HOUSTON, TX – JANUARY 10: Dwight Howard #12 of the Houston Rockets celebrates after the Rockets defeated the Indiana Pacers 107-103 in overtime during their game at the Toyota Center on January 10, 2016 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

ESPN.com‘s Ian Begley discussed the New York Knicks’ free agency strategy, along with potential targets. Of course, Kevin Durant’s name, as well as Al Horford’s come up, but other teams are likely to land those particular players, if they choose not to stay on their respective teams.

One player that could land in New York though, is Dwight Howard. According to Begley, some of his friends have let it be known that he would like to go to New York if he opts out of his contract at the end of this season.

Phil Jackson would be making his pitch to Dwight Howard, and if prior pitches and responses from players are any indication, it sounds like Howard could be convinced to go to the Big Apple, per Begley:

If last summer is any indication, Jackson will try to accomplish the following:
1. Get to know the player a bit by discussing some off-court topics
2. Reveal some details about his vision for the Knicks
3. Get into a conversation on the club’s triangle offense.

That’s how it went for Greg Monroe, DeAndre Jordan and Robin Lopez in July.

“For the longest time, nothing really basketball-related was discussed,” Lopez said of his 2015 dinner meeting with Jackson and the Knicks in Los Angeles. “We talked a little bit about culture. He discussed some books he’d been reading, I talked about some movies I’d watched. … It was nice and it was a little intimidating, because it was Phil Jackson.”

The conversation with Lopez then turned to the triangle offense. Jackson, GM Steve Mills and then-head coach Derek Fisher showed Lopez about 10-15 slides of the offense.

“He knew I had an idea of what to expect because I played against the Lakers when I was in Phoenix,” Lopez said. “I think this was just to kind of give me a refresher.”

 

Begley added, “Whether Jackson and the Knicks would be interested in a player like Howard is another question entirely.”

Howard would be one of the biggest free agent pick ups for the Knicks in a seemingly long time. Last season, they picked up Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo, Derrick Williams, Kyle O’Quinn, and Kevin Seraphin. The team had a decent start this season, and made a big splash with the successful pick of Kristaps Porzingis, but they’ve hit a wall recently.

Having sent their draft pick to Toronto to complete the Andrea Bargnani trade, they will most certainly need to do better this offseason, but that might be a tall task considering the messy landscape that the Knicks display.

[ESPN]

About Harry Lyles Jr.

Harry Lyles Jr. is an Atlanta-based writer, and a Georgia State University graduate.