The recovery of Washington Wizards center Dwight Howard from his back injury isn't going as planned, with head coach Scott Brooks admitting that the big man suffered some sort of setback over the weekend.
According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, Howard is going back to Washington to receive a pain injection.
Dwight Howard had a setback over the weekend with his lower back, Brooks says. He’s going back to DC for a pain injection when the team goes to Detroit.
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) October 8, 2018
Howard has a history of back ailments — having undergone back surgery in 2012 when he was with the Orlando Magic. He started feeling discomfort in his lower back again while training this offseason. The pain then worsened after the former All-NBA big man took a promotional flight to China.
The 32-year-old Howard signed a two-year, $11 million deal with the Wizards in July, but he has already missed the entirety of training camp due to his injury. Now, it seems his eventual return to the court will be delayed. The eight-time All-Star hasn't played in the preseason and is set to miss the Wizards' final game against the Detroit Pistons this Wednesday.
Last season with the Charlotte Hornets, Dwight Howard had a productive statistical year. He averaged 16.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game while shooting 55.5 percent from the field. Wizards All-Star point guard John Wall recruited Howard to Washington. Wall messaged Howard on Instagram telling him to sign with the Wizards after his buyout agreement became official with the Brooklyn Nets.
If Howard isn't ready for the regular season opener next week, the Wizards will likely start Ian Mahinmi at the center spot.
Follow Us
Subscribe