Video: Dwight Howard Says He Wants to Finish NBA Career with Magic; ‘It’s Only Right’

Tyler Conway@@jtylerconwayFeatured Columnist IVMay 10, 2024

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Dwight Howard has not given up on continuing his NBA career.

The former NBA All-Star said he hopes to get one more run with the Orlando Magic before retiring.

“If I could go back with a team, I gotta go back with the Magic. It’s only right,” Howard said on The OGs podcast (16:34 mark).

Howard played for the Magic from 2004 to 2012, making six All-Star teams and winning three Defensive Player of the Year awards. He exited the organization after his relationship with then-coach Stan Van Gundy fell apart in 2012, heading to the Lakers via trade for one season before signing with the Houston Rockets in free agency a year later.

While he made two more All-NBA and All-Star teams after leaving Orlando, Howard’s career was never the same. He battled back injuries and saw his reputation around the league take a significant hit—particularly as he and James Harden failed to win a championship in Houston.

After leaving the Rockets in 2016, Howard played for five more NBA teams over the next five seasons. He last played for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021-22 before spending time with the Taoyuan Leopards in Taijuan and most recently Mets de Guaynabo in Puerto Rico.