Mozgov recently told a Russian news outlet he was unhappy with his lack of playing time in Brooklyn. There was no real pathway for Mozgov to get minutes in Brooklyn, so the Nets traded him to Charlotte. Howard is no longer the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, nor the perennial all-star he was during his heyday.
But he is still a rebounding machine, adding to a Nets team that ranked ninth during the regular season on the boards, according to data from NBA. Howard himself exposed this weakness when he put up 32 points and 30 rebounds against Brooklyn last season. Howard can occasionally score on the low block. He averaged 4. Howard shot a respectable The NBA has undoubtedly moved away from post-up scoring in favor of threes and layups, but a big man who can command a double-team is never a bad thing to have.
However, despite this, he's still not a terrible player. His personality can be grating, but he still averaged a double-double for the Hornets and generally played well for them. He's not a star anymore, but he's a solid role player. Thus, when looking at a trade involving him, it's important to see him that way.
Don't judge Howard for what he used to be, but what he is now. For the Nets, there is nothing lost in this move. They move away from an unhappy Mozgov and his albatross of a contract for an expiring deal.
Brooklyn didn't bring Howard in with intentions to win. Maybe he can help them win a few games, but that isn't his role for the Nets. He's nothing more than a giant expiring contract to be used for salary cap relief at a later point.
Once his contract expires, it's likely the Nets will move on from Howard due to the fit among other things. Brooklyn is a team that wants to develop young players, play fast and shoot 3-pointers. Howard's skillset doesn't match the Nets' at all. He's slower than he used to be and has an obsession with playing in the post. He's too slow to get back on defense on misses and if a team commits to it they can run him off the floor. He's still solid in the pick and roll, a great rebounder and a solid defender.
Howard isn't a bad player. His faults are just magnified on teams that play a style similar to Brooklyn. He's going to take minutes away from younger players that need them and Howard doesn't have the personality to enjoy sitting on the bench.
Howard finished the campaign with averages of His play earned All-Star consideration. Howard's point total was his best output in the past four years and he participated in plus regular-season contests for the first time in eight years. He also expanded his game, in what he called a "resurrection year," with the addition of a midrange pull-up jumper.
I've improved my pick-and-pops. My [isolation] numbers are very high. I'm in a position where I can still dominate on the post, but I can do more things now because I understand the game on a different level. Furthermore, I still want to continue developing and growing as a player. This past season, Howard finished sixth in the league in screen assists 4. He was one of only three players to average at least 16 points and 12 rebounds per game. He averaged I still can jump, I still can play, I still can contribute and I can contribute in any system.
On March 21, Howard scored 32 points and pulled down 30 rebounds during a victory over the Nets. Howard and Kevin Love November are the only two players to produce games in the past 36 years. Howard's talent has never been questioned. There has been a perception, however, that he's a locker room issue. Although there were no major rifts reported in-season the past two years, rumors of Hornets players disliking Howard surfaced as soon as word leaked that he was joining his fourth different team in as many years.
Atlanta Hawks guard Kent Bazemore played with Howard during the season.
0コメント