Charlotte Hornets: 2017-18 player grades for Dwight Howard

Weaknesses

With Howard, it isn’t a question of if he’s still effective, but how effective is he. The Hornets were a better team with Howard on the floor, but not by much. Their net rating only went from +1.6 to -2.0 when Howard went to the bench.

He didn’t have much of an impact on offense (Charlotte’s offensive rating went from 111.2 to 108.3 when Howard sat) or defense (they were only 0.7 points per 100 possessions better without him). This becomes even more problematic when you consider that Howard made $23.5 million this year and will make roughly $23.8 million next year — for a guy that kinda makes your team better.

He still can’t shoot free throws. He still seems reticent to run the pick-and-roll on a regular basis. And most disappointingly, he’s still ineffective from the post, even though he continues to get the ball down there. Howard ranked third in possessions in the post per game but averaged only 0.8 points per possession, one of the lowest marks in the NBA. Until he learns at least one post move, Howard should stay off the block as much as possible.

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year also saw a slip in defensive production. He finished with a 1.7 defensive box plus/minus (DBPM), his lowest total since his rookie season. Opponents also had an easier time finishing at the basket against him, as they shot 64 percent off of Howard in the restricted area. His 1.6 blocks per game are respectable, but it’s a far cry from the six straight years he averaged more than two from 2007-13. Howard is still good, but he’s not what he once was.