Author: Monojit Mandal
The latest excitement surrounding Dwight Howard’s likely arrival with the Golden State Warriors may have dissipated this summer, but it’s worth reliving a time when the Dubs pursued the NBA superstar with zeal in 2013. This first-class revelation comes from NBA expert Marc Stein and clarifies the crucial records of the franchise’s history.
The Warriors were supposedly in strong pursuit of Dwight Howard in the summer of 2013, at the start of Joe Lacob’s tenure. Howard became a highly sought-after free agent after his first stint with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Warriors were interested in him because they wanted to improve their squad, but fate intervened when Howard made a critical decision.
As Howard considered his free agency possibilities that summer, he adopted an unusual method to research possible landing sites. Howard supervised an off-season training session with a young Stephen Curry, who had not yet reached NBA All-Star status, while training with famed coach Idan Ravin. This secret meeting took place during the Warriors’ persistent recruitment effort to bring Howard to the Bay Area. Despite his first-class efforts, Howard opted to sign with the Houston Rockets, a choice that would have an impact on his career.
Howard would have joined a team on the verge of greatness if he had chosen the Warriors. Just two years after Howard’s selection, the Warriors would win their first NBA title since 1975. In the following seasons, they would add three more titles to their collection. Surprisingly, the Warriors eliminated Howard’s Rockets from the playoffs in two of his three seasons in Houston.
Although the possibility of Howard joining the Warriors at that critical moment in his career may have caused a shock in the NBA, it is essential to remember that the Warriors’ core, as we know it now, might not have materialized without Howard.
Dwight Howard, 37, is now in a new chapter of his basketball career, having spent the previous season playing abroad in Taiwan. As we search for surprising possibilities that can only be controlled, thoughts of what could have happened in Macaw Bay linger, reminding us of the intriguing twists and turns in sports.