Hawks trade Dwight Howard, pick to Hornets for players, pick

It’s getting wild out there in the NBA ahead of the draft. The latest move has Dwight Howard being traded to the Charlotte Hornets.

The Atlanta Hawks have agreed to trade Howard and the No. 31 pick in the NBA draft to the Hornets for Miles Plumlee, Marco Belinelli and the No. 41 pick, according to The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Sources: Charlotte is sending Miles Plumlee, Marco Belenelli and 41st pick to Atlanta for Dwight Howard and 31st pick.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) June 21, 2017

There’s no way to interpret this other than concluding the Hawks were dissatisfied with Howard and wanted to dump him. They signed him to a long-term deal before last season and have already sent him and the two years and $46 million he has remaining on his contract to Charlotte.

In return the Hawks are getting Plumlee — a role player coming off having his knee scoped — and Belinelli, whose contract expires after the season. Atlanta was apparently so eager to dump Howard they sweetened the pot by kicking in the No. 31 pick.

Howard will now be playing for his fifth team since 2011.