Dwight Howard reveals final goal before he considers retirement
Dwight Howard wants to play in the NBA's in-season tournament.
The veteran big man hasn't been on an NBA roster since leaving the Los Angeles Lakers in 2022. Despite being in his second season without a spot in the league, the former champion is still eyeing a comeback. Not only does he want to compete at the highest level again, he wants to secure a spot heading into the 2024-25 season.
Howard will likely struggle to find a role in the NBA moving forward. His style of play doesn't fit with how teams like to run their offense, and the athleticism that made him such a dominant threat in his prime has significantly declined. This past summer, the veteran center held tryouts with the Golden State Warriors, only for them to decide against signing him, despite their lack of size in the middle of the floor.
There might be a team that's interested in adding Howard to their roster as an end-of-bench veteran. Yet, even then, Howard appears to be getting passed over in favor of younger talents who are willing to fight for a role in the rotation.
During his most recent season in the NBA, Howard played in 60 regular-season games. He started 27 of them, averaging 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds. However, his decision to head to Taiwan last season likely hurt his chances of making an NBA comeback. For many, Howard's decision was seen as an acceptance of not having any interested parties in the league.
Still, if the goal is one in-season tournament game, perhaps there will be a team willing to grant the final wish of a future Hall of Famer. After all, there was a time when Howard was among the most sought-after players in the world.
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