Why Warriors shouldn't pursue Dwight Howard in free agency, per Tom Haberstroh

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article_body => "Back in the summer of 2013, the Warriors pursued superstar big man Dwight Howard in free agency, hoping to team him up with Steph Curry.<\/p>\r\n\r\nSeven years later, could the Warriors be interested in pursuing him again? \r\n  \r\nHoward, now with the Lakers, had been with four teams since that summer, and has lost most of his star power due to lack of productivity and various behind-the-scenes issues. But this season, Howard has worked to change his image and become a destructive force off the bench for the Lakers -- and he has accomplished just that.<\/p>\r\n\r\nIn just 18.9 minutes per game, the 6-foot-10 center averaged 7.3 rebounds per game and shot an impressive 72.9 percent from the field.   \r\n  \r\nSo given that the Warriors will be looking to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/warriors\/warriors-seek-clarity-kevon-looneys-future-encouraged-progress\">upgrade their frontcourt<\/a>, it could appear as if Howard, a pending free agent, could be a great option for Golden State.<\/p>\r\n\r\nBut NBC Sports NBA Insider Tom Haberstroh is not ready to go that far.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\"A year ago I would have laughed this off, I would have thought Dwight Howard as a prospect for the Golden State Warriors would have been an awful idea,\" Haberstroh told NBC Sports Bay Area. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\"I do not think it is a smart move.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/warriors-insider-podcast\">Download and subscribe to the Runnin' Plays Podcast<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-url data-embed-button=\"url\" data-embed-url=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/warriors-insider-podcast\/episodes\/b4060070-bda9-4b2d-acc6-d966c1d8307d\" data-entity-label=\"Embed social\" data-timestamp=\"1601684738\" data-url-provider=\"ART19\"><\/drupal-url>\r\n\r\nHaberstroh explained that the Warriors should not be interested because of Howard's past issues with other teams, like the Charlotte Hornets, Atlanta Hawks, or Brooklyn Nets, \"who basically dropped him because they did not want anything to do with him a couple years ago.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n\"This is a situation in which I would probably pass on Howard because everything needed to go right for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dwight Howard marriage to work out,\" Haberstroh continued. \"He had a history with the Los Angeles Lakers, he had LeBron James on the team, he had a lot of rejuvenation of his player stock he had to live up to in this situation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\"I don't see a team like the Golden State Warriors being a wise decision to double down on that and say Dwight Howard will do the same thing for us. I would stay on the sidelines of the Dwight Howard sweepstakes.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/warriors\/warriors-draymond-green-draining-3-pointers-workout-good-sign\">RELATED: Draymond draining 3-pointers should excite Warriors fans<\/strong><\/a><\/h5>\r\n\r\nHaberstroh does believe, however, that there are other alternatives on the market that could work for the Warriors.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\"There are a lot of big men in the NBA that will be free agents that I'd much rather have at the price they would pay for Dwight Howard,\" Haberstroh said.<\/p>\r\n\r\nSpecifically, he named Nerlens Noel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/warriors\/could-warriors-sign-derrick-favors-taxpayer-mid-level-exception\">and Derrick Favors<\/a> as options, describing the centers as \"two big men who can defend and finish above the rim, in Nerlens Noel's case, and I like Favors' passing ability and veteran leadership he brings as well.\"<\/p>\r\n"
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Warriors

/ by Grant Liffmann

Warriors

Back in the summer of 2013, the Warriors pursued superstar big man Dwight Howard in free agency, hoping to team him up with Steph Curry.

Seven years later, could the Warriors be interested in pursuing him again?

Howard, now with the Lakers, had been with four teams since that summer, and has lost most of his star power due to lack of productivity and various behind-the-scenes issues. But this season, Howard has worked to change his image and become a destructive force off the bench for the Lakers -- and he has accomplished just that.

In just 18.9 minutes per game, the 6-foot-10 center averaged 7.3 rebounds per game and shot an impressive 72.9 percent from the field.

So given that the Warriors will be looking to upgrade their frontcourt, it could appear as if Howard, a pending free agent, could be a great option for Golden State.

But NBC Sports NBA Insider Tom Haberstroh is not ready to go that far.

"A year ago I would have laughed this off, I would have thought Dwight Howard as a prospect for the Golden State Warriors would have been an awful idea," Haberstroh told NBC Sports Bay Area.

"I do not think it is a smart move."

Download and subscribe to the Runnin' Plays Podcast

Haberstroh explained that the Warriors should not be interested because of Howard's past issues with other teams, like the Charlotte Hornets, Atlanta Hawks, or Brooklyn Nets, "who basically dropped him because they did not want anything to do with him a couple years ago."

"This is a situation in which I would probably pass on Howard because everything needed to go right for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dwight Howard marriage to work out," Haberstroh continued. "He had a history with the Los Angeles Lakers, he had LeBron James on the team, he had a lot of rejuvenation of his player stock he had to live up to in this situation.

"I don't see a team like the Golden State Warriors being a wise decision to double down on that and say Dwight Howard will do the same thing for us. I would stay on the sidelines of the Dwight Howard sweepstakes."

RELATED: Draymond draining 3-pointers should excite Warriors fans

Haberstroh does believe, however, that there are other alternatives on the market that could work for the Warriors.

"There are a lot of big men in the NBA that will be free agents that I'd much rather have at the price they would pay for Dwight Howard," Haberstroh said.

Specifically, he named Nerlens Noel and Derrick Favors as options, describing the centers as "two big men who can defend and finish above the rim, in Nerlens Noel's case, and I like Favors' passing ability and veteran leadership he brings as well."