Charlotte Hornets to acquire Dwight Howard in trade with Hawks
It looks like Dwight Howard will be wearing purple and teal next season after the Charlotte Hornets made a trade for the all-star big man.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, “Charlotte is sending Miles Plumlee, Marco Belinelli and 41st pick to Atlanta for Dwight Howard and the 31st pick.” The Charlotte Hornets are bringing an eight-time all-star from the Atlanta Hawks into the fold as they are looking to improve their roster this summer in hopes of making a return to the playoffs.
In the deal, Charlotte was able to shed Plumlee’s massive contract ($12.5 million per year through the 2019-20 season). Although, they did add Howard who is scheduled to make over $23 million the next two years. This can be considered a risky move by the Hornets but they add a player who has had success in the past and can make the team better when he is healthy and playing at his best.
As part of the trade, Charlotte moved up 10 spots in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft. Instead of having the 41st overall pick, they will now have the first selection of the second round. To make the deal happen, the Hornets had to package Belinelli with Plumlee.
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While Marco isn’t a star player, he was a player that the team coveted as he thrived off the bench in his lone season under Steve Clifford. The Italy international averaged 10.5 points per game while shooting 36% from three this past season.
Plumlee only played in 13 total games (174 minutes) for Charlotte after they acquired the big man from the Milwaukee Bucks at the trade deadline.
The 31-year old Howard averaged 13.5 points per game, 12.7 rebounds per game and 1.2 blocks per game this past season for Atlanta. He started in 74 games during his one year with the Hawks and managed to shoot 63.3% from the field and 53.3% from the free throw line. It has been reported that Dwight is working to add a three-point shot to his game.
The Hornets tried to sign Howard last summer when he was a free agent but they ultimately failed in their pursuit. It’s also worth noting that Dwight and Steve Clifford have a strong relationship and history together after Clifford coached the 6’11 center in Orlando and Los Angeles. The two will now be reunited in the Queen City.
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This trade not only brings some name value to the Hornets but also some excitement. Even though Dwight Howard is past his prime, he is still a productive player. He also gives Charlotte a consistent and dominant rebounder which is something they lacked last year.