Josh Howard desperately waiting for a NBA contract
Last season, it took two pre-season weeks for Josh Howard to get a contract from Utah Jazz.
The player is hoping that he is a second time lucky this time.
"I'm ready. I'm just looking for that opportunity," he said while talking to USA Today. "It's a waiting game."
Howard is one of the many veterans in the league who have not found a contract so far, courtesy of the rules in the new CBA, which have pretty much destroyed the financial perks of old players. Mo Evans, Derek Fisher, Leandro Barbosa
and Kenyon Martin have all been waiting for something lucrative, but all they are getting offered is the veteran’s minimum.
Josh’s case is however a bit different. For him it has been the injuries.
Howard tore ACL in his left knee in February 2010, ending his season with the Washington Wizards. He returned with the Jazz last season, but a lose chip in the same knee was diagnosed near the season end. A surgery followed and
it is quite natural that teams are wary about his health issues. Howard however feels confident that he can still make decent contributions;
"With an ACL tear, it's tough coming back from that. For me to work my way back from that has given me the confidence that I needed. Basketball is like riding a bike. I've been playing it so long, I knew it would come back to me,
but getting that mental confidence has been helpful."
"I have the experience, the willpower and the knowledge to help a team," Howard added. "I'm looking forward to going to a team that needs me and will let me play the game I used to play."
There have been reports that Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Bobcats and San Antonio Spurs are interested in the 6 ft 7 9 year pro, but so far no one has come calling.
The player recently floated a six minute workout video, in an attempt to show that he is now fully fit. If that is the case, acquiring Howard can be worth a gamble. Before the injury issues appeared, Howard was a decent scorer,
with 19.9 points per game being his best effort way back in 2007-08 when he was part of the Dallas Mavericks.
Tags: