Dwight Howard, a former NBA power center before leaving the league in 2022, was among high profile players in his heydays. The 2020 NBA champion with the Lakers, transitioned his NBA success to the T1 League with Taoyuan Leopards.
Meanwhile, being a free agent now, Dwight Howard has recently reminisced on his glory days, and blasted social media critics for his ruined reputation, amidst speculations of a possible NBA return.
Dwight Howard slams social media critics
Former NBA power center Dwight Howard hasn’t enjoyed an easy journey in the league due to the many controversies he had been embroiled in. The former Lakers star has been heavily blasted for his off-court antics, which other stars and former players have all frowned upon. Most recently, Dwight Howard reminded his critics of how fierce he was on the court during his glory days.
Dwight Howard, on his X, reposted a clip of his highlights, which showed how great he once was before being bombarded by criticism.
Dwight Howard wrote, “I was the man before social media was a thing. Then when social media became a thing they turned it against me lol.”
Howard was once perceived as the best center in the league. It was a time when fan favorites like Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett were approaching the twilight of their careers and Dwight Howard truly took the league by storm.
Nevertheless, Howard’s happy-go-lucky personality wasn’t welcome by critics, and during his Lakers stint, he received backlash for being lackluster in games. But Dwight Howard’s years with the Orlando Magic were impressive, and he even led the team to the NBA Finals in 2009.
Howard spent 8 seasons at the Magic, where he averaged 18.4 points, 13 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. Additionally, he earned three Defensive Player of the Year awards, which made him the only player to do so for three consecutive years. After his Magic stint, he joined the Lakers and spent just a season following his failed chemistry with Kobe Bryant. He later spent 3 years with the Rockets and bounced around the league as a journeyman.
Dwight Howards hopes to return to NBA
There are high hopes that veteran power center Dwight could make a return to the NBA. As reported by NBA insider Shams Charania, Dwight is meeting the Golden State Warriors soon, which could see him join the franchise.
“Eight-time NBA All-Star Dwight Howard will meet with the Golden State Warriors next week,” tweeted Charania. “The team has been exploring signing a reserve veteran big man, and now the 2020 Lakers championship center will visit with Warriors officials soon.”
However, the Warriors would be a good fit for Dwight, if both parties can agree on a deal. The team is in great need of some size in the front court, as they have been one of the most undersized units for the last few campaigns. Since the departure of Kevin Durant, the team has been experiencing weakness in the frontcourt.
Nevertheless, the Warriors presumably need a wiggle room in the salary cap department. They owe a whopping $172.5 million in salary to their top six players alone. The franchise is also $25 million above the super tax apron space, which gives limited space to bring in reinforcements. It’s expected that Dwight will likely sign a veteran minimum deal with the team. The team could offer him a partially guaranteed contract to keep their options open if the deal collapses. But Dwight Howard fills a need, which makes the signing an ideal one.
Howard registered a solid performance with the Lakers in the 2021-2022 campaigns, averaging 6.2 points, 5.9 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game, and started 27 out of the 60 games he played that season. With a proven track record in the league, especially with the Lakers, Dwight Howard would be a great addition to the Warriors’ roster.
