Washington Wizards: How will Dwight Howard fit in next year?

Last season

Dwight Howard appeared in 81 games for the Charlotte Hornets in 2017-18. Entering the season, there were high hopes for the then-31-year-old big man. Alongside point guard Kemba Walker, the Hornets had playoff expectations with Howard anchoring the center position.

Unfortunately, their fortune didn’t change but rather stayed the same. Charlotte turned in another 36-46 record, identical to its record during the 2016-17 season. The Hornets didn’t make the postseason despite Howard averaging 16.6 points, 12.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game along with 53 double-doubles.

While Howard was on the floor, Charlotte generated a defensive rating of 106.4. When Howard was off the floor, its defensive rating was 107.9. As the only defensive presence in the paint for the Hornets, Howard’s impact was minimal at best. It didn’t help that Cody Zeller only appeared in 33 games due to injury.

Howard still finished fourth in the NBA in rebounds per game and sixth in blocks per game while averaging 30.4 minutes per game, but in the grand scheme of things, his impact was limited.