Charlotte Hornets: Kemba Walker says Dwight Howard is a ‘game changer’
Dwight Howard might not be the dominant force that he used to but Kemba Walker still thinks he can make a real difference with the Charlotte Hornets.
In a recent interview with The Wake Up Call (730 AM The Game ESPN Charlotte), Kemba Walker spoke about numerous topics including his offseason, Malik Monk, Dwight Howard and Jeremy Lamb. When discussing the eight-time all-star, the Charlotte Hornets‘ point guard called Howard a “game changer.”
Walker also said that Dwight “helps us out a lot defensively” and that his “presence is second to none.” Even though he has fallen off a bit in the last few years after injuries and bad system fits, Kemba still has pretty high praise for his new big man. He mostly spoke about Dwight’s potential defensive impact.
While many would probably view Howard as past his prime and probably on the decline, he is arguably the Hornets’ second best player with Nicolas Batum set to miss a good chunk of the season with a serious elbow injury. He is also one of the biggest names and personalities to land in Charlotte since the franchise signed Al Jefferson in 2013.
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Although Dwight’s offensive game is nearly what it used to be, he is still a strong interior defender and rebounder. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year and five-time all-defensive team member has made a name for himself by being one of the best defensive players in the league over the past decade.
The 27-year old point guard also thinks that Howard is an “awesome teammate” and that he’s “great to be around.” Walker says that he didn’t have an opinion of Dwight before he joined Charlotte despite the rumors about the big man’s questionable reputation in the locker room.
When talking about Malik Monk, Kemba said that he expects “a lot of buckets” from the rookie. Walker also mentioned that the first round pick is “fearless” and that he’s “excited to have him around.”
Howard is a double-double machine and has averaged over at least 12+ PPG and 10+ RPG since entering the league in 2004. If he can continue that trend, that alone should make him enough of a game changer to help the Hornets. At this point in his career, he won’t take over games by himself but being a complimentary role player alongside Kemba is enough to make a positive impact.
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It will be interesting to see if Dwight can truly be a game-changing player for the Charlotte Hornets this season. Being reunited with Steve Clifford and playing in a system that suits his strengths should help. The two-man game with Howard and Walker has already been on display this preseason and if it can continue, the team should be in for a return to the playoffs.