Written by Josh Planos at Washington Post.com
Dwight Howard did the expected last week: He walked away from $23.2 million to pursue free agency.
That an athlete is willing to leave that much cash on the table speaks to the deep-seated distaste Howard has for the Houston Rockets organization, which used him on 18.4 percent of possessions this season, his lowest rate in 11 years.
“This will be my last chance for a really big contract,” he told Jackie MacMullan last month.
The 30-year-old center, once dubbed Superman and painted as a player capable of revolutionizing the position, has had his name and reputation dragged through the mud ever since he left Orlando. To be sure, he didn’t do much on the court to quell the tumult.
Here are three franchises that can best maximize Howard’s remaining potential.
Atlanta Hawks
Much of the feasibility with Atlanta hinges on whether Al Horford re-signs with the team, and, it’s worth noting, Atlanta has his Bird Rights, meaning the Hawks can go over the cap to retain him.
Howard was born and bred in Atlanta, having played his high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy before he was taken No. 1 overall in the 2004 NBA draft. There are substantiated and obvious reasons why players return to their hometowns in free agency, and this would mark yet another player falling in line with the narrative.
Mike Budenholzer’s Hawks plummeted from sixth in offensive efficiency in 2014-15 to 18th last season. While the team shot its way to its best regular-season campaign in franchise history two years ago, Budenholzer’s first at the helm, when the shots stopped falling so too did the team’s second-chance scoring opportunities.
Consider that the Hawks ranked 28th in rebound rate last season, and have been one of the five worst rebounding teams in the league each of the past four seasons. In the Hawks’ second-round loss to the Cavaliers, Cleveland nearly out-rebounded Atlanta by plus-30. Overall, the Hawks grabbed the third-fewest contested rebounds of any team in the league (12.1); Howard grabbed 4.2 on his own.
Howard isn’t exactly a perfect match for Budenholzer’s up-tempo offense, but if Howard is engaged — and that is admittedly a big if — he can contribute in transition. Don’t expect him to run the floor at the same rate as any guard, but in spurts he can contribute in transition.
To continue reading this article, click here.
