Dwight touches down in Houston

When Dwight Howard officially became a free agent at midnight on July 1, NBA insiders unleashed a torrent of tweets, most of which were content to speculate on the featured topic of the day rather than report on it. The events kicked off with rumors that all five of the teams targeting free agent Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard—Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Golden State and the Lakers—were still in a virtual tie to sign the disgruntled All-Star.

After the Mavericks and then the Warriors briefly jumped into the lead, a USA Today announcement finally broke on Friday that Howard had chosen the Houston Rockets as his next stop. Commentators and analysts immediately rushed forward to weigh in on what Howard’s departure meant for the fortunes of the Lakers, with most of them agreeing that it ruined any chance Los Angeles had for a title in the near future. When Howard confirmed his intention to sign with the Rockets via Twitter later that day, it put an end to one of the more ridiculous free agent sagas in recent memory.

Over the past two seasons, Dwight’s destination has been a source of intrigue and exasperation in NBA circles and among fans of the game. And during that time, a startling change in public perception has taken place with regard to Howard, who went from being one of the league’s most popular and marketable players to the automatic heel in most conversations about franchise players in the NBA.

During his final season with the Magic, Howard declared that he wanted out of Orlando, then turned around and signed a new contract. He made it known that he wanted a new coach, then decided that, yes, a change of scenery might be a good idea after all—but only with a big-market team like the Brooklyn Nets or Lakers. Howard succeeded in getting traded to Los Angeles last summer, where he hobbled through an awkward season while dealing with lingering back issues, struggling to mesh with his new teammates and exhibiting increasing discomfort under the harsh Hollywood spotlight. The injury-addled Lakers never came together as expected, limping into the playoffs where they were swept by the Spurs in the first round.

Now Howard is headed for another fresh start, this time with an up-and-coming Rockets team that has a core of exciting young players ready to go this fall, including All-Star James Harden. On the surface, Houston seems to be a much better fit for Howard, who will have a talented cast of teammates around him and won’t have to deal with the relentless media onslaught that follows a team like the Lakers year-round. Hopefully this will be the answer that the three-time Defensive Player of the Year has been searching for. It’s certainly a gamble, but, if it pays off, Houston might well be challenging for the top spot in a loaded Western Conference next season.

Howard’s motivation for leaving LA and the manner in which he orchestrated his latest relocation have been roundly criticized, but the final word on his career hasn’t been written yet. It wasn’t that long ago, after all, that LeBron James’ ill-conceived promotional campaign on his way out of Cleveland made him one of the most vilified figures in sports; coming off his second straight championship in Miami, James has now moved right back into the good graces of the media and the fans. It’s impossible to tell whether Howard’s transition to Houston will lead to a career rebirth and a renovation of his public image. But, as we are constantly reminded, winning would be an awfully good start.