The Case for a Dwight Howard Return

Those who witnessed Dwight Howard in his prime don’t require reassurances about how outstanding he once was.

They remember when he and LeBron James were the best players in the league. They remember his iconic Dunk Contest participations. They remember his three Defensive Player of the Year awards, his eight All-Star selections, and his five consecutive All-NBA nominations. They remember “Superman.”

However, we’re no longer living in the 2000s. Mobile phones no longer resemble bricks. “The Office” hasn’t aired a new episode in nearly a decade. Dwight Howard isn’t close to the overpowering force he used to be.

As it turns out, “Superman” was human after all, and age was his kryptonite all along.

Howard is the type of player who can be a star in the role he is given. He can cover up the issues this Hornets team has had with rim protection and rebounding as those are his two biggest strengths, even at this stage of his career.

Last year for the Lakers, Howard averaged 6.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 0.6 blocks, and 0.6 steals in just 16.2 minutes per game. His field goal percentage of 61.2 (mostly dunks) exceeded his career mark, and he even shot 53.3 percent from 3-point range (no, that’s not a typo) and 65.8 percent from the line.

Howard is no longer someone you can feed the ball in the post and ask to work one-on-one. That time has come and gone. Nowadays, his offensive production comes mainly via putback dunks and from operating in the pick and roll, where he could pair nicely with LaMelo Ball who is sensational in throwing lobs and finding his teammates for easy baskets.

While Howard’s burst and explosiveness have diminished, his IQ and willingness to do the dirty work have only gotten better with time. What’s more, he still does an excellent job at keeping opposing players away from the rim, inviting less effective mid-range jump shots or floaters — in LA, opponents shot -2.4% of their shots at the rim (86th percentile among centers) whenever Howard was on the floor.

His age and recent foul problems (in two of his past three seasons, Howard has averaged over six fouls per 36 minutes) put a ceiling on his playing time, but a 15-minutes-a-night-guy unless there are injuries to cover, is exactly what this Hornets team needs as they look to develop their raw frontcourt twosome of Kai Jones and Mark Williams.

Another thing to note is how the perception of Dwight Howard has drastically changed since we last saw him put on a purple and teal uniform. Back then, he was heavily criticized for his mentality and appeared to be despised by other players as seen by his altercations with Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and many others. There was also the time he famously interrupted a Stan Van Gundy interview in which the head coach was openly talking about how Howard wanted him fired.

Howard was seen as fake, selfish, and a cancer to any locker room. However, in the later stages of his career, the big man has made it his mission to rehabilitate his image. He’s now seen as one of the “good guys” in the league and constantly gets praised by teammates.

While the Hornets have some larger issues to face, it is clear the organization needs more positivity and Howard’s fun, easy-going personality could prove pivotal in rebuilding the team’s mental outlook moving forward. Signing a 36-year-old Dwight Howard won’t change the fact that this offseason was one of the worst in franchise’s history, but the team can’t just sit around and do nothing.

A perfect low-risk, medium-reward acquisition

The impact that Howard can make on the court and in the locker room would be valuable to a Charlotte team that lacks both size and veteran presence. Howard can even help mentor younger players. Mark Williams, especially, could learn a lot from someone that many compared him to before the 2022 NBA Draft.

The meshing of personalities can often be undervalued when looking at roster construction and this is something that Charlotte has gotten wrong the past few years. On-court performance remains the most important element, but Howard’s impact on the team’s culture may be more valuable than any free agent signing.