The Dwight Howard Conundrum

The Dwight Howard Conundrum

Dwight Howard has established himself as the Hornets' second-best player, but he's not without his flaws.

Dwight Howard has established himself as the Hornets' second-best player, but he's not without his flaws.

Dwight Howard’s path to Charlotte hasn’t exactly been lined with roses. Despite a Hall of Fame-caliber career, his tenure with every team has ended poorly. And while his tenure in Charlotte has been relatively successful, it certainly hasn’t been flawless. On one hand, the often-maligned center has comfortably been the Hornets’ second-best player behind All-Star point guard Kemba Walker. Despite that, it’s clear to see the habits that have driven every other team he’s been on mad.

The primary issue, one emblematic of the struggles of the team as a whole, is that the NBA is moving away from Howard’s style of play. As so-called “unicorns” take over the league, lumbering big men are having an increasingly difficult time fitting in.

That’s not to say big men without a 3-point shot can’t succeed in the league, of course – they just need to find other ways to be successful. For most players, that comes with rim protection on defense and the ability to finish in the pick-and-roll. In a league increasingly focused on both ball and player movement, stopping everything just to let a big man post up and try to get off a shot just isn’t very effective. That’s doubly true when the player in question isn’t a particularly effective post scorer, which is the case for many of today’s big men.

On paper, Howard seems to avoid the pitfalls that could spell doom. Even at age 32 and after struggling with back issues, he still has the athleticism necessary to succeed. He’s not the same guy that won three straight Defensive Player of the Year awards, but he still seems to be an imposing figure at the rim – his 1.6 blocks per game attest to that. Those physical tools are helpful on the offensive end, particularly in transition and the pick-and-roll. Though he’s past his prime, Howard definitely has the tools necessary to be a dangerous big man. 

Unfortunately, things are a bit different in reality.

He’s a solid finisher in the pick-and-roll – not exactly dominant, but still effective, especially considering the relative lack of three-point shooting on the roster. The issue isn’t so much the execution, but rather the volume. According to Synergy Sports, Howard has finished over three times as many possessions in post-ups as he has as the roll man in the pick-and-roll. Only two players – Joel Embiid and LaMarcus Aldridge – have finished more possessions in the post this season. To make matters worse, Howard is among the worst in the league in the post. The Atlanta native is in the 25th percentile in terms of post scoring.

In other words, Howard has been posting up at one of the highest rates in the league, and finishing from the post at one of the lowest. That’s a horrendously inefficient way to play, but it seems to be what Howard wants. One of the reasons his past relationships have fractured seems to be his demand for post touches, and it’s easy to see why teams tire of that so quickly.

This isn’t to say that Howard is a bad player – far from it. Again, he’s been far and away the Hornets’ second-best player, and the team is better on both sides of the ball when he plays. And though he’s certainly not the same guy he was in his prime, he’s still a great rebounder and a solid rim protector. Despite the rough season, Howard seems to be in high spirits, and his personality doesn’t seem to be rubbing his teammates the wrong way. For a guy with a history of locker room tension, that’s a win.

The future in Charlotte is uncertain, and the ongoing stability of Dwight Howard may play a big part in deciding just what happens.

Dwight Howard’s path to Charlotte hasn’t exactly been lined with roses. Despite a Hall of Fame-caliber career, his tenure with every team has ended poorly. And while his tenure in Charlotte has been relatively successful, it certainly hasn’t been flawless. On one hand, the often-maligned center has comfortably been the Hornets’ second-best player behind All-Star point guard Kemba Walker. Despite that, it’s clear to see the habits that have driven every other team he’s been on mad.

The primary issue, one emblematic of the struggles of the team as a whole, is that the NBA is moving away from Howard’s style of play. As so-called “unicorns” take over the league, lumbering big men are having an increasingly difficult time fitting in.

That’s not to say big men without a 3-point shot can’t succeed in the league, of course – they just need to find other ways to be successful. For most players, that comes with rim protection on defense and the ability to finish in the pick-and-roll. In a league increasingly focused on both ball and player movement, stopping everything just to let a big man post up and try to get off a shot just isn’t very effective. That’s doubly true when the player in question isn’t a particularly effective post scorer, which is the case for many of today’s big men.

On paper, Howard seems to avoid the pitfalls that could spell doom. Even at age 32 and after struggling with back issues, he still has the athleticism necessary to succeed. He’s not the same guy that won three straight Defensive Player of the Year awards, but he still seems to be an imposing figure at the rim – his 1.6 blocks per game attest to that. Those physical tools are helpful on the offensive end, particularly in transition and the pick-and-roll. Though he’s past his prime, Howard definitely has the tools necessary to be a dangerous big man. 

Unfortunately, things are a bit different in reality.

He’s a solid finisher in the pick-and-roll – not exactly dominant, but still effective, especially considering the relative lack of three-point shooting on the roster. The issue isn’t so much the execution, but rather the volume. According to Synergy Sports, Howard has finished over three times as many possessions in post-ups as he has as the roll man in the pick-and-roll. Only two players – Joel Embiid and LaMarcus Aldridge – have finished more possessions in the post this season. To make matters worse, Howard is among the worst in the league in the post. The Atlanta native is in the 25th percentile in terms of post scoring.

In other words, Howard has been posting up at one of the highest rates in the league, and finishing from the post at one of the lowest. That’s a horrendously inefficient way to play, but it seems to be what Howard wants. One of the reasons his past relationships have fractured seems to be his demand for post touches, and it’s easy to see why teams tire of that so quickly.

This isn’t to say that Howard is a bad player – far from it. Again, he’s been far and away the Hornets’ second-best player, and the team is better on both sides of the ball when he plays. And though he’s certainly not the same guy he was in his prime, he’s still a great rebounder and a solid rim protector. Despite the rough season, Howard seems to be in high spirits, and his personality doesn’t seem to be rubbing his teammates the wrong way. For a guy with a history of locker room tension, that’s a win.

The future in Charlotte is uncertain, and the ongoing stability of Dwight Howard may play a big part in deciding just what happens.

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