The Golden State Warriors, known for their ability to make strategic decisions in building their roster, appear to have decided to stop pursuing veteran Dwight Howard as they seek to strengthen their team heading into next season.
According to reliable sources, the San Francisco Bay Area team has decided not to sign a contract with Howard before the start of training camp, marking an unexpected turn in their interest in the player.
The news was reported by Shams Charania, a respected journalist for The Athletic and Stadium, who revealed that Golden State and Howard are not expected to reach a contract agreement anytime soon. This decision has surprised many since high expectations had been generated around the possible acquisition of the veteran center.
The search for a forward has taken priority for the Warriors, as reported by Anthony Slater, also from The Athletic. This suggests that the team has decided to focus its efforts on bolstering a different position rather than focusing on a veteran center like Dwight Howard.
The situation becomes even more intriguing when we remember that KRON4 News’ Jason Dumas previously reported that Howard had completed a two-day interview process with the Warriors, and was expected to work out with key players like Draymond Green and Chris Paul in The Angels. It seemed like Howard was on track to join the team, but recent events have cast doubt on his future with the Warriors.
This uncertainty was highlighted by ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, who on NBA Today on Monday stated: “While this has sparked a lot of conversation externally, I’m told the Warriors are looking at it as just another workout, just another guy they’re bringing in to throw out.” “They want to bring in a veteran, they want to bring in a big man. Bringing him to San Francisco this week doesn’t mean he’s a member of the team. This is just another part of the process as they look to fill the remaining roster spots.”
He is no longer who he was
Dwight Howard, at 37, is far from the dominant player he once was when he won Defensive Player of the Year three times. Although he still possesses skills that could be valuable to many contending teams, his recent season in Taiwan with the Taoyuan Leopards, where he averaged 23.2 points in 20 games, was not enough to convince the Warriors that he was the right addition.
During his final NBA season in 2021-22, Howard averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in 60 games while maintaining a respectable 61.2 percent field goal shooting in a depth role for the Los Angeles Lakers.
With Golden State backing out of the pursuit of a veteran center like Howard, it remains to be seen who they will be targeting in the future.
