Currently, the Golden State Warriors have a lack of size in their frontcourt. As things stand, no player on the roster is taller than 6’9”. Mike Dunleavy has done an excellent job of revamping the Warriors’ guard rotation but must now turn his attention to the middle of the floor.
Fortunately, it would appear some Warriors’ fans have done Dunleavy’s scouting for him. In a recent post on Reddit, some members of the fanbase floated the idea of acquiring Dwight Howard on a minimum contract.
Is Dwight Howard that low cost option for that large body defensive stop gap? Or is he too washed?
by u/KarlOveKnau in warriors
Howard, 37, spent last season playing basketball in Taiwan. However, the 8-Time All-Star has previously discussed his openness to returning to the NBA if the offer made sense.
During his season abroad, Howard averaged 23.2 points, 16.2 rebounds, and 5 assists per game, shooting 57.7% from the field. However, Howard wouldn’t be joining the Warriors for his offensive upside. Instead, the veteran big man would be tasked with providing rim protection off the bench and controlling the defensive glass.
Despite his advancing years, Howard has remained productive as a rebounder and rim protector. During the 2021-22 season, Howard participated in 60 regular-season games for the Los Angeles Lakers, pulling down 5.9 rebounds per game, with four of them coming on the defensive end.
Howard isn’t a long-term solution at center. Yet, as a team with a serious lack of size, a short-term fix would make a world of difference. There’s no telling whether Howard could be enticed back to the NBA.
However, a shot at another championship ring could be enough to get Howard to sit at the negotiating table, and from there, it’s about selling him on the culture and being part of the Warriors dynasty.