There was a time when NBA teams would do anything to have Dwight Howard on their end. As a player, he is a monster inside the paint. However, the past years have not been particularly impressive with teams seemingly relieved of ridding themselves with an all-star center tainted with drama.
Howard is now with the Charlotte Hornets. The 31-year-old big man ended there when the Atlanta Hawks initiated a trade involving multiple players. The Hornets gave up Marco Belinelli, Miles Plumlee, and the 41st overall pick in exchange for the 6-foot-11 all-star and the 31st overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft (who later turned out, to be Frank Jackson), the Bleacher Report reported.
'Superman' struggling
Howard has seen his play dip since leaving the Orlando Magic back in 2012. He was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers at that time, a big move which most though was the revival of the “Lake Show.” Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out that way with Howard struggling to co-exist with other stars like Kobe Bryant.
It was a short-lived tenure with Howard opting to move to the Houston Rockets in 2013. Alongside James Harden, Dwight continued to struggle in finding his place. After three years, he would move to the Hawks which hardly changed anything. Could this trend continue in Charlotte?
Is Dwight a headcase?
Looking at his past teams, it seems Howard has had lots of issues. He had controversial relationships in Orlando (with former head coach Stan Van Gundy), Los Angeles (Bryant) and Houston (Harden).
Though there was no specific player in Atlanta, it seems the former first overall pick of the 2004 NBA Draft had strained relationships with several players.
According to the Bleacher Report, some Hawks players reportedly screamed in jubilation when Dwight was traded. It seems that Howard failed miserably to lead the team, most singling out how he would give speeches about playing hard and unity.
On the podcast of ESPN’s Zach Lowe, it seems that the 31-year-old failed to get the respect of his teammates during his short stint in Atlanta.
Childish as the reaction of the Hawks players may be, the fact that Howard’s numbers are way below all-star numbers are clear signs of a struggle. Being the top dog in Orlando, it appears Dwight is not used to sharing the spotlight with other players.
He did have Jameer Nelson as his sidekick but winning an NBA title these days need multiple talents.
Assembling a group of talented players include managing their egos. In Dwight’s case, giving way and adjusting to a different role has become a weakness. There is a chance he could very well end up the same with the Hornets. Tasked to manage Howard is coach Steve Clifford. The team does have its own array of stars led by Kemba Walker, but if Dwight continues to have his way, he may end up with yet another team next season. This is assuming that other teams could care less about his bellyaching.
