Washington Wizards: Dwight Howard is a one-year risk worth taking

The Washington Wizards made a justifiable gamble on veteran center Dwight Howard

Another year, and another new team for Dwight Howard.

Tuesday night, The Athletic’s Jared Weiss reported that the Brooklyn Nets completed a buyout with Howard after acquiring him from the Charlotte Hornets, and that the 32-year-old center will be taking his talents to the Washington Wizards on a one-year deal worth the team’s mid-level exception.

For the Wizards, Howard was a risk worth taking.

It’s no secret that Howard has become one of the bigger enigmas in the NBA. He’s still a very talented player, but some feel that he’s been on so many teams in recent memory for a reason. In the 2015-16 season, Howard was a member of the Houston Rockets, then he signed a three-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks, but was traded to the Hornets the ensuing offseason, followed by a recent trade to the Nets two weeks ago, and he eventually landed with the Wizards after the completion of a buyout.

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At the same time, look at what Howard can provide head coach Scott Brooks with. Although, he’s not the All-Star center of old, Howard is still a force to be reckoned with in the paint. He can finish over anybody inside, is one of the hardest players to guard when he has position, and overpowers defenders.

He also reels in double-digit rebounds per game. In fact, for his career, Howard has never not averaged a double-double in a single season – which is remarkable.

While he’s not held in high esteem on the defensive end, Howard averaged 1.6 blocks per game and started 81 games last season for the Hornets – which is the most games he’s played since the 2009-10 season.

Howard’s particular skill set and his overall makeup is an upgrade over what the Wizards have seen at center in years past.

For the last five years, the Wizards have rolled with Marcin Gortat at center, and while the marriage began well and the Polish big man was durable, the luster began to wear off over the last two years. He wasn’t as much of an interior offensive threat, was underwhelming defensively, and didn’t hit the boards with ease. Averaging just 8.4 points (which is the fewest amount of points Gortat averaged since he became a consistent contributor in 2011) and 7.6 rebounds per game (which is the fewest amount of rebounds Gortat averaged in his five years with the Wizards), he was a disappointment for the Wizards last season.

Veteran center Ian Mahinmi has also failed to live up to the four-year, $64 million deal he signed with the Wizards in the 2016 offseason, averaging a combined 5.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in his first two seasons, which included zero starts. Mahinmi’s play and that of Gortat ultimately led president Ernie Grunfeld and Wizards management to make a change, that being trading Gortat to the Los Angeles Clippers for guard Austin Rivers – who, along with Howard, helps make them a more interesting unit.

Over the last two years, Rivers came into his own as a two-way player. While he’s not a great shooter, the 25-year-old can get to the rim and score, find the open man, and play competitive on-ball defense. Averaging a career-high 15.1 points and four assists per game, Rivers was a more polished product on the offensive end in his final season with the Clippers. Now, he will likely backup John Wall at point guard and potentially come into the game when the Wizards go small.

Even though the case could be made that the Wizards missed their chance to win the East in 2017 – when they lost in seven games to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals – they still have a very talented and intriguing starting five for the 2018-19 season. When heathy, Wall is a top-five point guard when considering his elite defensive play and well-rounded offensive game.

Last season, shooting guard Bradley Beal averaged 22.6 points per game, and the Wizards heavily leaned on him to carry the scoring load when Wall went down with a knee injury. Otto Porter Jr. and Markieff Morris round out the Wizards starting five and do so playing both ends, Porter especially. The addition of veteran forward Jeff Green will give the Wizards a scoring threat off the bench while also reuniting him with Brooks.

By inserting Howard into their starting five, the Wizards have a better team, talent wise, than they did last season, plus a starting caliber guard (Rivers) and veteran scorer (Green) coming off Brooks’ bench.

The Eastern Conference is wide open. With LeBron James heading to the Los Angeles Lakers, the East is no sure thing for any team. Sure, the Boston Celtics will likely enter the 2018-19 season as the favorites to win the Conference, followed by the Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors, but not a single team outside of perhaps Boston has been a powerhouse for a sustainable amount of time.

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And while Howard doesn’t quite make the Wizards a superteam, so to speak, they, at the very least, will have the talent to make a deep playoff run this season.

Howard wanted to join a winning situation. And for a Washington Wizards team that has a lot to prove and bounce back from after a first-round playoff exit, the center was a one-year gamble worth taking.

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