“Steph must’ve died of laughter”: Fans mock Dwight Howard’s ‘Warrior’ rant after his NBA return hopes get snubbed
Dwight Howard has taken a cryptic shot at the Golden State Warriors following their decision not to sign him before the new season. The veteran big man worked out with the Warriors, before the franchise focused on roster flexibility rather than adding depth at the center position.
Howard's post on X, formerly know as Twitter, was in regards to overcoming adversity, noting how Warriors are resilient and show no fear. However, NBA fans saw straight through Howard's cryptic post and began to poke fun at the former NBA champion as a result. One fan even noted how Steph Curry must have been laughing following Howard's Tweet.
Howard, 37, is currently looking for a route back into the NBA after spending last season overseas in Taiwan. The 6-foot-10 big man still believes he has something to offer at the NBA level, most likely as a rotation player who can provide rim protection and rebounding to a contending team.
However, the Warriors will likely head into the new season with a big-man rotation of Dario Saric, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Usman Garuba (who is on a two-way contract.) According to Spotrac, the Warriors still have two open roster spots. The franchise has been working out multiple veterans in recent weeks, including veteran big man Derek Favors.
Yet, no veterans have signed a deal to spend next season in the Bay Area.
Shams Charania reported the Warriors are "unlikely" to sign Dwight Howard
On Friday, Sept. 22, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported the Warriors were unlikely to acquire Dwight Howard. Charania noted how the Western Conference franchise is expected to focus on roster flexibility and will be keeping their open roster spots available heading into training camp and the new NBA season.
"The Warriors are not expected to sign Dwight Howard or another veteran center ahead of training camp, sources tell me," Charania said. "Howard had a two-day visit with the Warriors this week, which included meetings and workouts, but the Warriors are expected to maintain flexibility to sign a potential big man later in camp or into the regular season."
As an unrestricted free agent, Howard will be free to sign with any other NBA team or potentially head back overseas as he continues to navigate the final years of an illustrious career.
Howard may not be the dominant big man from his prime, but his experience and desire to compete at a high level will surely be a valuable asset to other professional teams, both domestically and internationally.
It will be interesting to see what the next chapter of Howard's career holds, and whether it includes another year abroad or if he calls time and enters retirement as a potential future Hall of Famer.