"No Dillon brooks?" - NBA fans are going nuts after Dwight Howard invites eliminated superstars to join him in Taiwan
Dwight Howard had a blast trolling some NBA stars whose teams have been eliminated from the playoffs. The former three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner urged some eliminated players to join him in Taiwan with the Taoyuan Leopards.
Fans found Howard’s trolling both funny and ridiculous, with many promptly commenting:
“No Dillon brooks?”
@LegionHoops @bballforever_ No Dillon brooks? 🤣
@LegionHoops @bballforever_ bro gonna get fined for tampering 💀
@LegionHoops @bballforever_ Bros a better commissioner for the Taiwan league than Adam silver is for nba 😭
@LegionHoops @bballforever_ He building a super team
@LegionHoops @bballforever_ How far does this team get in the playoffs ?
@LegionHoops @bballforever_ Let him cook!
@LegionHoops @bballforever_ westbrook not up here. https://t.co/b7hRiGTOOC
@LegionHoops @bballforever_ Ben Simmons needs a lower league
@LegionHoops @bballforever_ 82-0 in china
@LegionHoops @bballforever_ Man Cancun is looking different these days
@LegionHoops @bballforever_ Damn Taiwan doesn’t even want Kyrie
Dwight Howard was on IG Live just having fun. He had this to say to some of the players who have been booted out of the playoffs:
"Jordan Poole? Come on!!! Two years, man. Come on! Ben Simmons? Come on, man! Klay [Thompson]? You can slide down here, too, my man. Deandre Ayton? You and CP3 [Paul]. Come on!
"KD? Come on, KD! The time I had back in Houston? This might be a better look. James Harden? Come on down here, too!"
Dwight Howard just called out EVERY underperformer this playoffs and is recruiting them to Taiwan👀
He didn’t hold back😳 https://t.co/N5oK75dZlX
Howard then doubled-down on forming a super team with this story on Instagram:
What on earth is Dwight Howard posting 🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/nFrSSU0xhJ
Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole struggled in the Golden State Warriors' conference semis loss to the LA Lakers. Deandre Ayton was also a peripheral figure in the Phoenix Suns' semi-finals exit against the Denver Nuggets.
Howard also trolled Kevin Durant, who had a solid playoff debut with the Suns. He and Devin Booker carried the fight as Chris Paul was injured after playing just the first two games of their series.
Ben Simmons hasn't played for over two months due to back and knee injuries. He's looking more and more likely as the player that could actually join Dwight Howard in Taiwan once his contract expires.
Howard's former teammate, James Harden, had an off-on series against the Boston Celtics. He will be remembered, however, for his embarrassing performance in Game 7.
A name that was conspicuously absent from the list was Dillon Brooks. The Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward talked trash to LeBron James in their series against the LA Lakers.
Not only did he not perform well, the Grizzlies reportedly decided not to offer him a new contract "under any circumstances." It remains to be seen if he will have an offer from another team. Brooks could be out of the NBA if no one takes a chance on him, even if he made the All-NBA Defensive Second Team.
Grizzlies have informed Dillon Brooks he will not be brought back "under any circumstances," per @ShamsCharania https://t.co/66ezbI51u7
Brooks' agent has lambasted the report to be fake. Only the offseason will tell who has been telling the truth.
Also read: Are Memphis Grizzlies letting go of Dillon Brooks? 2022-23 season performance analyzed
Could Dwight Howard return to the NBA?
After playing 60 games for the LA Lakers during the 2021-22 season, Dwight Howard couldn't get any offers to continue playing. It's very unlikely that that situation has changed after his stint with the Taoyuan Leopards in Taiwan.
Howard averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in his last year in the NBA. He shot 61.2% from the field and was still a solid contributor on defense and rebounding.
Things can change quickly in the NBA, but given his age and declining performance, Dwight Howard is likely not returning.
For now it seems his focus lies solely on recruiting NBA stars to Taiwan.
Also read: Charles Barkley trolls Shaquille O’Neal, picks Dwight Howard over him, yelling "SUPERMAN!"