For the 2018 NBA trade deadline, the Washington Wizards should try to acquire the Charlotte Hornets’ Dwight Howard to help them make a deep playoff push.
The Washington Wizards currently hold the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference. It’s not where Washington expected to be to start the season. However, as with any NBA season one should always expect the unexpected.
The expected for Washington were injuries which are part and parcel part of the game. Such as Markieff Morris being out for the start of the season for sports groin surgery or Otto Porter‘s hip problems. Yet, within this realm of injuries there was still an unknown, possible post-operative issues from John Wall‘s 2016 double-knee surgery.
What wasn’t expected was Washington losing to sub-.500 teams and not playing with any sense of urgency. Not playing like the team that was just 12 minutes away from their conference finals, and coming into this season to right that wrong.
Nonetheless, here Washington stands on the precipice of not reaching their goal. It’s not too late to late right that ship, if they’re willing to go all in.
The main area that is hurting the Wizards is their frontcourt. There are nights when Porter, Keef, and Marcin Gortat are clicking on all cylinders. But those nights have been far and few between this season.
Although Porter has had hip problems prior to even the start of his NBA career, the extent has been a bit of a concern. If Washington could rest the small forward for a few games until the playoffs, put him on ice literally and figuratively, so he’s fresh for the postseason that would help.
Unfortunately, the Wizards don’t have that luxury after losing games that they should have won. They need Porter now more than ever to keep them in playoff contention.
While Keef had a great game against the Hawks, showing his perimeter prowess tying his season-high of 23 points. Yet, he hasn’t been consistent this season.
Of course part of it has been due to injury, while other times he has looked disengaged on the floor. Not to say he won’t turn it on during the postseason, but the Wizards need “playoff Keef” now.
Gortat has been the biggest conundrum this season. Bigs and smalls alike have been walking past him for an easy bucket. His response has been a delayed one—not to challenge his opponent—but to hold his head down afterwards in frustration.
His visible frustration has been a sign for other teams to pounce as the boards come crashing down on the Polish Machine.
Gortat isn’t penetrating inside to take his shots nor is he banging inside to grab missed shots. He has been an offensive and defensive liability. His lack of confidence this season has hurt Washington.
It’s unclear if Gortat is playing with fear, what is clear is that wings simply don’t fear him.
After Gortat only grabbed one rebound in their recent loss to the Thunder, somewhere someone was quietly saying:
"“We got guys that play 27 minutes and get one defensive rebound. I can get a rebound. I guarantee you. You give me 27 minutes on Saturday, I’ll get you a rebound.”"
Last season, Gortat averaged 10.4 rebounds per game, this year his production has dipped to 8.
However, the Wizards’ woes aren’t due to a single player. It’s a collective problem with the frontcourt with their inability to protect the rim. How many bites of the apple are they going to allow opponents to keep jacking up their missed shots? Or not being there for the putback of a Wizards’ missed shot?
The Wizards do not have a reliable man in the middle. As luck would have it the Charlotte Hornets are having a fire sale and everyone can go, including Kemba Walker. However, it wouldn’t make sense for Buzz City to part with Walker.
Washington should take a good look at Dwight Howard. Some will argue that he’s a journeyman. But do the Wizards want their journey to end in the first round?
Right after the season ended last year, I wrote that the Wizards should acquire Howard. Shortly thereafter, Michael Jordan called him up for his Hornets.
During the offseason, in another piece I noted that Howard “has recorded a double-double every single season of his 13-year career. He is still one of the most dominant big men inside the paint. Last season, he averaged 13.5 points and 12.7 rebounds per game.”
This season Howard is on par to average another double-double. He’s currently averaging 15.8 points and 12.8 rebounds. Those numbers are similar to his second year in the league.
He led the league in rebounds in five consecutive seasons, and became the first player to beat Wilt Chamberlain’s record (though Chamberlain recorded four consecutive seasons twice in his illustrious career).
Although Howard is a poor free throw shooter, weighed against Gortat hardly getting any shots or rebounds, he is still a plus.
With Howards’ two-year $47 million contract it would require serious financial wizardry on the part of Washington. The center’s heavy contract would probably require a third team to be involved, possibly the Orlando Magic.
A lineup of two All-Stars—Wall and Bradley Beal—Porter, Keef and former All-Star Dwight Howard would help the Wizards make a deep playoff push.
Why not let superman come to town and see if he can rock the Wizards into the Eastern Conference Finals?