NBA Rumor: Dwight Howard concludes extensive two-day interview process with the Golden State Warriors

Dwight Howard last played for the Taoyuan Leopards in Taiwan.

NBA Rumor: Dwight Howard concludes extensive two-day interview process with the Golden State Warriors

Dwight Howard (via IMAGO)

The Golden State Warriors are making significant strides in strengthening their veteran lineup this offseason. Dwight Howard, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and an 8-time All-star, has successfully wrapped up a comprehensive two-day interview with the Warriors. According to Jason Dumas of the KRON4 News, Howard is scheduled to participate in a workout session alongside Draymond Green and Chris Paul in Los Angeles.

On Wednesday evening, KRON4 News’ Jason Dumas broke the news that free agent veteran center Dwight Howard had met with the Warriors and is set to join Chris Paul and Draymond Green for a workout. Interestingly enough, Draymond Green’s sarcastic complaint about persistent leaks effectively amounted to his own confirmation of the reported news tweet.

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Despite their commitment to playing small-ball lineups, the Warriors do recognize the need to support their roster with additional size. Currently, free-agent acquisition Dario Saric holds the distinction of being the team’s tallest player at 6-foot-10. Alongside him, the roster features rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis, standing at 6-foot-9, and veteran Kevon Looney, also measuring the same figure. These three players are the sole members of the Golden State team who exceed the height of 6-foot-7. Adding Howard to the roster will undoubtedly give them the size and strength that they require in their frontcourt and will also give them a big man who will snag rebounds for them and ultimately compliment their team loaded with sharpshooters.

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Howard hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2021-22 season. He spent last year playing in Taiwan and is still in solid basketball shape despite being away from the NBA for one season. Even though Howard isn’t the same dominant force as he was before, the veteran can still play a crucial role on the rim protection, catching rebounds and can also be an “alley-oop” threat on offense. He can basically do the dirty work in the paint. Even though the Warriors may not demand a significant contribution from Dwight Howard, his potential role as a safety net for Draymond Green and Kevon Looney in the face of injuries or foul trouble holds great value. Howard’s signing could prove highly productive, as he embodies the ideal veteran center capable of providing limited minutes along with a wealth of championship experience.

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What can Dwight Howard bring to the table for the Golden State Warriors?

Dwight Howard would assume the role of a backup center, offering a pure and dedicated presence in that position. This stands in contrast to the Warriors’ previous season where they frequently had power forwards playing out of their natural position.

Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard (Credits- CBS sports)

Despite being away from the NBA for a season, Howard is still in great shape for basketball. The 6’10 big man packed with muscles will add much-needed physicality to the Warriors’ roster. Despite being out of the NBA for a season, Howard was hooping in Taiwan and has pretty much been in great shape all throughout which will turn out to be a great asset for the Warriors in the paint.

Dwight Howard injects a lively personality into the locker room, addressing the noticeable absence of that positive energy within the Warriors’ team environment from the previous season.

Even though Howard is of course not the player he once was, the veteran big man can still help the Warriors. Alongside Curry and Chris Paul, Howard will certainly have a lot of opportunities to finish a lot of easy looks and would also complement the Warriors in the pick-and-roll.

Dwight Howard’s illustrious NBA career spanned an impressive 18 seasons, during which he suited up for a total of seven different teams, most notably the Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, Charlotte Hornets and the Lakers. Over his extensive tenure, Dwight averaged an impressive 15.7 points and 11.8 rebounds over the course of 1,242 regular-season games. His stellar performance earned him the distinction of being selected to participate in eight All-Star games. Additionally, Howard’s defensive prowess was highlighted by his remarkable achievement of winning Defensive Player of the Year awards three times. Furthermore, he solidified his place in the annals of NBA history by winning the NBA championship with the Lakers in the later part of his career where he averaged 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 69 games for them in the 2019-2020 season.

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