Nothin' But Nets
Fansided

Brooklyn Nets: Dwight Howard’s 3 moments as a Net

By Phil Watson

BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 28: Dwight Howard #12 of the Charlotte Hornets looks on before a game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on February 28, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 28: Dwight Howard #12 of the Charlotte Hornets looks on before a game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on February 28, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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Brooklyn Nets
OAKLAND, CA – DECEMBER 29: Dwight Howard #12 of the Charlotte Hornets looks on during the warm up before the game against the Golden State Warriors at ORACLE Arena on December 29, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

2. The decision

The day after the trade for Dwight Howard was announced, Howard told ESPN.com he wanted to be bought out by the Brooklyn Nets.

Or the Brooklyn Nets didn’t want Howard to come within 500 miles of young center Jarrett Allen, as the New York Post report from Tuesday indicated it was the Nets that initiated buyout talks.

In either case, it was clear there was a consensus between player and team that the greatest thing Dwight Howard could be as a Net is a former Net.

Howard’s take, from a phone interview with ESPN.com’s Chris Haynes:

"I want to be in a situation where I have an opportunity to help a team win. That’s my only goal. All I need is a real chance and a clean slate where it’s not people talking about my past."

From Brian Lewis’ Post article on Tuesday:

"The Nets never planned to keep him, with his reputation for a bad locker room influence well-earned. They were never going to bring him into their culture and risk having a poor influence on 20-year-old building block Jarrett Allen."

So we have an agreement. Neither side wanted the other.

That left the negotiations fo the buyout. Howard was dragging his feet because he wanted to keep more of the $23.8 million he was due in the third year of the three-year contract he signed with the Atlanta Hawks in 2016 (bad contracts … 2016 … yeah, not smoothing the cap increase worked out greaaaaaat).

Howard on Tuesday moved on agreeing to the buyout deal when the Washington Wizards showed interest in having an actual living, breathing human being play center next season and reportedly offered Howard their $5.4 million taxpayer mid-level exception, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

The Wizards had dealt center Marcin Gortat to the Los Angeles Clippers on June 26.