Dwight Howard will remain with the Washington Wizards for the 2019-20 season.
Howard has decided to pick up his player option for next season worth $5.6 million, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN.
Howard signed a two-year deal with the Wizards last summer with the second coming in a player option.
Initially, Howard seemed to be the center the Wizards were missing on both ends of the floor, giving the team high hopes going into the 2018-19 season. However, the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year only appeared in nine games as he was hampered with a lower back injury that ultimately required surgery. As he resumed basketball activities he suffered a hamstring injury in February that helped delay his progress. He last appeared in a game on Nov. 18.
Howard’s injury added with John Wall’s heel injury that caused him 50 games, helped lead to the Wizards’ disappointing 32-50 season.
In Howard’s absence, the Wizards turned to 21-year old Thomas Bryant. Bryant thrived in the starting center role and showed he is a promising big man for the future. He enters this summer as a restricted free agent, and depending on who the Wizards hire as their new general manager, he may be a top priority to bring back.
If so, that places Howard in a different set of circumstances with the Wizards. At the age of 33 and coming off a lost season, he was expected to opt into his player option. However, he will be entering next season looking to prove he can still be effective or at the very least serviceable in the NBA. All while doing it on a team that may be retooling for the future with a younger and more promising option in front of him at center.
