In the last couple of seasons, former All-Star center Dwight Howard has experienced a noticeable drop in production on the offensive end of the floor.
During a recent interview with Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Howard pinpointed that decline to the systems he has played in the past two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets.
“In Orlando, I was getting 13-15 shots a game,” Howard told ESPN. “Last season, in Atlanta, it was six shot attempts. It looks like I’m not involved in the game. And if I miss a shot, it sticks out because I am not getting very many of them. But I think it’s all opportunity, the system. I haven’t had a system where I can be who I am since I was in Orlando. Teams wanted me to do different things than they promised me when I went to choose them. In Atlanta, I was going to be involved in the offense. Then, toward the end of the season, it turned into, ‘Hey, we just got you for defense and rebounds.”
The 31-year-old also voiced that he believes his production dropped because he played alongside ball dominant guards in James Harden and Kobe Bryant since being traded from the Orlando Magic back in July 2012.
There is some credence to Howard's comments as he has seen a significant decrease in shot attempts over the last two years averaging no greater than 8.5 shots per game over the span while averaging the lowest scoring outputs since his rookie campaign.
That said, the trade to the Charlotte Hornets this offseason could provide him the opportunity to step back into a prominent offensive role alongside All-Star point guard Kemba Walker. Keep in mind, he will be rejoining head coach Steve Clifford, who was a part of the coaching staff back during his days with the Magic.
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