The Atlanta Hawks have just traded 8-time NBA All-Star center Dwight Howard to the Charlotte Hornets.
The Hornets will be sending Miles Plumlee, Marco Belinelli, as well as their 41st draft pick to Atlanta for Howard and the 31st draft pick.
🙌 OFFICIAL 🙌 Welcome to #BuzzCity @DwightHoward!
Press Release: https://t.co/L2fcv1ZZGH pic.twitter.com/MotCVkY7Nl
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) June 21, 2017
Hornets GM Rich Cho commented that the Hornets are ecstatic to add “a player of Dwight’s stature.”
“He has been a very talented player, an elite rebounder and rim protector as well as a physical presence since the moment he entered the league,” Cho commented in a statement yesterday.
The all-star signed a three-year, $70.5 million deal with the Hawks this past July, but had a surprisingly disappointing season.
He averaged just 13.5 points and 12.7 rebounds per game with the Hawks, which was close to his production in the last of his three seasons with the Houston Rockets in 2015-16.
31-year-old Dwight Howard is an eight-time All-Star and three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year – he’ll now be playing for his third team in three seasons. He’s expected to earn $23.5 million per season for the next 2 years.
Most Hornet fans in Charlotte seemed to be excited about the trade:
I love I can finally get on the Dwight Howard hype train!
— Danny Kelly (@dcarnys) June 21, 2017
I’m so happy we dumped Miles! Reuniting Clifford & Howard is going to be great!
— Megan Jones👑 (@sugamama316) June 21, 2017
No matter how Dwight Howard plays out, the Hornets win this trade.
— Lucas (@Uncle__Lucas) June 21, 2017
So the Hornets got rid of a 3rd string C with the worse contract in the NBA and got to move up ten draft spots all to take Howard away.
— Skyler Jones (@SuperSuavesky) June 21, 2017
Save the analysis of Howard and his fit etc for another day, this is an incredible move from Cho.
— David Walker (@daviDBWalker) June 21, 2017
Dwight Howard’s best years may be behind him, but I love the move by Charlotte. Howard’s skill set is perfect for the Hornets. #BuzzCity
— Sammy Eanes (@sammyeanes) June 21, 2017
But some fans were less than enthusiastic:
Still think it’s a good trade for #Hornets, but the fact that we’re excited about a broken, overpaid Dwight Howard is 100% entirely sad.
— Chris Kroeger (@Kroeger) June 21, 2017
Do not be fooled by the Dwight Howard name. He’s a net negative. It’s not by accident ATL moved down 10 spots to be rid of him.
— Ryan Self (@ryanselfbeer) June 21, 2017
Think of it this way: the #Hawks were willing to take on a grossly overpaid Plumlee AND move further down in the draft to get rid of Howard.
— Nathan Conley (@NathanConley) June 21, 2017
What are your thoughts?
Do you think this was a good trade for the Hornets?