 115-100 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Although Howard hadn't played for more than a month, Coach Flip Saunders asked him at the team breakfast"
Wizards dealing with injuries, Josh Howard closer to return
"Al Thornton sat out the end of practice after dislocating his right middle finger while trying to go for a steal. Thornton popped his finger back into place and returned to the court shortly after practice with his finger encased in black tape. "It should be fine," Thornton said. Nick Young, with his Afro now in twists, limped off the court, aided by head athletic trainer Eric Waters, after injuring his left knee at the conclusion of practice. And Yi Jianlian didn't participate in practice and said he was day-to-day after spraining his left ankle in the fourth quarter of the Wizards' 99-92 loss on Saturday to the Atlanta Hawks. "It's sore, swollen, real sore," Yi said, before walking out"
Josh Howard sidelined as Wizards return to Dallas
"It's been nearly 50 weeks since Josh Howard arrived in Washington but his desire to help elevate the Wizards and return to something close to his all-star form continues to be suspended by his balky left knee. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee last season, had surgery, rehabilitated, came back to play a few games this season and returned to the sideline after developing more complications. Though he had hoped to be back on the court and contributing when the Wizards faced the Dallas Mavericks for the first time since the teams made a blockbuster deal at the trade deadline last February, Howard has placed the situation in perspective. He is looking beyond a one-game"
Josh Howard to visit specialist for left knee
"Josh Howard's season was halted before it really got started, and he could be out a while longer with continued problems with his surgically repaired left knee. Howard will not be with the Washington Wizards as they host the Utah Jazz on Monday afternoon. Instead he will visit with Dr. David Altcheck at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York to receive treatment for tendinitis in his left knee. Howard first had a setback with tendinitis in November, which delayed his season debut, but after receiving a pain-relieving cortisone injection, he will have to sit out at least a week before he's evaluated again. He didn't want to estimate how long he would be sidelined, but intimated that"
Josh Howard to miss one to two weeks with sore left knee
"Josh Howard's sore left knee will keep him out one to two weeks after the veteran swingman was evaluated on Monday. Howard had missed the past two games and hasn't played a full game since Dec. 29 against Indiana. He has attempted to play in the first half of losses in Indiana and Philadelphia before being forced to sit out. As he walked out of Verizon Center on Monday, Howard said he was feeling better after resting the past few days and was leaning more on the shorter end of his estimated break. "Two weeks is the extreme. I hope to be back before that." Howard is averaging 7.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in eight games with the Wizards. He missed the first 24 games while recovering from a"
Wizards practice report: Howards sits, Hinrich unveils protective eyewear
"You never know exactly what you'll find after you return from a break. In the sports news business, games have to be played and the season always rolls on, so there is always a little something different when you return. With the Wizards, a lot has stayed the same since I've been gone. Here are the highlights from watching 30 minutes of scrimmaging at the end of practice today: (1) JaVale McGee received plenty of instruction from Wizards head coach Flip Saunders on setting screens after improper execution on consecutive plays; (2) Nick Young was also on the receiving end of a number of teaching points, yet still grinned his normal grin through couple of three-pointers and reverse-dunked"
Magic, Dwight Howard blanket the Nets
"The snowstorm that blanketed the area didn't last as long or come down hard enough for the Nets. They still had to play Monday night. A surprisingly decent crowd of 11,515 braved the bad weather and icy roads to come to the Prudential Center, but the Nets didn't reward them with a complete or competitive performance. After halftime, the Nets were buried by the combination of hot shooting, too much Dwight Howard and their own sloppiness in a 104-88 loss to the Orlando Magic. The Nets committed 11 second-half turnovers leading to 21 Orlando points, which contributed to the Magic shooting 48.8 percent from the field. After a quiet, foul-plagued start, Howard had 17 points and 10 rebounds in"
Healthy Josh Howard rises to Wizards' defense
"Ten months to the day that he caught an outlet pass in the lane, pushed off his left leg to attempt a layup, grimaced and dropped gawkily to the floor, Josh Howard was back on the same court, facing the same team. But Howard said that at no point Wednesday did he reflect on that ill-fated night against the Chicago Bulls on Feb. 22, when he suffered a torn left anterior cruciate ligament and had to watch the Washington Wizards founder as he was forced into a lengthy rehabilitation. "It wasn't a thought," Howard said. "Just thinking about a win." Howard didn't get a win, as the Wizards lost, 87-80, at Verizon Center. But the former all-star forward showed once again that the Wizards are a"
Wizards hope to have Josh Howard and Andray Blatche against Miami
"The Wizards have been plagued by injuries all season, but they are moving closer to being whole, with Josh Howard possibly set to make his season debut and Andray Blatche returning from a two-game absence on Saturday when the Miami Heat makes its first appearance to Verizon Center. Both players will be game-time decisions, but Coach Flip Saunders said after practice on Friday that he expects to add two veteran forwards to the lineup. "Based upon today, I would say both of guys will play some. That's my inclination." Saunders said the Wizards would "probably not" have John Wall, who will likely miss his 10th game of the season. Howard said he is "very anxious" to get back on the court after"
Josh Howard nears return to Wizards, but Andray Blatche now hampered by knee injury
"The Washington Wizards have found little encouraging news through their four-game losing streak, but swingman Josh Howard continues to make progress with his left knee rehabilitation. Howard practiced on Sunday in full for the first time - without exhaustion or the need for substitution - as he nears his season debut later this month. Howard has moved fluidly on his surgically repaired left knee since being cleared for five-on-five drills last month, but said he needs a few more practices under his belt before declaring himself ready. "It's getting close," said Howard, 30, the oldest player on the Wizards' roster. "Staying in practice, not taking any subs, fighting through fatigue, that"
As Josh Howard recovers from torn ACL, other Wizards compete for small forward slot
"While his teammates were scrimmaging past the midnight hour on Tuesday, Josh Howard was peddling away on a stationary bike. As they were going over defensive schemes the next day, Howard was on a side court with trainers, stretching and lunging forward on his surgically repaired left leg, and then his right leg. And after each practice, Howard has taken the floor to shoot jumpers. He is moving around pretty well - with no limp and without a brace - only six months after undergoing surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament he tore in only his fourth game after joining the Washington Wizards in a trade deadline deal with Dallas. "It feels good," said Howard, a seven-year veteran"
Seraphin, Howard to join Wizards
"Deals for both veterans and rookies are falling into place for the Washington Wizards with two months to go before training camp begins. After just a brief taste of energy, enthusiasm and feistiness that Josh Howard brought in four games last year, the Wizards are set to bring the veteran small forward back to Washington again next season, with multiple reports of Howard agreeing to a one-year contract. Howard, 30, will earn a reported salary of nearly $4 million plus incentives, far less than that $11.8 million team option that the Wizards declined to pick up after acquiring him last February in a trade-deadline deal with Dallas that sent Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn"
Josh Howard happy to 'stick it' to the Mavericks, says he was unfairly blamed
"Josh Howard played his first game with the Washington Wizards since being traded by the Mavericks, and he smiled as he made his postgame comments. "It meant a lot, coming to a new organization and show them that I want to be here, plus stick it to the Mavs," Howard said after the Wizards beat the Timberwolves 108-99 on Wednesday night.. "I'm happy now, you don't have to worry about me saying nothing else about them now." Howard did not start but entered the game early in the first quarter. He scored 14 points in 26 minutes. In an interview with washingtonpost.com , Howard responded to Mark Cuban and complained about being blamed for the Mavericks' problems."
Josh Howard returning to the Wizards
"Josh Howard played just four games for the Washington Wizards last season, but that apparently was all the time that both sides needed to decide that the relationship should be extended. Howard agreed on Wednesday to a one-year deal with the Wizards, according to his agent Derek Lafayette. Lafayette said the details within the contract have not been finalized, but a league source said it is expected to be worth close to $4 million with incentives based on games played, minutes played and minutes averaged. The deal was confirmed by a team source. Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld was unavailable for comment. "He has made a decision to return to the Wizards," Lafayette said. "We're just happy"
Celtics eye injury prone Josh Howard
"The Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls have shown "serious interest" in free-agent forward Josh Howard, a league source told Yahoo! Sports. While the Bulls could have the salary-cap space to sign Howard, depending on what happens with their offer sheet to J.J. Redick, the Celtics would need a sign-and-trade to arrange a deal because they have already used their midlevel exception on Jermaine O'Neal."
Josh Howard is "ahead of schedule" with knee rehab
"Shortly before the Wizards' tipped off against the Knicks, Josh Howard emerged from the tunnel in Madison Square Garden wearing a powder blue sport coat and moving along without the assistance of crutches. A knee brace was still noticeable underneath his jeans, but Howard was able to sit down with his teammates on the bench for the first time since he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on Feb. 22. I caught up with Howard briefly after the game. Howard was in New York to meet with his doctors to see how he has progressed in the past month. Dr. David Altcheck performed the surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgeries in New York on March 16. "I had to have a check up,""
Josh Howard's torn ACL is latest blow to Washington Wizards
"Less than one day after the Washington Wizards celebrated a third win to cap what Coach Flip Saunders called their best four-game stretch of the season, the team received the sobering news that starting guard Josh Howard would be out the rest of the way with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Howard was hurt with 4 minutes 23 seconds left to play in the first quarter of Monday's 101-95 victory over visiting Chicago. To that point, Howard had scored a team-high seven points and appeared headed for another quality performance since joining the Wizards from Dallas in a multi-player trade over the all-star break. The announcement is the latest setback for a franchise that"
Josh Howard is done for the season after tearing ACL
"Josh Howard, the centerpiece of the trade just over a week ago that sent Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson to Dallas, will miss the remainder of the year after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament in a first-quarter collision during the Wizards' win over Chicago on Monday night. In four games (three starts), Howard averaged 14.5 points and 3.3 rebounds. Washington head coach Flip Saunders made the announcement after practice this morning. Surgery for Howard has not yet been scheduled. "To the credit of our players, Josh went out, we were down ten, guys came back and played," said Saunders. "So we're still going to go out and compete. We'll look around and bring"
Minus Howard, Wizards rally
"The Washington Wizards lost to injury their most significant acquisition from a host of trade deadline deals last week, but it wasn't enough to stop them from winning for the third time in four games since the All-Star break. Josh Howard, who had averaged 17 points in three games since arriving in D.C. last week via a trade with Dallas that in part sent Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood to the Mavericks, suffered a sprained left knee with 4 minutes, 23 seconds remaining in the first quarter. But Andray Blatche, who also was forced to the locker room for a portion of the third quarter with a bloodied right eye, had his third double-double (25 points, 11 rebounds) in four games to help"
Wizards' Josh Howard leaves game with sprained knee
"The remade Washington Wizards may have a distance to go before the overhauled roster can be considered a hit, but in Monday night's 101-95 victory over the visiting Chicago Bulls, they continued their progress with a resolve that often was sorely lacking in the team's previous incarnation. Forward Andray Blatche led the Wizards with a game-high 25 points and 11 rebounds, and newcomers Al Thornton, James Singleton and Quinton Ross were significant contributors in Washington's third win in four games since the team parted ways with many of its core players. Josh Howard, another recent arrival, had to leave in the first quarter with what Wizards officials said was sprained left knee, but"
Al Thornton, Josh Howard lead new-look Wizards to victory
"Josh Howard came behind Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin, batted the ball in front of him, then sprinted ahead toward the sideline to track it down. He hurdled Ty Lawson to get the ball and soared feet first into the stands, landing on a cup of beer, knocking over another and causing a huge splash that drenched the folks in the front row. After landing on one fan's lap, Howard looked down and smiled. He later wiped the beverage off his leg and shoe, as fans at Verizon Center stood and applauded. "It's go hard or go home," Howard said after scoring 20 points in the Washington Wizards' surprising 107-97 win over the Nuggets on Friday night. "I think those fans enjoyed that. Hopefully"
Off court conduct may have led to Howard trade
"Forward Josh Howard missed a game because of a hangover, according to multiple team sources, adding to his list of questionable off-court conduct toward the end of his tenure with the Dallas Mavericks. Multiple team sources said Howard missed the Mavericks' Jan. 20 win over the Washington Wizards because of a hangover after a night of partying. That reaffirmed the Mavericks' intention to move forward without Howard, who did not start another game after sitting out against the Wizards, when he missed the morning shootaround and did not dress for that game. The Mavericks, who were already shopping Howard and wanted to protect his trade value, announced that he had a stomach illness. Howard,"
Howard bitter, but no-show gave Dallas Mavericks reason to trade him
"Josh Howard's exit from the Dallas 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 -- he was 5-of-14 from the field with 14 points and one rebound in 27 minutes -- 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"
Night of partying might have led to Josh Howard's exit
"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"
Mavs send Howard, Gooden to Wizards
"The Mavericks traded forward Josh Howard and Drew Gooden to the Washington Wizards on Saturday in a seven-player deal that sent Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood to Dallas. Howard was in his seventh season with Dallas, a span filled with promise and disappointment since being the 29th overall pick in 2003. Gooden, who spent the end of last season with the Spurs before being signed by Dallas last summer, will be going to his eighth team in eight NBA seasons. The deal, which was announced just before the start of Saturday night's All-Star activities in the Mavericks' home arena, is a significant move for Southwest Division-leading Dallas (32-20). The Mavericks lost five of their seven games"
Caron Butler, Josh Howard headline Wizards' seven-player trade with Mavericks
"The Washington Wizards started their much-anticipated roster makeover on Saturday, trading Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson to the Dallas Mavericks for Josh Howard, Drew Gooden and two other players. The seven-player deal provides financial flexibility and substantially changes the look of the Wizards (17-33), who have foundered this season despite expectations that they would become a contender in the Eastern Conference. "We haven't achieved the things that we were hoping to," President Ernie Grunfeld said when reached by telephone. "We just felt like we need some change and we needed some freshness. Maybe this group together has gotten a little bit stale. Maybe we"
Mavericks acquire Butler, trade Howard to Wizards
"Kobe Bryant knows Caron Butler about as well as anybody in the NBA. They were Los Angeles Lakers teammates in 2004-05 and became workout buddies and close friends, spending early mornings on the track running sprints and afternoons in the gym. Bryant said the player the Mavericks are getting as the centerpiece to their trade with Washington will be an instant fan favorite. "You're going to love him," Bryant said. "I hate to say that, but you guys are going to absolutely love him. You put him on a contender and I'm telling you, you're going to love him. And he's tough as nails, too." The trade bringing Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson to the Mavericks for Josh Howard, Drew"
Josh Howard-for-Caron Butler deal agreed on
"Josh Howard's tenure with the Mavericks, which began with quality production but eroded into inconsistency and controversy, is coming to an end.The Mavericks have reached a tentative agreement to send Howard, Drew Gooden and two other players to Washington for swingman Caron Butler, center Brendan Haywood and guard DeShawn Stevenson, numerous NBA sources said Friday.Though the deal still needs league approval, both sides have agreed on the moving parts in a trade that will cost the Mavericks more money but brings them more talent, at least in the short run.Butler is under contract through next season, at a cost of more than $10.5 million. He figures to slide into the role that Howard was"
Wizards in serious talks to trade Butler, Haywood and Stevenson to Mavericks for Josh Howard, two others
"The Washington Wizards are in "deep conversations" with the Dallas Mavericks about a deal that would exchange starters Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood and reserve DeShawn Stevenson for Josh Howard, Drew Gooden and other yet-to-be determined secondary pieces, according to two people with knowledge of the situation. The deal may be finalized by early next week. The teams have been discussing a trade for the past few weeks, but the talks stalled with the Wizards insisting on including Stevenson in any package. The Mavericks regained interest when Haywood was added to the proposal, according to a league source. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because talks are still ongoing."
Mavericks reach tentative deal to trade Howard, Gooden for Wizards' Caron Butler, Haywood
"Josh Howard's tenure with the Mavericks, which began with quality production but eroded into inconsistency and controversy, is coming to an end. The Mavericks have reached a tentative agreement to send Howard, Drew Gooden and two other players to Washington for swingman Caron Butler, center Brendan Haywood and guard DeShawn Stevenson, numerous NBA sources said Friday. Though the deal still needs league approval, both sides have agreed on the moving parts in a trade that will cost the Mavericks more money but also brings them more talent, at least in the short run. Butler is under contract through next season, at a cost of more than $10.5 million. He figures to slide into the role that"
Wizards in serious talks to trade Butler, Haywood and Stevenson to Mavs for Howard, two others
"The Washington Wizards are in "deep conversations" with the Dallas Mavericks about a deal that would exchange starters Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood and reserve DeShawn Stevenson for Josh Howard, Drew Gooden and other yet-to-be determined secondary pieces, according to two people with knowledge of the situation. The deal may be finalized by early next week. The teams have been discussing a trade for the past few weeks, but the talks stalled with the Wizards insisting on including Stevenson in any package. The Mavericks regained interest when Haywood was added to the proposal, according to a league source. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because talks are still ongoing."
Much-hyped Shaq-Howard battle falls short
"When Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard stood at the free-throw line in the second quarter Thursday night, the Cavaliers' always clever scoreboard elves posted a photo of a University of Michigan player striking the Heisman pose. It drew only a smattering of boos. Perhaps the fans at Quicken Loans Arena didn't need a gimmick to remind them of the Howard they most recently love to hate. It was Dwight Howard who dashed the Cavaliers' championship dreams last season in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. The then-23-year-old center dazzled with the best game of his four-year career with a 40-point, 14-rebound performance to send the Magic to the Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers."
Josh Howard warming up to sixth-man role
"Josh Howard has managed to block out all the trade rumors surrounding him and appears to be warming up to his new role of coming off the bench.Howard looked like his old self Monday night at Golden State. He was aggressive driving to the basket and getting to the free-throw line, finishing with a season-high 25 points on 7-of-12 shooting.Howard started Tuesday against the Nuggets because Shawn Marion's lower back tightened up before the game. He was solid again, scoring in double figures for a fourth consecutive game. Howard had 14 points by the end of the third quarter."
Mavericks' Josh Howard adjusting to sixth-man role
"Josh Howard has managed to block out all the trade rumors surrounding him and appears to be warming up to his new role of coming off the bench. Howard looked like his old self Monday night at Golden State. He was aggressive in driving to the basket and getting to the free throw line, finishing with a season-high 25 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Howard started Tuesday against the Nuggets because Shawn Marion's lower back tightened up before the game. Howard was solid again, scoring in double figures for a fourth consecutive game. Howard had 14 points by the end of the third quarter. Monday night's performance by Howard and Terry is what Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle envisioned when he put"
Rumors: Martin, Iguodala, Butler, McGrady
"Kevin Martin, Andre Iguodala and Caron Butler continue to be the three swingmen most frequently linked with Mark Cuban's trade-seeking Mavericks, who have been stonewalled in their attempts to pry Martin away from Sacramento and thus have not ruled out a move for Butler. Sources say that Washington and Dallas have maintained a Butler dialogue while the Wizards also continue talks with Houston in a larger deal for Tracy McGrady. As stated previously in this cyberspace, Martin tops the Mavs' list in their search for a dependable second scorer to flank Dirk Nowitzki. Sources say, however, that Dallas would likely have to recruit a third team to present the quality big man presumably needed to"
Frustrated Howard puts trade talk aside, provides spark off bench
"Last week, Josh Howard sat in Phoenix's US Airways Arena and said he considered being the Mavericks' sixth man "a job." It wasn't the passionate embrace of the role that the team was hoping to hear. At the time, Howard also said: "The media's been trying to trade me out of here for, like, three years." Asked if he thought he'd be a Maverick after the Feb. 18 trade deadline, Howard said: "That's a question you have to ask [management]. It's out of my control. We got six people coming off the books this year. I'm not the only one in this situation." He's right. But Howard gets all the attention in trade talk because of his contract and his spotty production. On Wednesday, however, Howard"
Howard changes his ways and his play
"Mark Cuban has a theory about Josh Howard's play this season.It doesn't have anything to do with whether Howard is starting or coming off the bench for the Dallas Mavericks.It has to do with attitude.It is the team owner's opinion that the changes Howard has gone through off the court have had an impact on his play."Josh has worked so hard to be a good teammate and fit in that it's taken a little of the edge off him," Cuban said Thursday. "We've asked him to kind of change who he is a little bit, be - for lack of a better word - invisible. People were talking about him off the court. And he's done everything perfectly. He's been the ultimate professional and that sometimes takes an edge"
Mavericks' Josh Howard getting an A for attitude
"Mark Cuban has a theory about Josh Howard's play this season. It doesn't have anything to do with whether Howard is starting or coming off the bench. It has to do with attitude. It is Cuban's opinion that changes that Howard has gone through off the court have had an impact on his play. "Josh has worked so hard to be a good teammate and fit in that it's taken a little of the edge off of him," Cuban said Thursday. "We've asked him to kind of change who he is a little bit, be – for lack of a better word – invisible. People were talking about him off the court. And he's done everything perfectly. He's been the ultimate professional and that sometimes takes an edge off of what happens on the"