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Over the past season, it was easily observable that the Houston Rockets needed more offensive personnel to compete for an NBA Championship. The team ranked only 12th in the regular season in offensive efficiency and only seventh in the NBA Playoffs. Dwight Howard, who was supposed to be Harden’s running mate, struggled more than ever during the 2014-15 season. Because of this, Houston should field offers for their starting center, who will turn 30 years old in December.
In the regular season, Howard missed 41 games due to pain in his right knee this past year. This clearly affected his all-around play, as he posted the second-lowest PER in his career. Furthermore, Howard posted his lowest block percentage since the 2006 season and the third-lowest total rebound percentage of his career. He also struggled getting to the line, posting the second-lowest free throw rate in his career.
In the playoffs, Howard’s biggest weakness shined bright. During postseason play, he shot 41.2 percent from the free throw line, constantly being put on the line on purpose by the opposition. Additionally, the Rockets notched a minuscule +.4 net rating with Howard on the court during the postseason according to NBA.com. This is a nightmare statistic for the Rockets, as Houston played nearly even with their “second-best player” on the court versus postseason opponents. In the end, Howard averaged 16.4 points per game in the playoffs, a far cry from the 26.0 points per game he averaged in last year’s postseason run.
With Howard’s age and offensive game becoming more and more of a concern, the Rockets should test the trade market for their big-name center. If the team does this, Houston may just be able to get enough assets in return to pull the trigger on a trade.
Nicholas Sciria is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Nick_Sciria, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
