Very few players have as many opinions about them, both positive and negative, as 30-year-old Dwight Howard. The talent has always been there, most notably in Orlando where he led the Magic to an NBA Finals appearance in 2009. The questions, however, have always been about motivation and maturity and whether Howard is serious enough about basketball to work towards a championship.
He may have one more shot to get this right, as he will become an unrestricted free agent come July 1st. If he elects to sign a long-term deal, this will most likely be the last time he receives max-contract money. The Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics will receive first dibs in meeting with Howard shortly after midnight Friday, and they each provide situations where the star center could possibly find success once again.
One of many options for Boston
It’s no surprise the Celtics are interested in meeting with Howard seeing as they will have the cap space to sign two max-contract players without making any roster moves. It also makes sense as Tyler Zeller and Jared Sullinger hit the market, leaving only Amir Johnson and Kelly Olynyk as viable options at center. The Celtics have expressed interest in several big-name free agents like Kevin Durant and Al Horford, so Howard could be a piece they use to attempt to lure one of them. However, it’s not clear if players would actually like to play alongside Howard after team chemistry issues with the Lakers and Rockets.
Coming home to Atlanta?
Whenever the Atlanta native Howard is a free agent, his name is almost always linked to the Hawks and a return home. The recent report by Chris Broussard and Marc Stein suggests the organization is serious this time, also adding that the goal would be to pair Howard with Horford in the frontcourt.
This seems a bit odd, especially considering All-Star power forward Paul Millsap just signed on last offseason and was the team’s best player throughout the season. Atlanta’s interest in Howard would be warranted if Horford were to go elsewhere in free agency, but otherwise, it would make sense only if Millsap is traded for assets at a different position. Howard would also be an interesting fit in the Hawks’ system, and would possibly find himself as the number one offensive option on a team for the first time in a few years.