Dwight Howard may not be with the Nets for long.
One day after reports surfaced that Howard has been traded from Charlotte to Brooklyn, the eight-time NBA All-Star says he wants a buyout of his $23.8 million expiring contract to become a free agent.
According to ESPN, which cited unidentified team sources, the Nets are willing to make it work and both sides are negotiating to make him an unrestricted free agent this summer.
"I want to be in a situation where I have an opportunity to help a team win," Howard said in a phone interview with ESPN. "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."
The trade, which won't become official until the league moratorium ends July 6, reportedly sent Howard to the Nets for Timofey Mozgov, two second-round picks and cash.
"I was just really in total shock because I wasn't expecting it to happen," Howard said. "I thought this season was really good. For one, this is the healthiest I've been, and, two, my stats this season has been one of the best since I've been in the NBA."
While Howard would be likely become one of the top free-agent big men on the market, there was reported tension in the Hornets locker room. According to NBA analyst Brendan Haywood, "it was clear the (Hornets) locker room did not like" him.
Howard, who started 81 games for Charlotte last season and averaged 16.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, has played for the Rockets, Hawks and Hornets over the past three seasons.
