NBA Free Agency 2013: Top 10 Biggest Surprises So Far
By Chris Philip
Apr 17, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (12) reacts during the game against the Houston Rockets at the Staples Center. The Lakers defeated the Rockets 99-95 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
10. Dwight Howard
From: Los Angeles Lakers
To: Houston Rockets
Contract: 4 years/$87.6 million
Rationale: He looks better in blue. Dwight Howard, like LeBron James before him, wanted to become an icon, and L.A. is the most iconic franchise in the league–they even put up billboards! Howard was supposed to be the next in the succession of elite centers that the Lakers have boasted since their days in Minneapolis. The team seemed to jell after the death of owner Jerry Buss, winning 20 of 28 games to close out the regular season. Free agents simply do not ditch the Lakers, certainly not those of Howard’s stature. In retrospect, Howard’s departure feels inevitable, though nothing was concrete until the ink dried. Howard literally put his money where his mouth was.