Dwight Howard never grew comfortable playing with Kobe Bryant and for Mike D?Antoni.
Once a wide-smiling, fun-loving big guy, Howard lacked that joy in Los Angeles.
The Rockets are confident he?ll find it again in Houston.
?We?re going to get a smile back on his face that hasn?t been on it for a couple of years because of various things, injury and maybe the team situation he was in at the time,? general manager Daryl Morey told Comcast SportsNet Houston. ?He?s going to have a smile back on his face.?
The Rockets were the ones beaming Friday, thanks to Howard?s choice to take less money in hopes of more happiness.
?I?ve decided to become a member of the Houston Rockets. I feel (it?s) the best place for me and I am excited about joining the Rockets and I?m looking forward to a great season,? Howard wrote on Twitter.
He leaves behind an extra $30 million and an offense under D?Antoni that he was never fully pleased with, joining a Rockets team that could become an immediate contender in the Western Conference with the All-Star center in the middle.
?Years of work by Dwight & Rockets went into this. This team is going to be special,? Morey tweeted.
Howard gives the Rockets a 6-foot-11 player who has averaged more than 18 points and almost 13 rebounds in his nine-year career.
The deal can?t become official until July 10, after next season?s salary cap has been set. The Rockets can give Howard a four-year deal worth about $88 million, a year less and far below the $118 million the Lakers could have offered.
Bryant wasn?t happy with the decision, and according to TMZ, unfollowed Howard on Twitter. Fellow Laker Pau Gasol also unfollowed Howard but reportedly changed his mind 20 minutes later, TMZ reported.
Pistons to sign Smith to $54 million deal
A person familiar with the deal said the Detroit Pistons have agreed to a $54 million, four-year contract with free agent Josh Smith.
NBA rules prevent confirmation of moves until July 10, when Smith is expected to sign his deal.
The 6-foot-9, 225-pound forward scored a team-high 17.4 points last season for Atlanta and also averaged 8.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.2 steals.
The deal ends Smith?s sometimes tumultuous nine-year tenure with his hometown Atlanta Hawks, the team that selected him with the 17th pick in the 2004 NBA Draft.
Landry to Kings
The Sacramento Kings and Carl Landry have agreed to a four-year deal worth at least $26 million that will bring the power forward back to California?s capital city.
Landry?s agent, Mark Bartelstein, said Saturday that final details of the contract were still being worked out and it could reach $27 million over the life of the deal.
Landry played parts of the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons with the Kings. He opted out of the final year of his two-year, $8 million deal with Golden State last month to become a free agent.
The 29-year-old averaged 10.8 points and six rebounds in 23.2 minutes off the bench to help the Warriors reach the second round of the playoffs.
Cavaliers to add Jack
The Cleveland Cavaliers have reached a four-year deal that could be worth as much as $25 million with free agent Jarrett Jack, the guard confirmed to ESPN.
The Warriors renounced their rights to Jack on Friday as part of a deal to sign free agent Andre Iguodala. That cleared the Cavs to make a deal with the 29-year-old combo guard who is coming off a season in which he averaged 12.9 points and 5.6 assists for the Warriors.
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