Apr 9, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (12) on the bench in the second half against the New Orleans Hornets at the Staples Center. Lakers won 104-96. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Amidst all of the reports that Dwight Howard is all but gone to someplace other than the Los Angeles Lakers we find one reputable reporter that believes the complete opposite of the pack.
Just got back to LA. Everything I'm hearing is Lakers are the leader.
— Chris Palmer (@ChrisPalmerNBA) July 2, 2013
Chris Palmer, who covers the NBA for ESPN, provides the first optimistic report for the Los Angeles Lakers in weeks. Palmer gives some insight on just how limited the Houston market is when compared to that of Los Angeles.
Time Warner is in meeting with Dwight. In Houston they don't even get Rockets games on DirecTV.
— Chris Palmer (@ChrisPalmerNBA) July 2, 2013
Some Rockets have told me they don't get their game in their homes depending on the carrier.
— Chris Palmer (@ChrisPalmerNBA) July 2, 2013
Rockets players go to local bars to watch re-broadcasts of games they just played in. OK.
— Chris Palmer (@ChrisPalmerNBA) July 2, 2013
The fact that not all Houston Rockets games are shown in the Houston market shows how the Rockets are not nearly as popular or important in Houston as the Lakers are in Los Angeles. The Lakers recently signed a 20 year multi-billion dollar contract with Time Warner Cable for exclusive rights to show all Lakers games and programming on a dedicated channel.
If you are in the #StayD12 camp you’ll love this last tweet from Chris Palmer and I am sure the Lakers’ brass are loving it too: \
But all things considered Houston is a great landing spot for Dwight. It just won't happen.
— Chris Palmer (@ChrisPalmerNBA) July 2, 2013
You can reach me at the my Twitter handle, @fullcourtfern, to discuss this article, anything Lakers or NBA related, or if you want to invite me to go grab a beer somewhere in L.A. You’re paying of course.
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