Soaring Down South
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5 Atlanta Hawks To Watch During Training Camp

By Colby Giacubeno

Apr 22, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer talks with guard Dennis Schroder (17) during a break in the action against the Boston Celtics during the third quarter in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 22, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer talks with guard Dennis Schroder (17) during a break in the action against the Boston Celtics during the third quarter in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 27, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) dunks past Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11, second from left) and center Festus Ezeli (31, far right) during the second quarter in game five of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Rockets 104-90 to advance to the NBA Finals. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
May 27, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) dunks past Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11, second from left) and center Festus Ezeli (31, far right) during the second quarter in game five of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Rockets 104-90 to advance to the NBA Finals. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Dwight Howard

Position: Center

2015-16 Statistics (Rockets): 13.7 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 1.6 BPG

Slash Line: 62.0/0.0/48.9

Next season will be the most telling of all from Dwight Howard. After two stops–one in Los Angeles and one in Houston–the 12-year center is entering his situation with the Hawks as a mean of erasing the past four seasons that have been filled with drama and distractions.

Now, Howard has a clean slate with a well-run organization in Atlanta, his hometown, where expectations for his production are at the lowest of his career. There isn’t much doubt that Mike Budenholzer can get Howard to be more effective than he was at Houston within his free-flowing offense, but it will take some adjustments in Howard’s individual game offensively to do so.

Best-case scenario is Howard shows that he is willing to make those adjustments in training camp. Simply because it’ll open up so much for other players including himself between him jolting to the rim after setting a ball-screen, demanding a double-team in the post, and kicking out from the block to open shooters on the perimeter.

Last season, the offense became more of a five-out style with Al Horford and Paul Millsap extending their games out past the three-point arc. Despite videos surfacing on Twitter of Howard working on a 15-foot jumpshot, the majority of his attempts will come within the painted area, which isn’t a bad thing for this team. In fact, it adds a new dynamic that they haven’t had for the past couple of seasons.

Next: The New General

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