The Golden State Warriors are one of the teams that are in serious need of a major roster upgrade before the 2021 trade deadline. With Klay Thompson set to miss the entire 2020-21 NBA season due to injury, the Warriors should continue to find ways to surround Stephen Curry with quality veterans that would help him carry the team to the top of the loaded Western Conference and capture the Larry O’Brien Trophy. One of the most intriguing trade targets for Golden State is veteran center Dwight Howard of the Philadelphia 76ers.
As of now, there’s no strong indication that the Sixers are planning to trade Howard, but if they decide to make him available on the market, Greg Patuto of NBA Analysis Network believes the Warriors should make a move to add him to their roster. In the proposed scenario, Golden State would acquire Howard and a 2022 second-round pick from Philadelphia and would send the 76ers a package that includes Jordan Poole and Kevon Looney.
“This is a trade that will not cause a big stir but it would give to contending teams some depth come postseason time. Dwight Howard going to the Golden State Warriors would give them a veteran center to mentor the younger generation. This would give the Warriors depth at the center position with James Wiseman in the starting lineup. Howard would bring some needed size and has a familiarity with the Los Angeles Lakers, who are the biggest threat in the Western Conference.”
Though Golden State already has James Wiseman manning the starting center position, trading for Howard would still make a lot of sense for them. Aside from being a great mentor for Wiseman, Howard would also give the team a very reliable frontcourt reinforcement who has plenty of playoff experience. Howard would provide Golden State with some insurance in case Wiseman suffers an injury during the season as well.
The potential arrival of Howard would boost the team’s performance in terms of scoring under the basket, rebounding, and protecting the rim. He may no longer be in his prime and has already shown a massive decline with his performance, but when he’s given enough playing time and a significant role on the offensive end of the floor, he’s still capable of turning himself into a double-double machine. Also, as Patuto noted, his familiarity with the reigning NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers would give the Warriors an advantage if they ever face them in the 2021 Playoffs.