Dwight Howard chooses Houston

Seven-time NBA All-Star Dwight Howard has decided to join the Houston Rockets after one season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Like every free agent looking to join an NBA team during the offseason, deals can not become official until July 10.

The Rockets were considered the favorites to sign Howard, despite the center speaking with other teams including the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks.

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers also met with Howard about re-signing with the team.

The Rockets met with Howard in Los Angeles on July 1, the first day of free agency. The Rockets representatives during that meeting included head coach Kevin McHale, current players James Harden and Chandler Parsons and former Rockets' great Hakeem Olajuwon.

Howard will now be compared to the Rockets' top big men such as Olajuwon and Yao Ming rather than the Lakers' big men in Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Shaquille O'Neal.

The Warriors made the latest push for Howard by signing Andre Iguodala to a four-year deal. The team also traded away three players and two future first round picks to the Utah Jazz to clear salary cap room for Howard.

The Warriors and the Lakers will have some salary cap room that can prove valuable going into next year's offseason with players such as LeBron James possibly becoming a free agent.

James Williams is editor Sports Minded.