Dwight Howard had voiced a desire to play for the Golden State Warriors, but there were reports that the team was wary of the baggage he’d bring.
The Warriors signed DeMarcus Cousins to the mid-level exception yesterday, a deal which looks even better now that it’s been revealed what Howard got.
Jared Weiss reports that Howard has agreed to the mid-level exception with the Washington Wizards for 1 year and $5.3 million.
Howard had recently been traded from the Charlotte Hornets to the Brooklyn Nets, who proceeded to buyout his contract.
The move makes sense for the Wizards from a purely on-court perspective since they recently traded away Marcin Gortat to the Los Angeles Clippers for Austin Rivers.
The questions with Howard always revolve around chemistry issues, as he has a long history of clashing with different teammates and organizations.
Even with Cousins expected to miss the first few months of next season recovering from his torn Achilles, it’s a remarkable deal for the Warriors.
Although Cousins is combustible, it’s well worth the risk given his immense talent, and he is friends with much of the Warriors core already dating back to their Team USA days.
Half a season of Cousins for the same amount of money is a far better proposition for the Warriors than a full season of Howard.
There are very few players in this league as enigmatic as Howard. He’s an elite rebounder and rim protector, but it comes with a lot of downsides.
The Warriors like centers who can quickly move the ball and Howard has never been a great passer. He doesn’t have a polished post game, and his free throw shooting is notoriously awful.
It’s amazing the Warriors got Cousins for the same price the Wizards got Howard. That Cousins deal looks poised to be perhaps the best bargain in the league next season, even with just half a regular season of Cousins playing.