Dwight Howard
Age: 30
Height: 6-foot-11
Career Stats: 35.3 mpg, 17.8 ppg, 12.7 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.0 spg, 2.1 bpg; 58.2/9.3/56.8 shooting splits
2015-16 Stats: 32.1 mpg, 13.7 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.6 bpg; 62/0/48.9 shooting splits
Strengths:
- Elite rim protector
- Rebounding
- Efficient finisher in the paint
Weaknesses:
- Can’t shoot outside the paint; abysmal free throw shooter
- Poor team chemistry follows him wherever he goes
- Aging and recent injury concerns
Why he makes sense for the Warriors:
On paper, Howard presents a reasonable fit for the big man the Warriors could be looking for to replace Festus Ezeli and Andrew Bogut in their starting lineup. In addition, Howard has already notified the Rockets that he doesn’t plan to exercise his player option, meaning he will test the waters of free agency. Howard would be a better scoring option in the post than anyone else the Warriors have had in their current four-year playoff run, and his elite interior defense would add to Golden State’s stifling defense. If everything goes right, the Warriors could unlock a beast of a center who is just two years removed from being an All Star, but the key is getting Howard to buy in.
Why he doesn’t make sense for the Warriors:
The Warriors have made a hard push for Howard in the past, and felt like they were very close to getting him in the 2013 offseason. Since then, his relationship with the team and its players has been icy, at best. After being eliminated from the playoffs by the Dubs in back to back seasons, Howard may find it tough to set aside the bad memories to sign on for a selfless championship run. On the Warriors side of things, the terms Howard will command in a contract are likely too long and expensive for Bob Myers to make a play. At this stage of his career, Howard just doesn’t seem likely to accept a lesser role and possibly less money in pursuit of a ring.