Former Atlanta Hawks player and Atlanta native contemplates retirement
Former Atlanta Hawks player and Atlanta native Dwight Howard is contemplating retirement. He could go around again but the reason that he is thinking of hanging up the sneakers is that he does not want to accept a smaller role off the bench.
This is a little disappointing from Howard who has such a wealth of knowledge and experience that he could pass on. He was an NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 which topped off a glittering, Hall of Fame career.
Howard was an eight-time All-Star, five-time rebounding champion, two-time block champion, eight-time All-NBA, five-time All-Defensive, and three-time Defensive Player of the Year. This is a tremendous list of accomplishments and why he is Hall of Fame bound. However. it is a shame that Howard would rather retire than taking on a smaller role.
The Atlanta Hawks would not want Dwight Howard but another team might.
There are a number of young teams around the league who would most certainly benefit from the experience and knowledge that Howard possesses. One of his old teams, the Orlando Magic has lost one of the more experienced guys in Markelle Fultz. This is going to have an impact on how they develop an identity.
They also have a number of exciting young big men on their roster who could certainly prosper with him as a part of it. Still, he does not want to take a lesser role on any team so therefore his skills and knowledge will not help any young players in the coming season.
So, why would the Atlanta Hawks not be interested in Howard? Well, they already have a really good big-man rotation and we all remember when Onyeka Okongwu outplayed Howard in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. The Hawks are in a good spot with their big men.
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However, it also shows the difference between a player like Vince Carter and Howard. Carter was willing to play a smaller role on the court but was a mentor for the future generation of Hawks players. It is about giving back when you have the chance