Fansided

5 teams dumb enough to give Dwight Howard a max contract next year

By Rucker Haringey

Nov 4, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) scores a basket against the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 4, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) scores a basket against the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 16, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (15) celebrates a play with a teammate in the first quarter of their game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 16, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (15) celebrates a play with a teammate in the first quarter of their game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /

Atlanta Hawks

If Dwight Howard is going to be happy in any NBA city it would be Atlanta. Playing for the Hawks would represent a homecoming for the enigmatic center, and perhaps that would be enough to permanently brighten his mood.

The Hawks currently have a really good center in Al Horford, but he’s also going to be a free agent. If Horford bolts, which is a distinct possibility, the Hawks are going to have a ton of cap space and a gaping hole at the center position. Tiago Splitter is a nice player, but he’s not a franchise cornerstone you can build around.

If Howard is really interested in rehabbing his image for life after basketball, returning home to Atlanta could be a really nice public relations move. Not only that, but the Hawks have talent that would be a pretty good fit for him as well. Jeff Teague running the pick-and-roll to Howard with Kyle Korver on the wing spotting up sounds like a recipe for offensive success. Atlanta is one of the only places where Howard could be a guaranteed on-court success.

If Atlanta prioritized signing Howard over retaining Horford, they would be making a colossal error. Unfortunately for Hawks fans, it’s an easy error to see the franchise making. They’ve long-struggled to sell tickets in the market and could view acquiring Howard as a cure to that problem. He might bolster gate numbers, but keeping Horford would win the team more games.

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