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Dwight Howard's tenure with the Charlotte Hornets lasted only one season, much like some of his recent ventures have, as he joined his third team in the last three years.
This trend wasn't just a mere coincidence, and there is a reason why he was the first one traded out of an overpaid roster.
While Howard put up great numbers, including the first 30-30 game in the history of the franchise, it also forced other players to adapt to a game that has long proved as futile in the NBA, according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer.
Article Continues Below“Howard is 32, and arguably the best center of his generation. He is also quirky, stubborn and occasionally childish. He plays his way and expects others to adapt to him. That was a problem, particularly so for shooting guard Nic Batum, the Hornets’ biggest investment in terms of contract. But Batum wasn’t the only player who found it challenging to make this work.”
Batum struggled, coming off arguably his best season in the league, seeing his scoring, rebounding, passing, and defensive play take a decline as he adapted to incorporate Howard into the mix.
Howard's ball-stopping post-up play only results in 15 percent of those possessions being kicked out back to the perimeter players — making Batum's game rather limited without some level of movement.
The 6-foot-11 center was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, only to agree to a buyout and consequently sign with the Washington Wizards, who took a one-year flyer on his services.
