The NBA sidekick Hall of Fame

Josh Howard

The supporting cast around Dirk Nowitzki is a revolving door of players. Future MVPs and former All-Stars drop in to say hello. They leave unexpectedly. They are shipped off. They melt into one another, especially in the years after Steve Nash and Michael Finley departed for Phoenix and San Antonio.

Howard’s one All-Star selection occurred during the 2006-07 season, but even in a season where he averaged 18.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for a team with the league’s best record, his appearance was only granted due to injuries suffered by bigger stars. He posted a VORP of 3.0 that year; only Dirk and Jason Terry did better while wearing a Dallas uniform. What was so exciting about Howard at the time was that of those three players, he was the youngest. He seemed destined to be Dirk’s wingman for years to come. That destiny was short-lived.

While Howard played a prominent role on the Mavs’ 2006 Finals team, he was not around as part of the team’s championship efforts in 2011. He was part of a trade the year prior that netted Dallas the talents and moxie of Caron Butler and DeShawn Stevenson. This unfortunate sequence of events left Howard as something of a scapegoat for Dallas’ first round playoff failings between its two Miami encounters in the NBA Finals.

Injuries (and possible drug use) are the prime suspects in Howard’s sudden decline. Perhaps a lack of interest and drive are also to blame. Maybe all of the above factors are somewhat related.

Still, he remains the last All-Star drafted by the team. He also deserved that honor more than once.