Will Howard Find a Home in 2022-23?
Dwight Howard suited up for two of his last three seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2020, he played a major role in helping to steer the Lakers to its first NBA championship in a decade. While he hasn’t been the same dominant big man he once was during his nine-year run with the Orlando Magic, he’s already an 18-year veteran with tons of experience and awards under his belt.
And yet, the 2022 season is just around the corner and Dwight Howard is not yet signed by an NBA franchise. Recently he posted a video on Instagram where he was exercising on a stationary bike with the caption that reads: “When you’re in the best shape of your life but still a free agent.“
With the official opening of the 2022-2023 NBA season set for October 18th and without a team to play for, options are becoming more and more limited for the three-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner.
“Superman” Considers Hanging Up the Cape
For Dwight Howard, it’s one thing to be signed by an NBA team, it’s another to have a meaningful role. As it currently stands, his future in the NBA largely depends on what role he would be willing to play for a team if one were to sign the 36-year-old center.
During his interview with former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Howard revealed he still wants to play although the thought of retirement has crossed his mind.
“I wanna play, but at the same time, there are no teams that really wanna allow me to play. That’s how I’ve been feeling from the last situation with the Lakers. I felt like I did enough to help them win a championship to really deserve a spot on the team and a chance to start and get big minutes, and it didn’t happen.” Howard explained.
In what could be his final stint with the Lakers, Howard played 60 games, starting in 27 of those contests, but only averaging 16.2 minutes per game. He managed to record 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in those games.
The last time Howard played over 20 minutes a game over the course of a full season, he was still a member of the Washington Wizards, where he averaged 25.6 minutes in NINE games. Since then, his playing time has steadily declined.
Dwight Howard’s Hall of Fame Career
If April 9th, 2022, was indeed Dwight Howard’s final NBA game where he finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and a block plus a victory for the Lakers, it’s not a bad end to a Hall of Fame career by a once-dominant center.
Aside from being a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Dwight Howard’s achievements include being a two-time leader in blocks, a five-time leader in rebounds, an eight-time member of the All-NBA team, a five-time member of the All-Defensive Team, an eight-time NBA All-Star, and of course, a member of the Lakers’ 2020 championship team.
Superman would finish with career averages of 15.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 58.7% shooting from the field.
More than the numbers and the achievements, Dwight Howard’s impact on the game makes him deserving to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, with many believing Howard should have also been included in the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
While it doesn’t appear as though any teams will be signing him prior to opening night, injuries happen. And if a playoff contender suddenly finds themselves in need of a big man, Howard is just a phone call away.
-Iggy Gonzales
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.