As the 2019-2020 season has officially concluded, one former Charlotte Hornets center just won his first ring.
The Charlotte Hornets now know who the 2020 NBA Champions are after many weeks of the NBA’s Orlando bubble. The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 4-2 and concluded the 2019-20 season.
One player who earned his first ring after winning this matchup was Dwight Howard, who never won the finals. Howard’s last finals appearance came at a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 when he was still on the Orlando Magic.
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Howard averaged 5.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game during the 2020 playoffs. He only started in seven games, but his numbers were the lowest out of every year that he appeared in the playoffs.
Many Hornets fans will remember the one season that Howard spent in Charlotte. During that season, Howard reeked a lot of havoc in the paint, and he even managed to have a 30-point and 30-rebound game against the Brooklyn Nets during the 2017-18 season.
As a Hornet, Howard averaged 16.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. His one-year stint with the Hornets was better than his four previous seasons. However, Howard was traded following his season in Charlotte.
With Howard’s win with the Lakers, Basketball Reference cited that he has a 99.7% chance of making the Hall of Fame. His first championship basically ensured that he would likely be voted in as a Hall of Famer.
It’s unclear what Dwight Howard plans to do next season, as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. Will the Los Angeles Lakers keep Howard around after winning this championship?