Dwight Howard and Chris Paul may be taking their talents to … well, that part hasn’t been decided yet.
But according to a report by ESPN’s Chris Broussard, the two superstars have been in “consistent contact” about the possibility of teaming up for the 2013-14 season.
“They would love to play together if somebody can make it happen,” a source close to the situation told Broussard.
A possible landing spot for the two is Howard’s hometown of Atlanta, though Broussard reports that the Lakers center still has ill will toward the Hawks after they passed on him in the 2005 NBA draft.
“It would be very tough for him to go to Atlanta,” the source said. “He loved Atlanta when they should have drafted him in ’05 but not so much since then. But hey, everybody is an option at this point.”
Broussard also brings up the possibility of Howard staying put in L.A. but suiting up in the red, white and blue of Paul’s Clippers. Paul is said to have mended his relationship with the organization — he had reportedly been unhappy with the public’s perception of him following coach Vinny Del Negro‘s firing — and Broussard’s source claims that both see teaming up on the Clips to be the ideal situation.
Several factors could complicate the intra-city deal, though, namely the Lakers’ reluctance to trade Howard to the team that shares their building and the Clippers’ reported classification of forward Blake Griffin as “untouchable.” Griffin would likely need to be involved in any deal to acquire Howard.
There’s also the fact that Howard seemed to wilt under the bright lights of L.A. Although the Clippers receive significantly less attention in the national media, the big man may be better suited for a smaller market.
