Who are the winners and losers in the NBA free agency shuffle?

Dwight Howard spared us the Decision, providing the Indecision.

He was headed to Houston. No, wait, the Lakers still sounded good. What’s that, Golden State dumped enough players to sign him outright? Well, hold on a second.

Finally, mercifully, Howard took his remaining talents to the Rockets, giving our nation’s fourth-biggest city the NBA’s flakiest superstar.

It was one small step for Superman, one giant leap for change of mind.

Other free agency subplots haven’t been nearly as maddening. Chris Paul stuck with the Clippers as expected after sticking a few needles in his Vinny Del Negro voodoo doll. Al Jefferson left the anonymity of Utah for the anonymity of Charlotte, N.C. The two-time defending champion Miami Heat remained largely intact.

With most of the big names in free agency having made their picks for next season and beyond, here are the biggest winners and losers so far.

Winners

Clippers: The only dual winners in free agency, the Clippers brought in one of the league’s best coaches along with its top point guard. The tandem of Doc Rivers and Paul was enough to entice quality backups Matt Barnes and Darren Collison to take less money to sign with a franchise that no longer can be referred to as the “other” NBA team in Los Angeles.

Newcomers J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley give the Clippers a pair of three-point threats to surround big men Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. It’s enough to make you consider putting these words together for the first time: “shrewd” and “Donald Sterling.”

Lakers: What, you expected to see these guys on the other side of the win-lose ledger? Nope. The Lakers didn’t so much lose Howard as gain a foothold on a formidable future — starting in 2014 — even if next season is a washout.

Without Howard around to consume salary and miss free throws, the Lakers can make a run at signing a few of the game’s top players next summer. They’ll have about $50 million to splurge on superstars who can carry them into the post-Kobe Bryant era. And Bryant just might stick around to take part in another parade or two.

Houston: Howard may not win a title with the Rockets in Year One … Two … Three, etc., but he at least elevates them beyond fringe playoff contenders, particularly if he reverts to the superhuman form that preceded his back injury.

He’ll have a cocoon of adoring fans who will support him when the team inevitably falls short and there won’t be any nagging taskmasters such as Bryant to make things uneasy for him. If everything goes as planned, Howard’s trade demands might not even start until 2014!

Brooklyn: The Nets did the math and realized that, at least in theory, their Big Five is greater than Miami’s Big Three. The Nets’ presumed starting lineup of holdovers Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez plus acquisitions Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce seems scary good.

So what if the projected $70-million luxury tax bill is even more frightening?

Cleveland: With Andrew Bynum joining Earl Clark and Coach Mike Brown, the Cavaliers have suddenly become the Lakers lite. Actually, there’s an excellent chance they finish with a better record than the Lakers next season as long as Bynum’s knees hold up.

Cleveland also added backup point guard Jarrett Jack in addition to Anthony Bennett, the surprise top pick of the draft who could help lead an astonishing turnabout for a franchise that has averaged 21 victories a season since LeBron James departed.

Losers

Dallas: Mark Cuban just can’t seem to find any yes men these days. Williams said no to the Mavericks’ free-agency pitch last summer. Howard said no earlier this month.

On the bright side, the team landed a pair of appealing point guards in Jose Calderon and Devin Harris. Too bad they can’t play together.

Utah: There are only two problems with the acquisition of overpaid, underperforming Richard Jefferson and Andris Biedrins. 1) Jefferson and Biedrins. 2) All that salary-cap space the Jazz hoarded for next summer may not do much good because the team has to go head to head with the likes of the Lakers, Dallas and other big-market teams for top free agents.

Could you really see James or Carmelo Anthony opting for Salt Lake City?

Philadelphia: The headache that was Bynum is gone, but so is the promise that was Jrue Holiday. The 76ers traded one of the league’s best young point guards to New Orleans for an injured draft pick who comes with more question marks than the Riddler’s outfit.

Milwaukee: That pair of second-round draft picks the Bucks received in the Redick sign-and-trade agreement better turn out to be the second coming of Manu Ginobili and Dennis Rodman. Milwaukee already lost gifted swingman Tobias Harris in its midseason deal with Orlando for Redick and is on the verge of parting ways with the backcourt of Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings.

Possible newcomer Jeff Teague could keep the Bucks in the running for the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference, which seems to be about all they aspire to these days.

New York: No wonder the Knicks never get any respect. Their laughable response to rival Brooklyn’s blockbuster trade was to acquire chronic underachiever Andrea Bargnani.

Like Rodney Dangerfield said with an eye roll in “Caddyshack” after turning to see nemesis Ted Knight wearing the same ugly hat Dangerfield had just disparaged, “It looks good on you, though.”

ben.bolch@latimes.com

Twitter: @latbbolch