Dwight Howard was almost out of the NBA completely before he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers last season. But his second wind may have him here to stay for a while longer.
The Philadelphia 76ers big man told reporters on Monday that he wants to play for at least five more years, per Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philly.
Howard, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, is already 35 and in his 17th NBA season. Five more years would take him to age 40 and Year 22 in the league. But he is still performing at a fairly high per-minute level with 6.6 points and 8.1 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per game for Philadelphia. Howard’s contract with the Sixers is only for this season though.
In any event, Howard has graciously accepted his transition from headlining star to role player off the bench. Similar to how Vince Carter was able to stay in the NBA for so long, Howard is finding different ways to compensate for his declining physical gifts. That could help him stick around in the league through well into the 2020s.
