Dwight Howard Knicks Missing Piece?

The New York Knicks have been actively looking for ways to improve the center position on their roster, and they may need to come up with an unorthodox way to figure it out.

It’s been 20 years since Dwight Howard was chosen by the Orlando Magic with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, and he is far from the player he once was coming into the league.

When he was at his peak, Howard was the best center and possibly the best defender in the game. While he doesn’t have the same athleticism now as he did back then, those instincts would be welcomed for the Knicks current roster.

The Knicks are looking for a solution to replace Isaiah Hartenstein, who was their best rim protector last season and helped make New York a top-tier defense. Howard isn’t needed for his offense, but rather just spurts where he can protect the rim and help give the Knicks a little bit of size.

Howard, 38, hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2021-22 campaign with the Los Angeles Lakers, but he has been itching to get back into the league. Since leaving the NBA, Howard has played professionally in Taiwan.

Howard has made millions upon millions in his NBA career, and he is very likely going to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame someday. He doesn’t need to play more, but he does because he wants to.

If he was persuaded by a team in the NBA who could carve out a small but decent role in the league, he would come back in a heartbeat. Perhaps the Knicks could be that team that could bring Howard back to the league for one last run in his storybook career.

Make sure you bookmark New York Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!