While the Lakers and Nets won’t have the salary cap space to sign Howard, nor the opportunity to execute a sign-and-trade deal under new CBA rules, the Mavericks will be flush with cap space next summer. Mavs owner Mark Cuban plans to make a run at (Dwight) Howard, and potentially another star player, to join Dirk Nowitzki.

For Howard, that threat continues to make it difficult for Orlando to attract trade suitors willing to unload valuable assets for a superstar likely to be a rental player for only several months. Despite the Houston Rockets’ determination to trade for Howard and convince him to stay long term, Howard’s camp has repeatedly warned Houston owner Les Alexander and GM Daryl Morey that they will lose Howard to rival Dallas in free agency next July, sources said.

via Adrian Wojnarowksi of Yahoo! Sports