Dwight Howard didn't like the decision by Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer to reduce his minutes in the NBA playoffs first-round series against the Washington Wizards.
The Wizards have reached the Eastern Conference semifinals after outclassing the Hawks in a six game series 4-2. Veteran center Howard was often benched at the end of the games against the team from D.C.
31-year-old Howard ended the series averaging eight points and 10.7 rebounds in 26.2 minutes per game. He was posting 13.5 points along with 12.7 rebounds in 29.7 minutes of action per game during the regular season.
''It was very difficult,'' Howard said over the weekend, according to Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ''I want to play. I want to be out on the floor. I want to make a difference. I want to make an impact, and I can’t do that on the bench.''
Howard revealed that he and coach Budenholzer are going to have a meeting in the upcoming offseason in order to discuss the situation.
The three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year signed with the Hawks during last year's offseason. It remains to be seen how will the situation between the two sides resolve this summer.
Not ready to quit the game
Vince Carter has decided to postpone his retirement and prolong his already long career, according to RealGM.
The 40-year-old arrived in the league in 1998, after being drafted at number five by the Golden State Warriors in that year's draft.
The Memphis Grizzlies veteran is set to be a free agent this summer.
The Grizzlies have concluded their season a couple of days after falling 2-4 to the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA playoffs first-round.
Carter averaged eight points on 39.4 field goal percentage during the regular season and 9.2 points on 47.6 shooting from the field in the postseason respectively.
''I could play three more rounds of basketball right now,'' he said.
It remains to be seen will Carter be back for his fourth consecutive season with the Grizzlies, or will he be picked up by another team this summer.
Dante Cunningham to test the market
Power forward Cunningham will reportedly decline his player option with the New Orleans Pelicans to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, according to ESPN's Chris Haynes.
New Orleans forward Dante Cunningham plans to decline player option to become unrestricted free agent this summer, league sources tell ESPN.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) April 29, 2017
The 30-year-old ended this year's season averaging 6.6 points on 48.5 percent shooting from the field along with 4.2 rebounds per game.
The 33rd pick of the 2009 NBA draft has spent his last three years playing for the Pelicans.
