Mark Cuban said that Dwight Howard exploded it by joining Houston on Dallas in 2013: “Obviously, he made a mistake in the judgment”
Mark Cuban said that Dwight Howard exploded it by joining Houston on Dallas in 2013: “Obviously, he made a mistake in the judgment” Originally on the basketball network.
When you think that Mark Cuban is rejected as a free agency by a great star man, Deandre Jordan – at the center of one of the most infamous intersaison dramas in the NBA – is probably the first name that comes to mind.
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However, it was not the only time Cuban hunted a dominant center and came empty.
Another case came in 2013. This time, the object of its prosecution, which finally went elsewhere? Soon the renowned temple of Dwight Howard.
Howard’s post-Lakers move
In the summer of 2013, the Mavericks and Rockets, as well as three other teams, presented their cases in Howard, 27, in California. The two offers had their advantages and disadvantages, and finally, it was at the superstar center, which came out of a disappointing season with the Los Angeles Lakers, to choose the best fit for him.
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As is often the case in such decisions, several factors come into play – including star players on each list. This makes sense: no player wins the title of the NBA championship, and the support of at least an elite teammate is crucial. Cuban, however, seemed to reject this reality.
“You choose teams. You choose organizations. You choose coaches,” He declared firmly, explaining that once a player reaches a certain position in the league, this approach to the aforementioned free agency becomes unimportant.
“It’s not that you prefer to play with this guy,” The former technological entrepreneur added. “If you are so good and you have [salary-cap] Flexibility, good organization will put the right pieces around you and take you there. “”
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As we all know, Cuban is famous frank. Faithful to his form, his words quickly took a different turn, when he publicly criticized the decision of the NBA star.
“”Obviously, he (Howard) made a mistake in the judgment, ” said the native of Pennsylvania.
Related: John Stockton admits that he is no longer looking at the NBA because it’s far too soft: “The fans want you to go there and do what they cannot do, not there, you shake hands and that you are hugging”
Did Cuban have the right to criticize?
We do not know if Howard’s decision to join the Rockets was justly motivated by the chance to play alongside the key player, James Harden, but having the 24 -year -old star on the list was certainly a bonus. On paper, their chemistry of pick-and-roll and global dynamics on the ground certainly promised to be fatal.
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On the other hand, had Dpoy chose twice to Dallas, he would have united his strengths with Dirk Nowitzki, another elite player. They could have formed a dominant front area, but at 35, the German legend was no longer as young and hungry as Harden. However, this argument was not enough to influence Cuban.
“If he (Howard) has chosen an individual player, yes, he made a mistake,” said the majority owner then.
Despite the apparently ardent words, there was no bad will between Dwight and Dallas. Dirk described Houston as “a promising team” who was going to be a “handful”, and Cuban admitted that he had no resentment.
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“Do I blame it? No. Young players make mistakes,” Now noted 67 years.
Ironically, the Mavs faced the Rockets in their second game of the season on November 1, 2013. Houston won 113–105 at the Toyota Center. While Howard’s statistics were not flashy, he dominated the boards with a summit of 16 rebounds, helping his new team to triumph over the franchise he had transmitted a few months earlier.
Related: “missed on Giannis because of this” – Mark Cuban on the reason why Dwight Howard was his pursuit of the most disappointing free agency
This story was initially reported by Basketball Network on August 15, 2025, where it appeared for the first time.
