3 reasons why Dwight Howard could return to the Orlando Magic
Dwight Howard has once again been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons this season and his career now looks to be slowly winding down. The 32-year-old is currently signed to a 2 year contract with the Washington Wizards, although Howard has an option on the second year, and it is likely that the player will be looking for a new team for a fourth consecutive summer.
Howard has simply not been a good fit in Washington, and his potential early exit opens the possibility of the player finally returning to the Magic. The 8-time All-Star spent the best years of his career with the Orlando franchise, and here we will explore three reasons why Howard could make a return to the team where it all began.
#3 It may be the only team that wants him
As most NBA teams target younger and more versatile centres, Dwight Howard's pool of potential teams has narrowed drastically. At this stage of his career, Howard is also unlikely to find himself on championship-chasing teams such as the Warriors, Thunder or Celtics, and the 32-year-old has already burned bridges with teams such as the Hornets, Rockets, and Hawks.
Other franchises may also be potentially put off by his reputation as a locker room disturbance, and this means that Howard will not have a lot of options once he leaves the Wizards. The Magic, on the other hand, recognise how much Howard contributed to the city of Orlando, and should be aware that a return would draw attention to a franchise that has struggled to fill their home arena in recent years.
#2 He can still be effective
Howard is nowhere near the player he was during his peak years, however, he is still a very capable NBA player. The Atlanta native remains among the best rebounders in the NBA and many forget that it was less than a year ago that Howard recorded 30 rebounds and 32 points in a game against the Nets.
In the current campaign, the centre is averaging 12.8 points and 9.2 rebounds in only 26 minutes of action in nine starts for Washington. He's an effective big man, and is shooting 62 percent from the field and 60 percent from the free throw line.